using driftwood
 

how long should I be soaking drift wood before putting it in my tank?
I've got a piece soaking for a week and a half. The water is still
brownish. Should i keep going until the water doesn't change colour? Or
can I put it in my tank already? Thanks in advance.

using driftwood
 

Mariachi wrote:
how long should I be soaking drift wood before putting it in my tank?
I've got a piece soaking for a week and a half. The water is still
brownish. Should i keep going until the water doesn't change colour? Or
can I put it in my tank already? Thanks in advance.


Depends on where you got the driftwood...if you got it from an LFS then
it is probably safe to put it in if you don't mind tea coloured water
(makes it difficult tracing small amounts of ammonia IME). I have
tea-coloured water even 18 months after having driftwood in the tank -
maybe carbon in the filter might help but I've not tried this - I just
put up with the coloured water...

using driftwood
 

Gill Passman wrote:
Mariachi wrote:
how long should I be soaking drift wood before putting it in my tank?
I've got a piece soaking for a week and a half. The water is still
brownish. Should i keep going until the water doesn't change colour? Or
can I put it in my tank already? Thanks in advance.


Depends on where you got the driftwood...if you got it from an LFS then
it is probably safe to put it in if you don't mind tea coloured water
(makes it difficult tracing small amounts of ammonia IME). I have
tea-coloured water even 18 months after having driftwood in the tank -
maybe carbon in the filter might help but I've not tried this - I just
put up with the coloured water...

Carbon will remove the tea color. As long as the wood sinks or you can
weigh it down to your satisfaction, it's probably fine.

--
Put the word aquaria in the subject to reply.
Did you read the FAQ? http://faq.thekrib.com

using driftwood
 

"Mariachi" wrote in news:1141945494.087554.224130
@u72g2000cwu.googlegroups.com:

how long should I be soaking drift wood before putting it in my tank?
I've got a piece soaking for a week and a half. The water is still
brownish. Should i keep going until the water doesn't change colour? Or
can I put it in my tank already? Thanks in advance.

You can put it in right away. The longer you soak it, the less tannin will
be released into your aquarium water. It's harmless (except the humic
acids can lower your pH slightly), but it will turn your tank into a black
water tank.

I love black water personally. Ever since I turned my display tank at work
into one I've sold a lot more Kent Black Water Expert.

using driftwood
 

I have tea-coloured water even 18 months after having driftwood in the tank -
maybe carbon in the filter might help but I've not tried this.

Same here. About a year or more with tea-colored water. I have a carbon
in the filter too.

It becomes less and less obvious though as the months pass.

using driftwood
 

"IDzine01" wrote in message
oups.com...
I have tea-coloured water even 18 months after having driftwood in the
tank -
maybe carbon in the filter might help but I've not tried this.

Same here. About a year or more with tea-colored water. I have a carbon
in the filter too.

It becomes less and less obvious though as the months pass.

The tea color in my 30G long finally disappeared after
a year or so. I miss it. Maybe it's time to put in a
new piece of driftwood. :)

Gail

using driftwood
 

"Gail Futoran" wrote in news:1ziQf.7369
:

The tea color in my 30G long finally disappeared after
a year or so. I miss it. Maybe it's time to put in a
new piece of driftwood. :)

There are black water additives you can buy at your LFS too.

using driftwood
 

"dc" wrote...
"Gail Futoran" wrote in news:1ziQf.7369
:

The tea color in my 30G long finally disappeared after
a year or so. I miss it. Maybe it's time to put in a
new piece of driftwood. :)

There are black water additives you can buy at your LFS too.


thanks for this thread guys, this is one of the things i've been working on
with my 75 gal. (which, btw, is just about ready for stocking). :-)

using driftwood
 

On Fri, 10 Mar 2006 11:14:23 -0700, "Tedd Jacobs"
wrote:


"dc" wrote...
"Gail Futoran" wrote in news:1ziQf.7369
:

The tea color in my 30G long finally disappeared after
a year or so. I miss it. Maybe it's time to put in a
new piece of driftwood. :)

There are black water additives you can buy at your LFS too.


thanks for this thread guys, this is one of the things i've been working on
with my 75 gal. (which, btw, is just about ready for stocking). :-)

If you go with one of the commercial black water additives, let us
know what you try and how it works for you. Some of these products
make some pretty big claims. Some are quite simple. Some are a regular
witch's brew of ingredients. There are claims of improving plant
health as well as Mark Weiss's concoction which claims to prevent the
ich parasite from sticking to the fish's skin.
-- Mister Gardener

using driftwood
 

Gail Futoran wrote:
"IDzine01" wrote in message
oups.com...

I have tea-coloured water even 18 months after having driftwood in the
tank -
maybe carbon in the filter might help but I've not tried this.

Same here. About a year or more with tea-colored water. I have a carbon
in the filter too.

It becomes less and less obvious though as the months pass.


The tea color in my 30G long finally disappeared after
a year or so. I miss it. Maybe it's time to put in a
new piece of driftwood. :)

Gail


the only issue I have with it is that it turns the water the same colour
as a positive ammonia reading with my nutrafin test kit - nowadays I add
in the reagent and then compare it to the tank water before looking at
the chart - it isn't exact science I know...I rely more on the
nitrite/nitrate test kits - there is no mistaking pink for yellow....

