Tannin Questions

[Betta132]

I wouldn't use anything with 'gum' in the name. Stick with hardwoods like oak and pecan if at all possible. You can also put the hulls (the vaguely petal-like outer parts, not the shells) of pecans into the tank if you really need a lot of tannins, though they'll occasionally grow fungus when newly added.

 

[Kittiee Katt]

I wouldn't use anything with 'gum' in the name. Stick with hardwoods like oak and pecan if at all possible. You can also put the hulls (the vaguely petal-like outer parts, not the shells) of pecans into the tank if you really need a lot of tannins, though they'll occasionally grow fungus when newly added.

Awesome. I'm not actually sure what the tree is, but it looks like the sweetgum online (I searched 'tree star leaves) but I've never seen it "fruit" and apparently sweetgums get weird spikey fruit on them.
Thanks for your reply.

 

[Kittiee Katt]

This is the tree in question, if anyone knows what it is I would much like to know if, when the leaves drop I can put them in my tank or not?

Leaf

Bark
View attachment 1160615
Full tree


Thanks again in advance.

 

[Kittiee Katt]

Hi all, another question if I may..

I have a piece of driftwood sinking in a tub that we've been doing water changes on, the tub also contains a powerhead and a heater set at 34°c. The wood has released a decent amount of tannins this, and I'm wondering if I could use some of this in my water change on my tank? Obviously diluted with fresh cold (primed) water to bring the temperature back down.

Now, assuming that the answer to the above is yes, would I have to prime it again? I've been dosing the tub when I change the water in it out of habit. Would it be a bad thing to give it a second dosing anyway?

Sorry if that's a little confusing. And thanks in advance for any help.

 

[Woefulrelic]

If the tub isn't contaminated you could use that water, and assuming the film cleared up with the power head. If the wood is designated for that tank you could probably add that and let it leech naturally. The water was dosed with prime and sat out right? Shouldn't require any more prime, if any chlorine was left over it would gas off. That doesn't apply to chloramine.

 

[Kittiee Katt]

Before I put the powerhead in I emptied the container and gave both it and the wood a good blast with the karcher. No film after that.

Yes, the water was dosed with prime then sat out.

Unfortunately the wood is going in a different tank, because I'm worried that my SD' s will hurt themselves on it while darting around as it has a lot of 'branchy' bits.

And I don't know if my water has chloramine in it, that's why I asked if it would be a bad thing to prime it again.

 

[Woefulrelic]

Wouldn't be bad, as long as you don't overdose like crazy you should be fine.

 

[Kittiee Katt]

Thanks for all your help.

 

[jwh]

Pretty sure the tree is an American liquidambar, or sweet gum as you correctly call it. Not sure if the leaves are fish safe, but I'm not aware that the leaves are toxic.

 

[Kittiee Katt]

Pretty sure the tree is an American liquidambar, or sweet gum as you correctly call it. Not sure if the leaves are fish safe, but I'm not aware that the leaves are toxic.

Thanks, I thought it was after hours of searching, but still wasn't sure. If no one knows if the leaves are fish safe I think I'll just let them be when they fall off.