got a few huge pieces of mopani and i am trying to get tannins out. i have them in some of my other tanks for now. growing the fuzz now ok i know how to deal with that. the tannins is the question would bleach speed this up or do i just need to let nature take its coarse i have one piece that is turning water so dark i have a feeling it would take a year before water would clear.
mopani for show tank
- Thread starter john C
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I've heard several people say they just set chunks outside in the weather for a few months, and when the put them in the tanks there were no tannins. you could try that, but it could take months.
I've got mopani in both of my tanks.
There's no need to soak the tannins out.
Just put carbon in your filter for a few months & you will be fine.
There's no need to soak the tannins out.
Just put carbon in your filter for a few months & you will be fine.
I completely disagree. I boil Mopani chunks for at least a few hours in saltwater, then soak in freshwater for a few more days before placing in the tank. No fuzz & very little tannin, but water still turns light pinkish red for weeks. Larger chunks mean more tannin, so go find a huge stock pot & get to boiling wood...
^^Never had "fuz" or pink, brown, or any other colored water.^^
All I used was carbon.
Just telling what has worked for me & I've got 3 pieces..the biggest ones they sell.
SO...I guess I completely disagree as well.
All I used was carbon.
Just telling what has worked for me & I've got 3 pieces..the biggest ones they sell.
SO...I guess I completely disagree as well.
Each piece of driftwood is unique... so just because process X worked for me doesn't mean it will work the same for you...
Thats very true. Every piece is different & I do usually buy darker pieces. However, his question is how to cut down his tannins because they are staining his water very dark, so he obviously does have darker/high tannin content chunks. I posted the process that has worked for me 6 times now on varying sizes of Mopani & I'll tell you its not pleasant. The pot you use to boil the wood will be stained & crusted with sap, salted Mopani tea doesn't smell very good at all, & it costs some money to boil that much water for that long. After that, you get a week or so of your wife/girlfriend yelling at you to come move this &%$#& cooler full of wood so she can take a bath... Did I mention I really like the way Mopani looks in my tank?
All I know is...carbon will absorb the tannis.
I boiled my 1st piece in a cleaned out turkey fryer, then soaked in a old cooler for about 2 months.
It still stained the water.
Then I started to read threads here on mfk about driftwood.
That's how I came across the carbon idea.
I tried it & it worked.
The next 2 pieces I just rinsed w/water put rite in, added carbon to filter, & called it a day.
I used carbon for about 4 months like this w/no brown water.
Now I no longer use carbon at all.
I am simply writing my experience w/said topic & giving the op my suggestion.
Here are two pics of my setup w/no brown water...enjoy
I boiled my 1st piece in a cleaned out turkey fryer, then soaked in a old cooler for about 2 months.
It still stained the water.
Then I started to read threads here on mfk about driftwood.
That's how I came across the carbon idea.
I tried it & it worked.
The next 2 pieces I just rinsed w/water put rite in, added carbon to filter, & called it a day.
I used carbon for about 4 months like this w/no brown water.
Now I no longer use carbon at all.
I am simply writing my experience w/said topic & giving the op my suggestion.
Here are two pics of my setup w/no brown water...enjoy