Apart from that...if the water colour doesn't bother my fish it doesn't
bother me...

using driftwood
 

Gill Passman wrote:

The tea color in my 30G long finally disappeared after
a year or so. I miss it. Maybe it's time to put in a
new piece of driftwood. :)

Gail

the only issue I have with it is that it turns the water the same colour
as a positive ammonia reading with my nutrafin test kit - nowadays I add
in the reagent and then compare it to the tank water before looking at
the chart - it isn't exact science I know...I rely more on the
nitrite/nitrate test kits - there is no mistaking pink for yellow....


There isn't much need for testing ammonia in established aquaria, is there?

using driftwood
 

Gill Passman wrote in news:44121b4c$0
:

the only issue I have with it is that it turns the water the same colour
as a positive ammonia reading with my nutrafin test kit - nowadays I add

You may wish to switch to another ammonia test kit, one that isn't Nessler
based.

The two part test kits usually meant for sal****er will give you a much
more accurate reading regardless of the tannins in your water. I don't use
anything else now because, well I have both fresh and salt, but also
because Prime--an excellent water conditioner made by Seachem--produces
false positive result with any Nessler based ammonia test kit.

using driftwood
 

netDenizen wrote:
Gill Passman wrote:

The tea color in my 30G long finally disappeared after
a year or so. I miss it. Maybe it's time to put in a
new piece of driftwood. :)

Gail

the only issue I have with it is that it turns the water the same
colour as a positive ammonia reading with my nutrafin test kit -
nowadays I add in the reagent and then compare it to the tank water
before looking at the chart - it isn't exact science I know...I rely
more on the nitrite/nitrate test kits - there is no mistaking pink for
yellow....


There isn't much need for testing ammonia in established aquaria, is there?

You are absolutely correct here...and I don't, unless I have found a
problem with a filter/pump etc....but most of my tanks contain driftwood
so it does come into play when I am setting up a new seeded tank -
however much filter medium and gravel etc I move over I still monitor
it...and at the same time I monitor the donor tank...

Gill

using driftwood
 

"Gill Passman" wrote in message
...
netDenizen wrote:
Gill Passman wrote:

The tea color in my 30G long finally disappeared after
a year or so. I miss it. Maybe it's time to put in a
new piece of driftwood. :)

Gail

the only issue I have with it is that it turns the water the same
colour as a positive ammonia reading with my nutrafin test kit -
nowadays I add in the reagent and then compare it to the tank water
before looking at the chart - it isn't exact science I know...I rely
more on the nitrite/nitrate test kits - there is no mistaking pink
for yellow....


There isn't much need for testing ammonia in established aquaria, is
there?

You are absolutely correct here...and I don't, unless I have found a
problem with a filter/pump etc....but most of my tanks contain
driftwood so it does come into play when I am setting up a new seeded
tank - however much filter medium and gravel etc I move over I still
monitor it...and at the same time I monitor the donor tank...

Gill

Speaking of which, how is your new tank doing? DC had a good idea. Use
the AP NH3 tester instead of Hagen's NH3/4 tester. Maybe that was
contributing to your problem?
--
www.NetMax.tk

using driftwood
 

NetMax wrote:
"Gill Passman" wrote in message
...

netDenizen wrote:

Gill Passman wrote:


The tea color in my 30G long finally disappeared after
a year or so. I miss it. Maybe it's time to put in a
new piece of driftwood. :)

Gail


the only issue I have with it is that it turns the water the same
colour as a positive ammonia reading with my nutrafin test kit -
nowadays I add in the reagent and then compare it to the tank water
before looking at the chart - it isn't exact science I know...I rely
more on the nitrite/nitrate test kits - there is no mistaking pink
for yellow....


There isn't much need for testing ammonia in established aquaria, is
there?

You are absolutely correct here...and I don't, unless I have found a
problem with a filter/pump etc....but most of my tanks contain
driftwood so it does come into play when I am setting up a new seeded
tank - however much filter medium and gravel etc I move over I still
monitor it...and at the same time I monitor the donor tank...

Gill


Speaking of which, how is your new tank doing? DC had a good idea. Use
the AP NH3 tester instead of Hagen's NH3/4 tester. Maybe that was
contributing to your problem?

I tested yesterday lunchtime - the ammonia was 0 and the nitrite was 0.1
- don't know what it is today yet...as soon as it settles to 0 I will
start the big fish and filter move....I can't wait to get my Clowns in
there :-)

I have been suspicious of the Hagen kit but both the ammonia and nitrite
test kits are quite recent purchases and do register 0 on other
tanks...I might try swopping brands - I'll see what is readily available
over here - sure it won't be long before my next shopping trip :-)

Gill

using driftwood
 

In article .com,
Mariachi wrote:
how long should I be soaking drift wood before putting it in my tank?
I've got a piece soaking for a week and a half. The water is still
brownish. Should i keep going until the water doesn't change colour? Or
can I put it in my tank already? Thanks in advance.


