DIRTY WATER FROM DRIFTWOOD

[bankai01]

Title says it all

the driftwood polluted my water! I bought a melaysian wood from that place and i soaked it for 4days. I put it in my fish tank after and next thing ya know my fish are swimming to the surface to breathe for air!! and the driftwood made my water Dirty. So i took the driftwood out preformed a 50% water change and for the following next day too.

DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW I CAN CLEAN MY TANK AND MAKE IT CLEAR AGAIN WITHOUT HAVING TO DRAIN ALL THE WATER OUT AND WASH EVERYTHING?

Here are before and after pictures of my water.

 

[Thehappypet]

how long has the tank been set up?
usually driftwood will color the water tea/darker brown colored but it shouldn't make the fish gasp for air... I have 4 pieces in my 30 gallon and the water stays brownish most of the time, but the fish seem to love it. And I heard it takes 3+ months for wood to stop leaching tannins into the water and turning it brown.

 

[AquariumNoob13]

even though it screwed up your tank, that driftwood looks pretty nice. =]

 

[Lupin]

And I heard it takes 3+ months for wood to stop leaching tannins into the water and turning it brown.

3 months is less. It'd take several years before they stop leaching heavy amounts of tannic acids although you can already say the amount of tannins released is not that heavy as time passes.

 

[Plecosterone]

It depends what kind of wood and how old it is. I use very old (about 25yrs in the air) cedar in my tanks. It makes the water really tea colored but within 3 water changes it is crystal clear. I don't do anything other than hose them off before I put them in the tank.

 

[bankai01]

the this is that i soaked it in cold tap water for 4 days, i have had my aquarium set up for months now. well anyways. is this water normal? what do i do about it? i have boiled the driftwood since i was scared of the bacteria a lot of tannins came out. thanks for the reply guys

 

[gatotsu77]

I personally soaked one of my 2 pieces for 2 weeks, soaked the other for a week then boiled for 3 hours. It made my tank slightly cloudy for about 24 hours, and then it all cleared up nicely. Now its a great amber hue.

 

[Plecosterone]

Water changes will eventually clear it up.

 

[Margaret1975]

Charcoal in the filter will usually help clear it up. That's what I do whenever I get a new piece of driftwood. It works for me.

 

[duke33]

You say you soaked it? Try changing the water on IT for a few days. I cure all my own, and have only had trouble with one piece.