Isabella

I have purchased 2 pieces of Malaysian driftwood at Aquarium Adventure about 3 - 4 weeks ago. It is specifically for freshwater aquaria (or so says the label). The label also says to boil the driftwood for 15 minutes as this will get rid of tannins and the driftwood won't affect the pH.

I have been soaking this driftwood 24/7 for these past 3 - 4 weeks. I boiled it 3 times already, 60 minutes each time. Yet, when I leave this driftwood in a container with water overnight, the water will have a pH of 5.0 the next day (the lowest value on my pH color chart)! My tap pH is 6.9 - 6.8, which tells me the driftwood is still affecting the pH. Any idea how much longer I should soak and boil it? Or is it safe like this right now?

I don't want my water to be stained yellow, and I do NOT want my pH to be affected in any way by driftwood.

Note: This driftwood is for a planted 75 gallon community tank.

Eskielvr

Wow, that's where I got my driftwood several years ago and I was never told to boil it. I just soaked it for a while first. It's in my 20 gallon and for the life of me I can't get the Ph down to 6.5 no matter how hard I try. It always stays between the 7.0 and 7.5 range.

How long has your tank been cleaned? I mean cleaned down to the gravel getting all the poo and rotting food/debri out? I just found out tonight at Aquarium Adventure that the reason why my African Cichlid tank is so acidic (6.0 or below) was because of not getting cleaned enough. They said that as poo and left overs break down it tends to turn the water acidic. He recommended lots of regular, small water changes to help it gradually rise. Maybe that will help?

Tom

Eskielvr- That honestly seems a little logical. Good luck with that.
Tom

Isabella

No, no ... it is not because of poor water quality. Yes, your pH goes down a lot if you do not clean your gravel. This is because if you do not clean your gravel, your nitrate increases, and as nitrate increases, the pH decreases.

My tank is new and empty. I am soaking the driftwood in a container, not in my tank. I am soaking it so that I can use it in my new tank's set-up.

chickadee

I got some driftwood for my bigger tank (Malaysian) and it came with instructions not to boil it but put it in water to soak the tannins out for AT LEAST two weeks (not a huge piece) and keep putting more dechlorinated water on it to keep track of whether it continued to tint the water. It has been almost 2 weeks and it is still putting out tannins, so I do not know what to tell you. It hasn't changed the pH all that much (from a 7.5 to a 7.2). The tank is not here yet so I am not worrying about it but now you mentioned the pH issue...

Rose

Eskielvr

I don't think I soaked mine for that long, probably only a day or so. Then it sat in my tank with the filter and heater running for probably a month if not longer while I was waiting for my tank to cycle. (Which, it only did completely after I added some fish.)

Isabella

Hmm, Rose, and on my label (from the Malaysian driftwood) it says to boil it for 15 minutes. So if I can boil it for 15 minutes, why not 60 and more? What's the difference? If all tannins didn't come out in 15 minutes, that certainly indicates the driftwood needs to be boiled more. Or so it seems to me personally.

I will give it 1 more week (2 weeks max) - during which time I will boil and soak it. I hope this will finally work!

I don't know what kind of driftwood needs so much boiling and soaking, lol. But other than that, I love its shape and color, and the fact that it sinks itself.

atmmachine816

Well it's a small amount of water and a large piece of driftwood so wouldn't it change it more? If it leaks tanins in your tank put in some carbon and it takes it out.

Rose your getting ANOTHER TANK, making HOW MANY? when your wrist is better you can tell us

Isabella

Well ... then I suppose I should BOIL, BOIL, and BOIL some more ... lol We'll see.

What happened to Rose's wrist? Sorry if I have missed something! I hope you're OK Rose?

atmmachine816

She had an accident and sprained it and has problems typing. she will post when an emergency arrises. She made a post in the Betta board.

Isabella

Oh yes, I just saw a note from her on the Moderators board as well. I hope she'll be fine real soon.

atmmachine816

Me too, I know how it feels too, when I broke my wrist it sure is hard to type let alone do anything

Isabella

Actually, the driftwood has been sitting in my tank for about 2 weeks now, and so far ... no pH changes I think the extensive soaking and boiling has paid off