# brown water from driftwood



## chadngeorgia (May 22, 2009)

is there a way that i can get the browness out of my water caused by the bleeding driftwood


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## bulldogg7 (Mar 3, 2003)

purigen :thumb:


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Remove the driftwood (this is one reason many people don't use it). Or I've heard carbon recommended for removing colors from water.


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## Toby_H (Apr 15, 2005)

Carbon removes it... as do several other "chemical filtration medias"... including Purigen...

The water is turning brown due to tannic acid leachingn out. It will eventually "run out" of tannins to leach... or you can soak it in hot/boiling water to speed up the process and remove it before it's in your tank...

I have a 125 gal that is slam full of driftwood and I love the way it looks. I took the time to remove the tannins and have since enjoyed the lok of driftwood for many years without the burden of tea colored water...


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## kmuda (Nov 27, 2009)

Either carbon, purigen, or polyfilter will remove the tannins. I would recommend carbon over Purigen. Purigen, if not recyled just perfectly, can significantly impact the pH of a tank. I've had it drop pH on one of my tanks to below recordable levels. It can also do the same in reverse, jacking the pH way up.

To prevent tannin release, you can boil the bejesus out of the wood, alternating between boiling and soaking. If done for several weeks, the tannins can be "pre-leached" and will not be an issue.

Mopani wood can be a nightmare. Looks great, will last a long time, man but does that stuff leach tannins and slime (feel fortunate if you have not had to deal with the "white-slime").


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## steelers fan (Jun 26, 2009)

in my experiance it takes about 4-6 months for the tannins to run out. id say just wait it out and do waterchanges to suit you


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

steelers fan said:


> in my experiance it takes about 4-6 months for the tannins to run out


Yeah, I hate having to buy new driftwood to keep up the tannins after the wood stops leaking them. It gets expensive!!!


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## steelers fan (Jun 26, 2009)

wait a sec...you keep up the tannins??? you like the stained water or do you use it for ph


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Black water tank, biotope for certain "american" cichlids. And fish like neon tetras, etc.


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

Many south american cichlids, west african cichlids, and south east asian labrynth species enjoy the tannins ... not just for the pH or the looks of the fish (blackwater fish look best in darker water) but it helps many of the fish breed it seems.


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## steelers fan (Jun 26, 2009)

aha...that explains it. unfamiliar with that variety


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## Antonetta (Apr 30, 2017)

Well, I bought a lovely piece of Mopani wood, rinsed it off, and plopped it in the tank. I have yellow brown water but everything checks out. I think it would be unhealthy to take it out now and boil. I am going to ride it out. Lesson learned!


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

You could try charcoal to remove the discoloration.


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## caldwelldaniel26 (Jun 11, 2017)

Plus 3 on the purigen


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## joselepiu (Jul 22, 2017)

Toby_H said:


> Carbon removes it... as do several other "chemical filtration medias"... including Purigen...
> 
> The water is turning brown due to tannic acid leachingn out. It will eventually "run out" of tannins to leach... or you can soak it in hot/boiling water to speed up the process and remove it before it's in your tank...
> 
> I have a 125 gal that is slam full of driftwood and I love the way it looks. I took the time to remove the tannins and have since enjoyed the lok of driftwood for many years without the burden of tea colored water...


could you share with us pics of your setup?...
 8)  :thumb: :fish: ...


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