[eoconnor]

I'm thinking of adding some driftwood to a tank with some acei (yellowtail) in it, but I'm worried about the tannins lowering the ph of the water. London has very hard water and my ph is normally 8ish. This particular piece of driftwood has been in a tank already for at least a year and a half. How long does it take for the tannins to stop leeching out, or do they always leech and just slow down after awhile.

thanks,
Eric

 

[Laurel]

I'm not sure about the range, but you could try running carbon in the filter to help chemically remove the tannins. If you have water with a high buffering capacity (kh) you shouldn't need to worry about it dropping the pH substantially.

 

[Tula]

Just boil it, changing the water frequently and until it remains clear. Or if it's too big to boil, i left a 5 gallon pail in my bathroom and just kept the water fresh and as hot as i could until the water stayed clear. After I did this i didn't notice any tannins and my PH wasn't affected.