# Driftwood



## brio (Jun 20, 2006)

I am new to aquascaping. I would like to use driftwood but am concerned about ph variations and color of water. Any suggestions? Thanks a lot for your help.


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## AaronT (Apr 26, 2004)

www.manzanita.com If you call the guy and tell him what it's for he'll send you good stuff and for a great price too. It takes a couple weeks of soaking, but all of it will sink and won't leach tannins into the water column. The black wood at www.adgshop.com is also good stuff.


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## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

Good suggestions above. If your just getting normal malaysia driftwood though, soak it for 3-4 weels to release the tannins that discolor the water. After that you'll be good to go. Not to worry much about the pH change, I haven't experienced any.

-John N.


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## jeff63851 (Feb 23, 2005)

First of all, Welcome to APC brio!

I would also suggest you to soak your driftwood before you use put it in your aquarium. Better yet, boil it for a half hour. After you soak your driftwood, it shouldn't release any tannins. Also, make sure that the driftwood you use is hard wood. When the driftwood is dry, use your fingernail and press into the driftwood. If you can see a dent in the driftwood, then don't use it (it will rot faster in your aquarium).

I never experienced any pH change after boiling and soaking the driftwood for two months. However, some people have said that driftwood might slightly lower you pH (which might be good for some fish). There shouldn't be any color change of the water if you boil and soak the driftwood. However, it may leak tannins and cause the water to turn brownish in color. It won't affect fish, and it's just a personal preference. If you do your weekly water change, then the brownish color will slowly go away. 

Hope that helps.


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