How Long To Soak Mopani Wood

MOPANI Driftwood - been soaking it for over a month!
I bought 3 large pieces of Mopani Driftwood for my 3 tanks and I have been soaking information technology for over a month, irresolute the water most every 3 days, and it's all the same leaking "color"! I know boiling it would be quicker, but I don't have anything big plenty to hold it. Does anyone have whatsoever suggestions on how much longer this is going to take before I tin put them in my tanks? It'south Beautiful wood, actually stunning, simply wow, this is taking forever! Cheers in advance for whatsoever suggestions.

ix years ago

I am interested in responses to this too. I have been looking at this wood to use myself. I hope nosotros get some answers. 😊

ix years ago

Even afterward boiling twice, my mopani still leached tannins and started to darken the water. I didn't want the black water look, so i added Purigen to my filter media based on some tips I establish online. It cleared it right upwardly and I nonetheless run it today. The pocket-size size comes already packaged in a fine mesh pouch; but pre-rinse and add to your filter. I've used it in a canister and in HOB filters.

9 years ago

I'chiliad assuming I can get Purigen at a pet shop? Have to go out today, and then will effort to detect information technology. After soaking this forest for over a month, the water is still looks too much like "tea water", which I don't want in my tanks. Hopefully the Purigen will work. Thank you so much!

9 years agone

I merely wanted to tell you I did a lot of searching for the best bargain on Mopani Driftwood and I got mine from Drs. Foster and Smith on the internet. You can cull from small, medium, or large. Since my tanks are large, I ordered the large, and I have to tell you, they are HUGE! It'due south hard to find any kind of driftwood in pet stores anymore - and the simulated ones they sell are outrageously priced. I paid $19.99 for EACH LARGE Slice - which is a bargain once you lot start looking around, and they are beautiful! Once they're ready for my tanks, I'll have to do a major redecorating in all three - and will post pictures.

9 years ago

One of the reasons aquarists buy mopani bog wood and Malaysian driftwood is both release tannins into the h2o. Depending on the size of the forest and aquarium volume, tannins commonly stain the water a lite bister, and the stain goes away in a few weeks.

Tannins likewise soften the water and gradually lower pH. This simulates conditions in the Amazon forests during the rainy flavour. Trees and leaves fall into the water and release enough tannins that some rivers and streams become about black.

Fish originating in the Amazon basin are well adjusted to such conditions, so aquarists keeping Southward American species often add tannins to their aquarium water. Other sources are catappa leaf (Indian almond leaf), peat and blackness water extract.

As y'all already noted, fosterandsmithaquatics.com is an excellent online source for aquarium products. To my knowledge, they don't sell catappa leaves; nevertheless, the leaves are available on aquabid.com or eBay.

Those may interest you:

#seven

ix years agone

Cheers for the information, John. I actually bought the Mopani Driftwood to effort and go my PH downwardly in my tanks later everything else has failed. Simply you said the stain volition go away in a few weeks - I've been soaking this woods for over a month - changing the water every iii days and it'south still leaking! Would it be ameliorate to go ahead and put information technology in my tanks and let the filter do the rest of the job? I really don't desire the tea await.

ix years ago

If the aquarium is fairly large, the stain will not be too nighttime, and regular partial water changes will remove it. You may want to rinse the mopani wood with freshwater to remove small particles. You could besides try using just one piece if the aquarium is pocket-sized.

In my experience, Malaysian driftwood is less probable to stain the water.

#nine

nine years ago

3 tanks (ii 120's and one 55). Since I take invested all this time with this Mopani, I will go on on keeping on! Mayhap let it soak for another week or so and then take the plunge. Thanks!

#10

9 years ago

I bought my mopani from the same place! Oasis't used it yet though. I have heard that information technology tin can leach colour pretty much indefinitely. Hope that's non the case though.

#xi

9 years ago

Amneris:What size is your tank(s)? I'yard starting to think "indefinitely" is a good word! I hateful......this has been soaking for over a month and information technology's STILL leaching a tea color! I have the three big pieces in a large plastic storage saucepan, when I modify the water, I put HOT water in information technology, let information technology sit for three or 4 days, so do the aforementioned affair over over again. I'm going to stop by my pet shop today and ask well-nigh the Purigen as "fishnord" suggested. I really want to get this wood in my tanks - I'thou getting a trivial frustrated!

#12

9 years ago

Purigen is non formulated to remove stains.

Compared to the size of your larger aquariums the bucket has insignificant volume, then mopani forest will produce a much lighter stain in the aquarium. If information technology turns out to be too dark, just wait a couple of weeks or practise more partial water changes.

