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Re: Driftwood and tannin
Pal Mouritsen writes:
<< I finally got my driftwood, gravel, and rocks in place. What a soup... The
fluorite was amazingly dirty and took at least a dozen rinses to get
anywhere near clear. It is still settling. The bummer is that when I bought
my driftwood I somehow got the impression that it had been in water already
so that it would have leached out the tannins or what ever else needs to
dissipate. Not true. My tank now looks like strong tea and I have already
buried the slate base under 3 to 4 inches of Fluorite. I do not have plants
or critters in the tank yet. Can I just let it leach in place and then
change the water a couple of times? Can I add plants after a couple of change
s? Should I drop a bag of charcoal in my sump for a couple of weeks... >>
The dark water won't hurt the plants or most fish. The big exceptions are
probably African Cichlids and some livebearers. Letting it leech in place is
just fine. Or you can drain the tank and refill it. The darkness will
return, but not as bad. Charcoal filtration will take care of it in a couple
days, but also will remove micronutrients your plants need.
I use peat when building my substrates, and get that tea-colored water
regularly. It disappears with regular partial water changes. If you can put
up with the appearance for a while, I suggest you do the same thing.
Bob Dixon
Cichlid Trader List Administrator º o
http://cichlidtrader.listbot.com 0
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