I'm still waiting for some gnarled bits of willow root
to sink. It's been soaking in a tub of water since july.

I'm a patient person, but I think it may be time to
screw some to some slate.

--
My only working email address is on my home page
Richard Sexton | Mercedes stuff: http://mbz.org
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Home page: http://rs79.vrx.net
633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | http://aquaria.net http://killi.net

using driftwood
 

"Richard Sexton" wrote in message
...
In article .com,
Mariachi wrote:
how long should I be soaking drift wood before putting it in my tank?
I've got a piece soaking for a week and a half. The water is still
brownish. Should i keep going until the water doesn't change colour? Or
can I put it in my tank already? Thanks in advance.


I'm still waiting for some gnarled bits of willow root
to sink. It's been soaking in a tub of water since july.

I'm a patient person, but I think it may be time to
screw some to some slate.

--
My only working email address is on my home page
Richard Sexton | Mercedes stuff: http://mbz.org
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Home page: http://rs79.vrx.net
633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | http://aquaria.net http://killi.net

I've also heard of drilling a hole and filling it with melted metal (tin,
zinc, lead?). Could also pour some concrete in. The metal you would
need to cap with some silicone.
--
www.NetMax.tk

using driftwood
 

I live in Miami Beach, Florida, about five or six blocks from the
Atlantic Ocean, and was wondering, what about driftwood that washes up
on the shore? Is there any way to get the salt out of it, so that I
could use in in my freshwater tanks?~Dean.

using driftwood
 

Papa Red wrote:
I live in Miami Beach, Florida, about five or six blocks from the
Atlantic Ocean, and was wondering, what about driftwood that washes up
on the shore? Is there any way to get the salt out of it, so that I
could use in in my freshwater tanks?~Dean.

Give it a soak for a week or so. That will help waterlog it and remove
the salt. What little is left won't hurt your livebearers.

--
Put the word aquaria in the subject to reply.
Did you read the FAQ? http://faq.thekrib.com

using driftwood
 

On Sun, 12 Mar 2006 00:40:14 -0500, (Papa Red)
wrote:

I live in Miami Beach, Florida, about five or six blocks from the
Atlantic Ocean, and was wondering, what about driftwood that washes up
on the shore? Is there any way to get the salt out of it, so that I
could use in in my freshwater tanks?~Dean.

All of the driftwood in my aquariums comes from the ocean just down
the street from me. I give it a good scrubbing in the bathtub or
kitchen sink, depending on the size, put a weight on it and let it
soak overnight, give it another scrub with the brush and that's it.
Sometimes I add a little bleach to the soak, but I'm not convinced
that does any more cleaning than the scrubbing. Any plant or micro bug
matter than may have survived my cleaning probably won't survive
outside of ocean water. I've never had a problem with wood gathered
this way, and I've been doing it for nearly 4 decades. My biggest
concern when selecting wood from the shoreline is pollution - I avoid
stuff that has obviously picked up oil or who knows what that
discolors the wood. As you probably already know, the driftwood will
probably not sink in your aquarium. Many folks will use a combination
of boiling it and soaking it for weeks, even months, until all of the
air is driven out. I don't have that kind of patience - I attach it
with a stainless steel screw to a piece of slate, (slate drills pretty
nicely with a high quality electric drill bit), and use the slate
covered with gravel to hold it down in the aquarium. Silicone caulk
(aquarium grand) will stick it nicely to a heavy rock if you want to
go that way.

-- Mister Gardener

using driftwood
 

On Sun, 12 Mar 2006 06:22:06 -0500, Mr. Gardener
wrote:

On Sun, 12 Mar 2006 00:40:14 -0500, (Papa Red)
wrote:

I live in Miami Beach, Florida, about five or six blocks from the
Atlantic Ocean, and was wondering, what about driftwood that washes up
on the shore? Is there any way to get the salt out of it, so that I
could use in in my freshwater tanks?~Dean.

All of the driftwood in my aquariums comes from the ocean just down
the street from me. I give it a good scrubbing in the bathtub or
kitchen sink, depending on the size, put a weight on it and let it
soak overnight, give it another scrub with the brush and that's it.
Sometimes I add a little bleach to the soak, but I'm not convinced
that does any more cleaning than the scrubbing. Any plant or micro bug
matter than may have survived my cleaning probably won't survive
outside of ocean water. I've never had a problem with wood gathered
this way, and I've been doing it for nearly 4 decades. My biggest
concern when selecting wood from the shoreline is pollution - I avoid
stuff that has obviously picked up oil or who knows what that
discolors the wood. As you probably already know, the driftwood will
probably not sink in your aquarium. Many folks will use a combination
of boiling it and soaking it for weeks, even months, until all of the
air is driven out. I don't have that kind of patience - I attach it
with a stainless steel screw to a piece of slate, (slate drills pretty
nicely with a high quality electric drill bit), and use the slate
covered with gravel to hold it down in the aquarium. Silicone caulk
(aquarium grand) will stick it nicely to a heavy rock if you want to
go that way.

-- Mister Gardener

Aquarium grade, not grand.
-- Mister Gardener