Retirement and forum shutdown (17 Jan 2022)
Hi,
John Howell who has managed the forum for years is getting on and wishes to retire from the role of managing it.
Over the years, he has managed the forum through good days and bad days and he has always been fair.
He has managed to bring his passion for fish keeping to the forum and keep it going for so long.
I wish to thank John for his hard work in keeping the forum going.
With John wishing to "retire" from the role of managing the forum and the forum receiving very little traffic, I think we must agree that forum has come to a natural conclusion and it's time to put it to rest.
I am proposing that the forum be made read-only from March 2022 onwards and that no new users or content be created. The website is still registered for several more years, so the content will still be accessible but no new topics or replies will be allowed.
If there is interest from the ITFS or other fish keeping clubs, we may redirect traffic to them or to a Facebook group but will not actively manage it.
I'd like to thank everyone over the years who helped with forum, posted a reply, started a new topic, ask a question and helped a newbie in fish keeping. And thank you to the sponsors who helped us along the away. Hopefully it made the hobby stronger.
I'd especially like to thank John Howell and Valerie Rousseau for all of their contributions, without them the forum would have never been has successful.
Thank you
Darragh Sherwin
How to Get rid of the tannins from bog wood?
- 2poc (2poc)
-
Topic Author
- Visitor
-
My poor Tetras think theyre in a cheesy eighties disco.
I was thinking of adding a small internal filter with just carbon and filter wool in it - will this clear it?
Any other ways to get rid of the colour without removing the wood?
Don't want to try boiling the wood etc.
Thanks in advance,
Patrick.
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Didihno (Didihno)
-
- Visitor
-
If I were you I'd spend money on a fake resin mango root or something similar, some of them are very nice (and I hate fake stuff!).
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Dave (Dave Fallon)
- Offline
- Junior Member
-
- Posts: 195
- Thank you received: 0
best method is to boil it though. Very quick especially with small pieces.
Qui Vivra Verra.
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- apistodiscus (apistodiscus)
-
- Visitor
-
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- 2poc (2poc)
-
Topic Author
- Visitor
-
I just don't think I could bring myself to put any fake wood in the tank. I have a serious aversion towards anything remotely like an ornament in general.
Even if it looked the part it would annoy the bejaysus out of me.
I was looking for Mopani wood as that's what I've used in the past - it still stained the water somewhat but nothing like this. I just couldn't find any decent pieces (plus the stuff I got is lovely & I only got charged 3 EUR per piece!!).
There arent any plants in this tank so I reckon I'll give the carbon a whirl & see how it goes. Boiling is out of the question as my missus would just totally kill me

Thanks for the replies!
-Patrick.
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Anthony (Anthony)
-
- Visitor
-
I have some in a Malawi tank,it does not leak anymore.
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Valerie (Valerie)
-
- Visitor
-
How long did it take for the wood not to leak tanins any longer ?
Thanks

Valerie
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Mr Algae (mralgae mralgae)
- Offline
- Junior Member
-
- Posts: 163
- Thank you received: 1
depending on the size of the wood it could take up to 12mths to remoce all the coloring( could be less or more)
May your fish be with you:
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Anthony (Anthony)
-
- Visitor
-
Next time your in Dublin give me a call.
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Didihno (Didihno)
-
- Visitor
-
Its more natural and the fish seem to love it (based on colours displayed and lack of disease).
If you are a natural freak like me just give it try, stick with the lovely dyed water and real wood and real plants.
It gives me almost as much pleasure as watching my cichlids when I sit there and think, yeah baby, everything in there is natural.
All one living eco system.
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- apistodiscus (apistodiscus)
-
- Visitor
-
I think the stained water is better.
Its more natural and the fish seem to love it (based on colours displayed and lack of disease).
If you are a natural freak like me just give it try, stick with the lovely dyed water and real wood and real plants.
It gives me almost as much pleasure as watching my cichlids when I sit there and think, yeah baby, everything in there is natural.
All one living eco system.
Totally agree if you are keeping soft water fish. Rift valley cichlids won't be to happy with the possible pH drop and their colours actually look better in clear water.
I never really had the problem of excessive staining by bogwood. I dig mine out of a bog in West Cork. Well, I don't do the actual digging. My in-laws cut turf and the bogwood is only a by-product which I kindly take of their hands

Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Didihno (Didihno)
-
- Visitor
-
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- apistodiscus (apistodiscus)
-
- Visitor
-
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Anthony (Anthony)
-
- Visitor
-
I used Ketabang leaves in my Discus and it was like cola.
I taught it looked cool.
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- 2poc (2poc)
-
Topic Author
- Visitor
-
But not with a moonlight - it looks terrible...
And I paid 20 quid for a moonlight bulb as I couldnt find a white one - so its staying

I'm going to go for regular water changes and carbon to try & get rid.
On a somewhat related subject....
I stripped fry from a yellow lab last night.
I currently have the fry in a bredders net in my cichlid tank but I'm worried about the cichlids in the tank attacking and killing the fry through the net.
I was thinking of putting the fry in with the Tetras in this tank with the red water. PH from the tap is generally 7+ though I havent tested it since I added the bog wood. In my previous experience it didn't actually do much with the PH on other tanks so I don't think it will drop the PH by much.
What do people think? Should I add them in with the Tetras until they're big enough not to be eaten or buy a plastic breeders trap & leave them in the cichlid tank?
Cheers,
Patrick.
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Didihno (Didihno)
-
- Visitor
-
Anthony is selling just the thing right now.
Holger I'm looking for a nice tall bit or two, to go in my Rio240 with the discus.
It's got to stand up reasonably stabley(?!)
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Anthony (Anthony)
-
- Visitor
-
I have a few Ketabang leaves left, very little but enought to give you that cola look.
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Didihno (Didihno)
-
- Visitor
-
I have a load of impressive books to bring.
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- 2poc (2poc)
-
Topic Author
- Visitor
-
If possible set up a small nursery tank, using the same water from your cichlid tank.
Anthony is selling just the thing right now.
Holger I'm looking for a nice tall bit or two, to go in my Rio240 with the discus.
It's got to stand up reasonably stabley(?!)
Afraid this is not an option I can't set up any more tanks in the house..
I do have a 30 gallon nano tank that I could put them in but it is very small.
Reckon I'll see if I can get a bigger rigid plastic breeders trap & leave them in the main tank.
Cheers for the advice.
Patrick.
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Daragh_Owens (Daragh Owens)
- Offline
- Moderator
-
- Posts: 1829
- Thank you received: 28
I think the stained water is better.
Its more natural and the fish seem to love it (based on colours displayed and lack of disease).
If you are a natural freak like me just give it try, stick with the lovely dyed water and real wood and real plants.
It gives me almost as much pleasure as watching my cichlids when I sit there and think, yeah baby, everything in there is natural.
All one living eco system.
Agree with all that, I also use almond leaves which release tannins, I like the tone of the water. But I still boil new bogwood to make sure there is no nasties, which will reduce intensity of the colour but not stop it. If you don't like the colour and can't boli it you could leave in a bucket and leave a hose running for a day (not very eco friendly) or power hose it, again not a total solution, but will certainly help.
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Acara (Dave Walters)
- Offline
- Moderator
-
- Posts: 1048
- Thank you received: 28
I'm going to try some of the \"Amazon 'grape tree' leaves\" from this site.
www.ta-aquaculture.co.uk/index.htm
always on the lookout for interesting corys.pm me if you know off any!
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Daragh_Owens (Daragh Owens)
- Offline
- Moderator
-
- Posts: 1829
- Thank you received: 28
Daragh<br><br>Post edited by: Daragh Owens, at: 2007/10/03 22:35
Please Log in to join the conversation.