Most ofttimes the amber stain is temporary. Since the mopani wood stain seems to be persistent, the woods may be too fresh or exceptionally porous. A vigorous rinsing may solve the problem.

#13

nine years ago

Some additional details. I boiled mine twice (1 60 minutes each, with a water alter). Then I let it sit for a week at room temperature in a bucket of fresh water. I saw the colour change in the water was actually minor later on 1 week so I put it into the tank. After a few weeks, I did notice a perceptible darkening, esp. when looking through the tank lengthwise. The Purigen cleared it up after week or ii. That being said, I call back I got a lot of it out with the boil just it nevertheless leached. The bigger piece was too tall for the pot I was using, so I flipped it over half way through since information technology was sticking upwardly.

John is correct that Purigen is not forumlated specifically for removing tannins, then your mileage may vary.

Run across the following thread:
http://world wide web.seachem.com/support/forums/showthread.php?t=4096

#14

nine years ago

I accept a 29 and twenty gallon I want to eventually put the mopani in. I originally bought it for my 75g project, simply not sure if I will use it now.

I think in a 120g, yous may not even see any coloring. Exercise y'all have fish in your aquariums even so? Information technology might be a pain, but you could exam the mopani in a tank with no fish and see. I am curious to know likewise!

#15

nine years ago

Amneris: In ane of my 120'south I accept 2 cichlids and about 25 babies, which are all going to Petco today as I am not doing the cichlid thing anymore. That leaves my i large Pleco in that tank. Then I think i will "redecorate" this week and put the Mopani in that tank and see what happens. Will allow y'all know!

#16

9 years ago

I know this is an one-time thread, but thought you'd exist interested in this one, information technology'southward pretty funny. The slime got u.s. in the terminate, the tannins are OK.
http://www.myaquariumclub.com/driftwood-1673922/Page2.html#172622

#17

9 years ago

I have a large piece of some kind of drift woof in my 55 it took seven months for it to stay down by itself i had a rock on acme of it until it stayed down

#18

9 years ago

Driftwood conversations never seem to die, information technology's magical stuff! ✨

#19

nine years ago

Go prepare it on fire... its not worth it 😄

#20

9 years ago

Hey, that belongs in the other thread!

#21

9 years agone

#22

ix years agone

Wow - this topic revived itself! I see I never updated you all on the Mopani Driftwood. Anyway, later soaking it for about 7 weeks, I put the wood in the tanks. It did plough the water a very light tea color (actually, the color was very attractive!), but and so after a couple more than weeks, water is crystal clear. I approximate all the work getting this wood gear up was worth it, as information technology looks great in the tanks! My parrot uses it to lay her eggs on!

Those may involvement y'all:

#23

9 years ago

Congratulations on your overwhelming success! You definitely have a lot of patience. 👍

I've heard the slime disappears later on a while and some fish honey to eat it. Near the stop of the other thread, there'due south a moving-picture show of some in a tank that looks like it's covered with peat moss, merely similar you see underwater in a lake. And then, I guess information technology can turn into most anything!

#24

viii years ago

Also carbon is a not bad fashion to get rid of the tea color i your aquarium

#25

viii years ago

This is a very very old thread.

#26

viii years ago

Since the dawn of time, man has been trying to conquer the mopani beast. 😖

#27

8 years agone

I was on this site to inquire why mine was not bleeding color. I just received a slice today and have been soaking in hot water and no color. I guess it is safe to apply. As usual...dislocated

#28

eight years agone

I found that when I put a monster sized piece of driftwood into my tank, I got the color of WEAK chamomile tea. If you know chamomile tea, y'all know that a potent one is a lite greenish xanthous. Weak meant that when I scooped up a 16 oz cup of tank water to exam information technology, I could but tell the difference because the water was barely colored.

Since the Tannins won't hurt fish, and tin can fifty-fifty be beneficial, I saw no reason to non add together information technology immediately

#29

8 years agone

Maybe they hyperbarically care for information technology now and squeeze out all the gunk! 🎓

Encounter what happens, if it goes postal, you'll take it out, no worries there.

Now I'm Real Dislocated, as well. 😲

#30

breilly

8 years ago

Just 1 more voice... I bought two smaller pieces of mopani woods at Petco for incredibly inexpensive (don't commonly like Petco, but whatever). I have boiled them for nigh eight hours straight. I change the water every time information technology gets blackness which normally takes around 25 minutes depending on how long the water takes to get to a eddy. Each night I also let them soak in warm water. This is ridiculous and the leaching is barely slowing downward. I take pride in my tanks being articulate and do not desire to taint that. I'grand very frustrated equally well.

Source: https://www.myaquariumclub.com/mopani-driftwood-been-soaking-it-for-over-a-month-i-bought-3-large-piece...-1496934.html