The effects of using driftwood

[jacobfata]

So I recently started preparing for my disus setup and I’m using a lot of driftwood in the design.. Anyways I am curious as if the actual Driftwood has any effects on the quality of water. For instance my pet store owner told me that it would lower my pH probably stain my water and make my water more discus friendly. Do you guys think this is a true statement? I mean I’ve had the piece of driftwood in the aquarium for 48 hours now and there’s no stain in the water, so is it going to stain at all? I had to Anchor it because I didn’t know that it would float lol. This is my first time using driftwood. Can anyone inform me a little? It would be appreciated.

 

[kno4te]

It will release tannins which are acidic and lower ur ph.

 

[JK47]

So I recently started preparing for my disus setup and I’m using a lot of driftwood in the design.. Anyways I am curious as if the actual Driftwood has any effects on the quality of water. For instance my pet store owner told me that it would lower my pH probably stain my water and make my water more discus friendly. Do you guys think this is a true statement? I mean I’ve had the piece of driftwood in the aquarium for 48 hours now and there’s no stain in the water, so is it going to stain at all? I had to Anchor it because I didn’t know that it would float lol. This is my first time using driftwood. Can anyone inform me a little? It would be appreciated.

If it floats, it is not a hardwood so it will likely not release tannins. Malaysian driftwood is a great way to add tannins. If you like the look of your current wood and want the stained look, add a bunch of cut pieces and put them in a mesh bag inside the sump, filter or out of view. Most LFS are excited you’ll take the bottom of the box of broken pieces. It’s cheap or free sometimes.

As far as chemistry, you have to know your overall hardness/buffering capacity to know if tannins will lower pH. My water is hard and I could use all the wood I want and it will not budge. It does provide some benefit outside of looks at pH though.

 

[Coryloach]

As far as chemistry, you have to know your overall hardness/buffering capacity to know if tannins will lower pH. My water is hard and I could use all the wood I want and it will not budge. It does provide some benefit outside of looks at pH though.

Pretty much. It has an effect on the carbonate hardness/total alkalinity/KH/buffering capacity, or whatever one wants to call it. Driftwood and tannins can lower it down but not enough to move the pH in hard water.

KH is mainly affected by hydroxide ions [OH-] , carbonates [HCO3-] and hydrogen ions [H+] in the following equation:

Total Alkalinity = [HCO3-] + [OH-] - [H+]

Which basically means that hydroxide ions and carbonates increase the KH and hydrogen ions decrease it.

When you add driftwood, oak leaves, almond leaves, alder cones, etc..the resulting reactions in water release hydrogen ions, thus decreasing KH. In soft water, with initial low buffering capacity, the pH will also be lowered.

pH is determined by the relationship/ratio of [H+] and [OH-], so when lowering the KH via increasing the [H+](driftwood) you would also be lowering the pH, providing there isn't enough bases of the likes of [OH-] and carbonates [HCO3-] to counteract it. In hard water, there is plenty. In soft, low conductivity water ,poor in buffering capacity, the smallest release of hydrogen ions would trigger a pH move down.

 

[Poseidon2.0]

As far as chemistry, you have to know your overall hardness/buffering capacity to know if tannins will lower pH. My water is hard and I could use all the wood I want and it will not budge. It does provide some benefit outside of looks at pH though.

Yes, I can certainly confirm this from my own efforts trying to soften Philly water with driftwood, peat moss, etc. So much effort and driftwood with little return Ph-wise. Still looks good if that is your main purpose. Now in NYC the water is really soft and ideal for SA cichlids, IMO.

 

[Coryloach]

The benefits of humic and fulvic acids released by the likes of driftwood and dried leaves, etc...are enormous to fish well being so I generally would not worry about the lack water chemistry change as numbers mean nothing, happier and healthier fish is what it is all about.

 

[Poseidon2.0]

The benefits of humic and fulvic acids released by the likes of driftwood and dried leaves, etc...are enormous to fish well being so I generally would not worry about the lack water chemistry change as numbers mean nothing, happier and healthier fish is what it is all about.

I am not worried about it, especially as I am no longer in Philly with it’s hard water. Numbers do mean something otherwise we wouldn’t test and experiment. But yes, there are other benefits to these things besides ph or mineral content of the water.

Interesting experiment I did while I was camping near a small lake in the NJ Pine Barrons a couple years ago. I took a sample of the water which is black due to all the pine needles that fall in each year. Had practically 0.0 ppm mineral content. So so soft. Would be ideal (I imagined) for discus and other Amazon fish

 

[JK47]

Pretty much. It has an effect on the carbonate hardness/total alkalinity/KH/buffering capacity, or whatever one wants to call it. Driftwood and tannins can lower it down but not enough to move the pH in hard water.

KH is mainly affected by hydroxide ions [OH-] , carbonates [HCO3-] and hydrogen ions [H+] in the following equation:

Total Alkalinity = [HCO3-] + [OH-] - [H+]

Which basically means that hydroxide ions and carbonates increase the KH and hydrogen ions decrease it.

When you add driftwood, oak leaves, almond leaves, alder cones, etc..the resulting reactions in water release hydrogen ions, thus decreasing KH. In soft water, with initial low buffering capacity, the pH will also be lowered.

pH is determined by the relationship/ratio of [H+] and [OH-], so when lowering the KH via increasing the [H+](driftwood) you would also be lowering the pH, providing there isn't enough bases of the likes of [OH-] and carbonates [HCO3-] to counteract it. In hard water, there is plenty. In soft, low conductivity water ,poor in buffering capacity, the smallest release of hydrogen ions would trigger a pH move down.

Couldn’t agree more. Thanks for putting numbers and a better description to it.

 

[jacobfata]

So everybody, I am now 48 hours after applying the driftwood. It’s weighted down with rocks and so far has not and is probably not going to stain the water. I was told in another thread to stop worrying about the ph and lowering it, the best thing for the discus is stability with their water even if your tap runs at 7.6.

The aquarium is a 55 gallon setup which I plan to let ten two inch checkerboard discus grow out in. I don’t intend on keeping them all. Just a few favorites or a pair if one forms. The discus are two inches. I also have one female betta, 15 neon tetras and one two inch albino blue eyed pleco. I intend on adding more live plants and driftwood. This setup is our baby and I want to see it thrive and mature. I’m aware the aquarium would be horribly overstocked if the fish were any larger but as they grow I’ll be rehoming the “extras” and keeping my favorites. At the current moment, is my aquarium setup ok with my current stock? In another thread I was told I’d have to do daily 50% water changes and to strip my aquarium bare (lol). I’ve put a lot of work into recreating their natural habitat and selecting the right specimens for what I’m wanting to do. Can someone please tell me I’m doing a good job and my fish will be healthy and happy with my setup and 50% weekly water changes or am I wrong?

This is my starter aquarium I will be upgrading. Does anyone have any more suggestions or comments? What are your opinions on the aquascape?

Thank you to each and everyone of you who is helping me through this.

 

[Matteus]

It looks gorgeous. Wish I could keep mine this beautiful. You are in good hands with the folk already responding here.