# Mopani drift wood question



## ensartain (Jul 31, 2012)

I got a really beautiful piece of mopani drift wood from my lfs and it's been soaking for a little over 24 hours now. I've been changing the treated water it's been soaking in and it's now coming out clear from the bucket. Does this mean I can go ahead and place it in my tank without having to worry about the tea colored water in my tank. 

Thank you!
Erin


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Not likely. Mopani is the worst for continual tannins. Boiling may help if you can, but even still it will not stop. 3-4 months from now maybe.


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## ensartain (Jul 31, 2012)

such a bummer to hear that. I really don't want super tea water. I'll boil it and let it soak a bit more.. if I did daily water changes do you think that would help? I really want to get some pants in my tank and attach them to some driftwood. Should I get a different type of wood and let this soak for a few months? If so.. what wood do you recommend? Thank you for the help!


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## ensartain (Jul 31, 2012)

my lfs also has some beautiful Malaysian Driftwood I was thinking about using but I wanted to read more about it first. How would that fair in your opinion. TY!


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

As long as it isn't floating, I would just put it in your tank. You may find you'll like the tint of it and it will go down over time. They say carbon in your filter will help, but I can't say cause I don't use it. 

Malaysian, which I have a few pieces of, never really got too bad for me. It went away after a few water changes.

If it still floats, let it soak with something weighted on it to hold it down until it will stay down on its own. This will give more time to leak tannins. Regular water changes, which I hope you plan to do, will make it go away slowly.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Don't be bummed. Mopani is not the worst. You will be fine if you're willing to do water changes(going to anyways , I hope). I have a lot of mopani in my tank. Java moss loves it. Just for general info ; I'll bet your piece sank in bucket right away. Mopani is very Heavy{dense I said the boy is dense} and doesn't float (ipe and brazillian red wood aslo{known as "iron wood" the wood that sinks}). Do to density it will "leach" for a considerable time.With water changes (if wood volume isto much for water volume{how big is it compared to rank}) you only side affect will be natural ph lowering. Watch your ph(it won't go to low for tetras,discus{why I have it) ) but could get to lower half of 6. The slow leaching /density is like the difference of rain soaking into grass(not dense) and rain soaking into concrete(dense I say). Enjoy your mopani , if it doesn't disagree with your system get more,it's great!


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## whitetiger61 (Aug 2, 2011)

IMO it is the worst..i have had some in my tank for over 6 months and its still leaching tannins..mani wood doesnt to to bad for leaching but it still does a little but like have been said above water changes will take care of that.

Rick


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

It is dense( slow to absorb{therefore slow to leach}) Please make water changes for your fish.


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## ensartain (Jul 31, 2012)

Alrighty, so I am going to keep the mani in water for a few months. I went to the lfs and got the Malaysian that I LOVED.. they still had it yay! I have that it super hot water and will keep it in there for a few days. Once the water clears up a bit I'm going to grab some plants and attach them to it and put it in the tank. It sank right away and is a pretty big hunk of wood with beautiful colors. I can't wait to post pictures of it. Thank you all for your advice.


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Charcoal in the filter will also help remove the discoloration from the wood. I myself welcome the tea coloring as long as I can see the fish and the plants im ok with a little brown to the water. I raise blackwater fishes though so maybe thats why lol. 

Just add some charcoal to the filter and keep up with your waterchanges and it will be gone eventually. 

You can add plants to the wood once you place the wood in the tank regardless of the tannin so dont let that discourage you.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Sorry , I don't even know what size tank you have or what is in it/ or you plan to put in it.You're not screwed. Boo Hiss the rest of you(you should know who you are if not , look in mirror; are you happy?) If you water supply is hard or you know you will want lower than 7.8( most muni water) then you are well on your way to success.Just discussed co2 and airation(in thread named close to that.) Plants in the long run will have more of an overall effect on you tank than that wood.How big is your tank? How big is mopani wood? Whats fish you got or whanna get?


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## jbrown5217 (Nov 9, 2011)

I boiled my mopani for like 8 hrs or so and threw it in the tank. Slight color change in the water, but it eventually went away.


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