Bogwood for tank

Hi all

Suppose to be getting some bogwood for my tropical tank but just wondering how do you clean it and how long does it takes. I am scared of my water turning brown:blush:

Cheers

GB

You can boil it in a pot for a few hours but it will still leach tanins into the water. It may also float so it will need to be weighed down with a rock or two until it absorbs enough water.

I love the brown tanin effect particularly in planted South American tanks.

When i got bogwood for my tank i boiled it for a few hours changing the water a few times.When it water in the pot was not getting too dirty it was ready to go.Hope this helps.

What I do is stick it in a bucket and fill with boiling water leave it for 24 hours then replace the boiling water and repeat for a few days

LB

Well Gerry, firstly get boiling hot water and in a saucepan and put the bogwood in it for a while. Let it simmer if you like !! When the water turns brown, discard the water and repeat the process. This can take several attempts to be honest as the tannins will continue to leach into the water. After the water has become more clearer I would place the bogwood fully submerged in a dish (make sure its a new fish or dish exclusively used for fish,as indeed the wood can absorb chemicals as well as leach tannins!). Let the driftwood for a few weeks in the water and it should have the water brown by then! After that you can add it to a tank,indeed do another boil of it before adding it to the tank if you wish but i wouldnt bother as it may open the grain somewhat with the high temperature and release tannins again.

Once its in your tank,its a case of not knowing until you introduce it to the tank. Sometimes driftwood will be clear and will be fine in your tank,other times it will have the tank a brown tea like colour. Be assured that the browness of the water will be harmless to your tank and fish. Having carbon in your filter or indeed a polish pad may improve the water clarity and remove some of the brown but no guarantee as each piece of bogwood is different. Alot of people actually like the natural brown colour it emits to the tank water as its a natural look for alot of fish's environments.

Hope you have some luck with yours.
Gavin

Ps: if you are adding java moss or fern to it, tie it to the bogwood with some fishing line and it will look great in a few weeks when the fern grows over the fishing line.(dont cut the fishing line after either).

Cheers people thank a lot for your response. I taught it was going to be a lot more time comsuming than what you guys said. Now all i need is the bogwood:laugh:


GB

Fishowner

Sorry forgot to ask you about the java moss and ferns you mentioned in your message. Stupid question i guess my LFS can supply these?
Do they need any specail requirements, I think LB told me before that the java moss would grow anywhere, is the fern the same??

You haven,t got any pics of the fern.

Thanks again

GB

Yes LFS should be able to supply these. No real care in them as such,they will grow no problem. I have had some difficulty with Java Moss but Im getting some new stuff next week. The Fern I have is great,never has any problems.
Here is a pic from above from my tank.


Another pic of the Java Fern,ignore the plastic plant in the background ( has since been binned!!).


Gavin

Hi Gerry
I tend to dig my own out of the bog (don't forget your wellies.. ),First i give it a good soak in a bucket ,then into boiling water for about a half hour then its out the back for a powerwash,this tend to strip any loose bits of bark ect off,then another boil then into the tank with it,the water tends to discolour slightly but I prefer the brown water tannin look as I find it tends to bring out the colour of a lot of Tetras espec-Cardinals and Glowlights
Lar

Is it harder to clean bog wood you dig for yourself from that you might get in a shop.

Hi GB

This is 3 pieces of bogwood from my last tank with a small bit of java moss on them



LB

Is it harder to clean bog wood you dig for yourself from that you might get in a shop.

Hi Orca
No.. I wouldn't say it's that much harder,but I do find that having a powerwasher makes it much easier,as it allows you to strip away the outerlayers of the wood leaving you,with the "core",lately i've been using fairly thin pieces to simulate tree roots in the water and I find these types hard to find in LFS also there's the cost factor (IMO..bogwood can be fairly expensive in the shops).
Lar

Ps-It also helps if you live near a bog... especially one which Bord Na Mona work as they tend to have the machinery to drag the trees out of the bog and put them to one side,which means no digging for me ..

Lar thanks for the advice, not to far myself from a board na mona site up in Ballivor so might do a quick commando job and see what i can dig up:cheer:
Any pics of your tank LAr and did you setup your Lidi tank??

LB did you have any Co2 or and other treatments for the java moss to grow and what sort of time did you leave your light on for.

Gavin thanks for the pics of the fern

Cheers

GB

Hi GB
I put some up about a month ago (in a thread called -Photos of my tank in the Photographs section),Not much has changed since, tho some of the plants are starting to spread out across the top of the water,time for a bit of pruning I think..
also the small floating plant that you can see at the top of the water ( Salvinia..? ) has really started to spread across the surface and is providing a lot of cover.Actually...Looking at those photos a lot has changed,my water now has a nice tannin tint to it ,I'll try take some more and put them up soon
Lar

so might do a quick commando job and see what i can dig up

GB ...
Don't forget to bring a small pruning saw in case you come across an interesting piece still attached to something too big to handle... also bear in mind it may be classed as trespassing but i've never had hassle with this,be respectfull of the bog,don't go wrecking the place...

Lar

gerryberry wrote:

LB did you have any Co2 or and other treatments for the java moss to grow and what sort of time did you leave your light on for.
Cheers

GB[/quote]

GB, did have Co2 towards the end of my 160L tank but you don’t need it for Java moss
I have a small tank beside me at the moment with no filter, no lights and nothing to feed it and its been sitting there for the last 6 months with Java moss in it and the moss is still alive
It’s hard to kill this plant


LB

Cheers LB thanks for the info think i will definitely try a bit of moss out on a piece of bogwood.

Lar
On the off chance my water does turn tannis how long will it take to clear and does it mean that i have to get rid of that bit of bogwood and try again with a new piece.

Cheers

GB

The water clearing depends on the piece of bogwood,it doesnt mean you have to get rid of it just cos the water is turning abit brown. But some only take a few months,others weeks,others are perfect after the initial boiling etc...
It varies hugely,but why get rid of the bogwood,if the water turns brown its not going to harm the fish. It may not look overly well on the eye however it is harmless. If its not to your fancy then Id suggest you take it out and leave it soak in a bucket of water for a few months while you go looking for some more bogwood.


As for the Java moss,tie it down with some fishing line and it will grow nicely onto the wood.No need to cut the fishing line.
Gavin

Once again Gavin thanks a million

GB

Hi GB
Exactly as gavin said....If you don't want Tannins - let it soak a bit longer...Cheers gavin
Lar

Im actually looking for a piece of bogwood myself at the moment! Anyone have some in the Cork area that it doesnt need treating let me know

Gavin