# Tannin?



## iso2k4 (Oct 20, 2008)

Hello all,

So this is my first tank im sorry if I ask stupid questions.

I just put in some driftwood. I had soaked it for days and thought i had got all of the tannic acid out of it. So I put it in my newly setup 29g BF tank and more of the tannin is comming out making the water very dingy looking(like tea). I am doing small(10%) WC every couple(3) days. There are 3 Zebra Danio inhabitants. I have a HOB type Filter. The driftwood was Grapewood.

(this seems to be my average levels) 
Ammonia < .1 ppm
Nitrate < 0
Nitrite < 0

PH 7.3
Temp 79


1) Will the tannins hurt the fishies?
2) How can i clear up the tank?
3) Do i need to increase/decrease my WC amount/frequency?


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## SueM (Jan 23, 2004)

First, theres no such thing as a stupid question, only stupid answers 

It usually takes quit a while for the tannins to finish leaching from wood. You can boil it for a few hours, or put fresh carbon in your HOB and it will remove the color. Personally I like the color, because I know I'm getting the tannins that my fish love.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

no, tannins don't hurt fish. They can lower your pH, so you might want to keep an eye one it.


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## iso2k4 (Oct 20, 2008)

Thanks for the replies! I will start a post with a diary maybe. My end goal is to have maybe 5-6 danios, 5-6 Cherry Barbs, and a pair of Kribensis. I will also be introducing some low light plants. Is this the correct place to start such a post?


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

User Journal is better for a diary style


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## Georgia Peach (Sep 23, 2005)

it took about 6 months for the driftwood to stop leaking tannins in one of my tanks and it was a very small piece. Like stated above, it doesnt hurt the fish but it does affect your PH sometimes.


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## iso2k4 (Oct 20, 2008)

Thanks for all the replys. Man there sure are alot of georgians here. Do we know hospitality or what?


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## ThatFishKid (Aug 9, 2008)

for future reference, I've found that If you use driftwood that has been in a body of water i.e: a stream, and submerged there for a long time, like one you just found in the bottom, then you won't have this problem. That's what I do at least, and I've never had the tannin problem, and Ive never had to boil or anything either, I just do a bleach dip to kill whatever may be on it.


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## justintrask (Jun 29, 2008)

i dont even do a bleach dip. I stick it in and let my fish have at whatever comes out of it. I know, terrible to do, but no problems yet. But I have only done it twice


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## iso2k4 (Oct 20, 2008)

Nothing out of the chattahoochie is going in my tank! Only place i ever seen real driftwood.


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Well, if you boil it for about 6 hours you can save yourself 6 months of teastained water, if it starts to really bug you, and it would make Chattahoochie wood safe to use.


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## lovejonesx (Feb 5, 2008)

1) Will the tannins hurt the fishies?

Not directly, but tannins from driftwood could lower the pH & lowering the pH might have a negative effect on some fish...usually not Zebra Danio who like the water pH to be around 6.5 - 7.0 


2) How can i clear up the tank?

Until the tannins leach out to a level that won't stain the water it's mostly a wash. You can boil the wood more & that might speed up the process, but with many pieces of driftwood, it's difficult to boil al of the tannins away.


3) Do i need to increase/decrease my WC amount/frequency? 

No.Sounds like you do W/C pretty frequently now.


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