# Driftwood won't stop leaching tannins.



## jimmydrsv (Apr 8, 2005)

It might just be the type of driftwood you are trying to use. Maybe it just puts out a lot of tannis.


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## Fishingdood (Feb 9, 2005)

I boiled mine for a week ...plus it still did it 3 months after in my tank...it just takes awhile


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## Georgiadawgger (Apr 23, 2004)

It will take some patience...I'd say go ahead and use it in your hardscape and allow the tannins to leach...it will soften the water a bit, but I'm guessing that you wont even notice the brown tea color after a week...give it a month in the tank and it will probably be fine. 

Another option is to repeatedly bake at 200 for an hour...then boil...bake...then boil....bake...then boil....how tedious (which will be very frustrating for the impatient 
:tongue: )


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## esarkipato (Jul 19, 2005)

Is this wood that you found in nature, or that you bought from somewhere?

My store-bought driftwood (3-4 peices in a 20g) still leach more than a year after purchase.


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## hOAGART (May 13, 2004)

just wait it out

Fish from the Amazon love brown water ! roud: 
I believe a company makes something to turn fishtanks into 'blackwater' tanks


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## Cheeseybacon (Feb 13, 2005)

Fishingdood said:


> I boiled mine for a week ...plus it still did it 3 months after in my tank...it just takes awhile


You boiled it constantly for a whole week? 
How'd you manage that?


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## retro_gk (Sep 25, 2005)

Try boiling the wood with some baking soda. Approximately 1 handful of soda/3 gallons of water. After boiling, wash/soak the wood thoroughly.

The above tip is from Scheel's "Rivulins of the old world" for removing tannins from peat. Should work for wood too.


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## Cheeseybacon (Feb 13, 2005)

Baking soda, eh? Interesting... I'll try anything at this point.
What's the idea behind the baking soda, that it absorbs tannins much like it absorbs foul odors?


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## jimmydrsv (Apr 8, 2005)

Well the botanic acid from the wood will react with the carbonates in the baking soda but then you are throwing it away so why do you have to neutralize it... 

I am seeing all these posts about processing the wood and i have to wonder if you are practically killing the integrity of the wood and it will shorten its usable lifespan.


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## retro_gk (Sep 25, 2005)

Yes, the purpose of the baking soda is to neutralize the tannic acid. I'm just guessing here, but I think the soda+boiling will remove more tannins than boiling alone.


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## lumpyfunk (Dec 22, 2004)

Boiling the wood does decreace how long it will last in your tank, however this is kinda moot since most of us will not have it in our tanks nearly long enough to see this occour. You may loose some of the exterior of the wood however. 

The tannins will not hurt anything, provided your water is not allready on the soft side and you are adding co2. The tannic acid softens the water.

I personally like the tint in the water, and my fish didnt mind. Plus it was a little reminder to change the water once a week.

Look at it this way if you try it in your tank and dont like it, it (the tannins) did no harm.


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