What is the best type of driftwood to use?

[Carefree_Dude]

Currently, I use several very large pieces of mopani driftwood. When I bought it, i soaked it daily for several weeks, switching out the water twice a day. It still leeched tannins. After a year in my tank, it is still leeching tannins and turning my water yellow after only a few days. So, I've decided i wanna change driftwood.

What is the best type of driftwood to use in aquariums? If it matters, i have south/central american cichlids.

 

[andyjs]

Yeah, mopani leaches FOREVER. I have a 10 year old piece I'm about to put back in a tank (it has also been used for reptiles, but has spent at least a few years under water) and we'll see whether it's done or not. Malaysian driftwood doesn't seem to leach tannins for nearly as long

 

[Lusus_Naturae]

What about manzanita? I have heard good things but haven't had time to try it yet myself.

 

[aclockworkorange]

What about manzanita? I have heard good things but haven't had time to try it yet myself.

Manzanita is great. Very dense and leaches very little tannins. Takes about a week to sink IME.

 

[PDRed302]

The only wood I've used in any of my aquariums is Malaysian. It sinks immediately and I'd say it leaches for about 2 or 3 months, not too bad and I'm sure it would he less depending on the prep. I let mine sit in buckets, changing the water out two or three times a week before placing it in my aquarium, because it was too big to boil.

 

[Gill Blue]

too bad you don't like the tannins, because your fish probably do. many south american fish like the blackwater.

 

[seedubs1]

Yeah, you guys care too much about tannins. I just let it leach in the tank. It'll eventually stop. And in the meantime, I just enjoy the blackwater.....Makes the tank ominous.

 

[anarekist]

yeah i like Malaysia driftwood too, i just let it leach away.

 

[ChiPerf]

If you decorate around the tannins, it looks good. I have tan rocks with brown gravel and it matches quite well.

 

[asm129]

I only use Manzanita. Malaysian driftwood has too much of a cave kind of look and long pieces are heavy and really expensive. But Manzanita DW are branches that give your tank a type of Amazon river forest type of look, are lighter than Malaysian, give your fish stuff to swim through and don't leech as much tannins as other DW. Plus, you can get longer pieces for less money than Malaysian DW. It's a better value IMO.