DRIFTWOOD??? please help..

Question

My driftwood is already in my tank for awhile now, and I change my water about every 2 weeks. the first fews days the water was bright and clear, but then days go by and it turns to that tea color again.

I was just wondering will the driftwood ever leak out all of its tannins? If so, how long? I've seen aquariums with driftwood and their water is like crystal clear. Will mine ever be like that?

Thank you

Answer 1

boil it a long time

Answer 2

While it will never fully release all the tannins, you can get it to the point where it is far less noticeable.  By removing the driftwood and boiling it for a few hours, or soaking it for a few weeks, changing the water constantly to allow the tannins to easily diffuse out of the wood, you can keep the staining minimal in the tank, and with activated carbon and weekly water changes, resume the normal, clear water.