# Tannin removal



## AMY22 (Jan 19, 2010)

I have decided to redecorate my aquarium for my 2 rosy barbs (I thought they needed a change), so I put the driftwood from my old frog tank in there coz quite frankly, it’s a freaking awesome piece of driftwood. I tried removing the tannin as much as I could last night because I wanted to get it all done as quick as I could, but I didn’t remove all the tannin properly. Does anyone have any ways to remove tannin quickly? I know how to get it out but I don’t know any tricks to get it done fast, so any ideas would be helpful.
Peace out.


----------



## Chrisreptile (Jan 19, 2010)

Go to the local Aquarium and ask for "Bio Chem Zorb".

It's a pouch that fits into your filter.


----------



## butters (Jan 19, 2010)

If you want it out fast just do a water change.

If you want to stop it coming back....remove the wood.

If you want to keep the wood and have clear water. Do a water change and add one of the exchange resins like Bio Chem Zorb or Chemi Pure that you can buy from a specialist aquarium store and you will end up with crystal clear water and it will stay that way for a fair while.

You can use activated carbon as well but you usually have to use more and replace it more often.

These resins work particulalry well in with turtles too that are constantly fouling the water. A friend has a pignose that gets fed heavily and has driftwood in the tank and he could never keep it clean. I gave him a bag of Bio Chem Zorb I had at home and now he buys it by the bucket full and uses it with all of his turtles and crocs.

Water change is by far the quickest way but it does come back if you don't put something in to remove it as it slowly leaches from the wood.

Cheers Andrew


----------



## AMY22 (Jan 19, 2010)

The closest shop from my house would take me an hour to get to (because I have no car)! I was thinking about something like that, but the pet shop near my house doesn’t sell that sort of stuff. I was using boiling water last night and putting it in a bucket and it actually worked rather well, my aquarium has gone a little yellow I don’t know if it will stay that way because I’ve never used driftwood before.


----------



## AMY22 (Jan 19, 2010)

butters said:


> If you want it out fast just do a water change.
> 
> If you want to stop it coming back....remove the wood.
> 
> ...


 
Yeah I think I might change the water a bit, it’s not REALLY yellow, just a little.


----------



## Steman (Jan 20, 2010)

boiling it is the fastest way to get rid of the tannins. i used to do this with all my drift wood and worked like a charm. just grab an old pot that your not worried about staining and chuck it on to boil with the wood in it. keep changing the water regularly until you get to the point where less and less tannins come out each time​


----------



## AMY22 (Jan 20, 2010)

Steman said:


> boiling it is the fastest way to get rid of the tannins. i used to do this with all my drift wood and worked like a charm. just grab an old pot that your not worried about staining and chuck it on to boil with the wood in it. keep changing the water regularly until you get to the point where less and less tannins come out each time​


 
Duh! That makes so much sense, I was frantically trying to figure out a way to boil the driftwood and the most logical thing I could come up with was putting it in a bucket and pouring boiling water over it from the kettle (yeah I know, it was late...)
Some of the tannin has got into the water, but I’m starting to think it looks kind of nice now! Here’s a photo of my newly refurnished tank and my two babies
(please note the really awesome piece of driftwood)- 
 







If the water gets any darker I’ll do what you said and boil it in a pot to remove the tannins. And do you know if the tannin has any effect on the fish? I don’t mean health wise, but in the behaviour of the fish (being more natural that crystal clear water), I’ve noticed that my barbs have become really perky since I fixed up the tank. They’ve always had a lot of personality being rosy barbs and all, but now they’ve become really excitable, every time I walk into the room they frantically swim around wanting food as though they haven’t been fed in days, despite the fact I’ve fed them twice. Or maybe they just like what I’ve done with the tank!:lol:


----------



## Tsubakai (Jan 21, 2010)

The fish will actually benefit from the tannins and will usually be calmer/more at ease due to its presence. The best product I've found for removing the colour has been Purigen although its not real cheap.


----------

