Removing heavy tannin staining

[M Hughes]

Hey all,

I'm setting up a new tank (40 gal breeder) and have had it cycling for about a week or so. I have not added anything beyond sand, rocks, and lots of driftwood. My driftwood is ironwood (Olneya tesota), a very, very dense hardwood from the desert Southwest. I've soaked it with daily water changes for about a month, with the amount of tannin staining not changing at all during the time.

Right now I can't see more than halfway through the tank due to the tannins. Rather than faint yellow (which I was originally going for), my water is stained a dark reddish brown. Water changes haven't helped in the least. I opted to use purigen instead of carbon (its hailed to be more effective) and the purigen hasn't made a lick of difference, despite having turned dark brown itself. I have not yet tried BioChem ZORB, since I'm afraid that too would be just as ineffective.

Anybody have any tricks on removing heavy staining? I'd really like to keep the wood pieces if possible - they're beautiful pieces - but at this point I'm not sure I'll be able to. Thoughts?

 

[ButtNekkid]

Hi,

Personally, You´re in the right zone regarding your "tint" level!
Any water parameters? What are you planning to stock?

 

[gerald]

Toss them in a rain barrel outside for a few months?

 

[M Hughes]

Personally, You´re in the right zone regarding your "tint" level!
Any water parameters? What are you planning to stock?

I like a dark tint myself, but this is ridiculous. I can't see more than 6" into the tank.

I haven't checked my water parameters since adding the wood, but right beforehand I was at 6.8 pH, water at 21 C (haven't put in my heater yet), dH is around 130 ppm, and kH is 80 ppm. Planned stock is 3-4 Apistogramma cacatuoides, 10-12 black neons, 7 pygmy cories, and possibly 1 Centromochlus perugiae. Further down the line I may end up with 3-4 whiptail cats and/or 6+ Otocinclus.

Gerald - Unfortunately I live in an apartment complex, so I don't have access to a rain barrel or equivalent. Had been soaking them inside in a plastic bin, without any reduction in tannin staining despite daily water changes for over a month. Each soak continued to produce very heavy staining overnight.