Java Root and Copper Colored Water
Nathan DeBardeleben
was called "Java Root". The wood came with the tank (fully setup) so
I do not have a store I can ask this question - nor confirm this is
the correct name.
The tank water is copper colored. When I change the water, it
obviously turns less copper-colored but then eventually shifts back to
this annoying color.
Is this an artifact of this wood? Can I do something to prevent this
or do I just need to get rid of the wood? Any help would be greatly
appreciated, especially from those with personal experience with this
wood!
Rick Clark
news:ad33db86.02120...@posting.google.com...
Don't know about Java wood specifically, other than some bog wood is sold
with java ferns/moss growing on it. I do have bog wood and they do leech
tannins into the water. How much they leech depends entirely on the piece of
wood. It can take a few weeks to clear up through water changes or sometime
sit seems like never. The 'tea' colouring wont harm the fish but if you
really don't like it charcoal changed regularly in the filter can help.
Taking it out and boiling it for a few hours atleast can also help to get
them out. Won't do the Java fern/moss any good though if there is any :o) Or
just removing it and soaking it in a bucket for a few weeks, changing the
water a couple of times a day can do it. Failing that chuck the wood and try
a different piece. The need for wood really depends on the fish in the tank,
i.e. some pl*cos need wood in their diet so it is wise to have a small piece
just for that. They don't eat it in large quantities and a small piece will
last for years. Or you may just want it to for the look, like I do. Which
ever way you go, it's just luck if the wood does it or not.
Cheers
Rick
Nathan DeBardeleben
I forgot to mention, I've had this wood in the tank for over about 4
and a half years. I've taken it out, let it bake in the oven, I've
boiled it, I've done lots of stuff to it and with no real help.
By the way, I was told the wood was from Africa. The guy I got the
setup from was an African Cichlid keeper - I keep South American
Cichlids in there. I have not tried charcoal - that may work, I
appreciate the idea.
MsJuniper
> I forgot to mention, I've had this wood in the tank for over about 4
> and a half years.
-------------
!!!!!!!!!!!!
good god... I thought I was doing something wrong when my log boiled every
night for a month & was STILL leeching tannins...
Is yours the kind with the nifty warps & twists & two-toned wood?
kush
MsJuniper <msju...@hotmail.com> wrote ...
>
> Is yours the kind with the nifty warps & twists & two-toned wood?
AH! I've seen this before! There is a national distributor which sells root
wood for aquariums and also a different kind of root wood for climbing
reptiles and birds and such. The two woods are often found unlabelled and
on the same shelves. Hint: the aquarium product does not have warps, twists
and two-tone wood.
kush
Nathan DeBardeleben
> night for a month & was STILL leeching tannins...
>
> Is yours the kind with the nifty warps & twists & two-toned wood?
Yes, the wood is all warped and the two pieces make a great hiding
place in my 90 gallon tank for my cichlids. The wood is two-toned as
well.
So, is the concensus that I should use charcoal to get rid of the
tannins?
Frank Bayne
> Yes, the wood is all warped and the two pieces make a great hiding
> place in my 90 gallon tank for my cichlids. The wood is two-toned as
> well.
> So, is the concensus that I should use charcoal to get rid of the
> tannins?
Carbon will remmove the tannins, but you might have to change it 2 or 3
times a week (or more) to get the water clear, and keep it that way. If the
wood has been leaching for 4 years, it sounds like it would be a never
ending thing with the carbon, which isn't cheap when your changing it that
often... The root wood from the baldcypress tree is two-toned and has a
symmetrical form to it. We used it in the pet shops to put in the bird
cages. Larger, thicker pieces were coated with clear epoxy for aquarium
use....... Frank
wiggywacker
is two-toned and twisted with warps and lovely detail, and the other kind
that's used for terrariums etc was more normal and stick like. The aquarium
one is very heavy, equivalent to stone in the size/weight ratio....and the
terrarium one is just a normal weight for normal wood.
Gordon James
Many would love to take that bogwood off your hands.
if you don't like the color of the water, you can polish it with a diatom
filter (once every week should suffice)
tannins from the bog (soaked into the wood) will affect hardness and pH.
There are some setups that require what you want to be rid of (eg. Discus)