# Soaking Cholla Wood STINKS!!!



## jacob.morgan78 (Nov 30, 2011)

So I recently purchased some pieces of cholla for my tank. It has been a horrible experience due to the seller. Anyways, he said that I would just need to boil it for about 10 minutes to get the tannins out. Will I boiled it and now I've been soaking it for a few weeks and it's still staining the water. I've been changing the water every few days (2-4) after the water stains up. Today, when I changed the water, it stinks horribly bad! Very bad! (Yes, it stinks bad enough to state twice) 

Does this usually happen? The wood itself now stinks (not just the water) and I've set it outside. 

Is this expected? Did I miss a step? Any suggestions?

Thanks!


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## TWA (Jan 30, 2012)

It probably molded, it's okay it happens. Put carbon in the filter for the tannins, that'll remove them. Can you see mold on the wood?


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## jacob.morgan78 (Nov 30, 2011)

It's not in the tank yet... I've been soaking it to try to remove tannins before I put it in the tank.


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## TWA (Jan 30, 2012)

Oh for some reason I thought it was in the tank. Can you see mold, can be tricky to see out of water.


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## jacob.morgan78 (Nov 30, 2011)

no... but it doesn't mean it's not there... there was some "filmy" stuff in the water when I changed it this last time.


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## SBPyro (Dec 15, 2009)

My neighbors know when I'm brewing some cholla tea in the backyard.
Yes it is an awful smell, and get a nice oil film from it. I actually boiled it twice for bout 4 hours and had it sit in clean water in between the two boilings for bout a week. After the second boiling I let it soak in clean water for a day. But it looks great in my tank and the fish and shrimp love it. Also it doesn't stink up the tank.


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## jedimasterben (Aug 21, 2011)

I would just go ahead and add it to the tank and run carbon through your filter. You won't see any tannins or have any smell if you run carbon.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

jedimasterben said:


> I would just go ahead and add it to the tank and run carbon through your filter. You won't see any tannins or have any smell if you run carbon.


 and replace the carbon every few days, with new.


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## jacob.morgan78 (Nov 30, 2011)

jedimasterben said:


> I would just go ahead and add it to the tank and run carbon through your filter. You won't see any tannins or have any smell if you run carbon.





Hoppy said:


> and replace the carbon every few days, with new.


Thanks!! Wouldn't whatever is making it stink foul the water in some way?


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