wood collected from a saltwater environment is far less prone to rotting and other problems than wood collected from freshwater environments... The saltwater in some way 'cures' the wood in a way that prevents/discourages deterioration.
There are saltwater born parasites and bacteria, so soaking in a stronger saltwater solution will kill these. Although few things that thrive in salt water will also thrive in freshwater.
Boiling the wood or pouring boiling water over the wood will definitely help cleanse the wood of parasites and bacteria as well as general gunk, but the action of boiling can encourage deterioration. Although it is still a commonly used step and often works well without issue.
As for the wood discoloring the water, there is no way to predict how much Tannic Acid is in each piece of wood and the range can vary greatly. The hotter the water the faster the tannins will leach out so soaking in hot (or boiling) water will definitely speed this process along. This discoloration is not harmful to the fish but many consider it an eyesore. It will have an impact on PH/KH, so watch your parameters when first adding driftwood.
There are saltwater born parasites and bacteria, so soaking in a stronger saltwater solution will kill these. Although few things that thrive in salt water will also thrive in freshwater.
Boiling the wood or pouring boiling water over the wood will definitely help cleanse the wood of parasites and bacteria as well as general gunk, but the action of boiling can encourage deterioration. Although it is still a commonly used step and often works well without issue.
As for the wood discoloring the water, there is no way to predict how much Tannic Acid is in each piece of wood and the range can vary greatly. The hotter the water the faster the tannins will leach out so soaking in hot (or boiling) water will definitely speed this process along. This discoloration is not harmful to the fish but many consider it an eyesore. It will have an impact on PH/KH, so watch your parameters when first adding driftwood.
