Over boiled mopani wood!

[tmcmullen]

I decided to boil the mopani wood I just bought at the local pet shop, but forgot it was boiling until all of the water had evaporated and the bottom of the pan was burnt. The wood is much darker than it was when I got it and I wonder if it will be okay in a tank, or do I have to just chuck it?

[starsplitter7]

I have done that before. I would soak it in water, and then put it out in the sun. I would see how it looks then.

[tmcmullen]

Nice to know I'm not the only one! It's not "that bad" I'm soaking it again now, and I was going to try to scrub it if I can find something to scrub it with that hasn't been used with soap or cleaning fluids.

If it finally rinses clean do you think it will be safe?

[PASoracco]

i agree with star, try to get the burnt portions off of the wood, and then let it soak in some tank, rain or dechlorinated water. if it doesn't leech into the water too badly, go ahead and use it. Over boiling it, if anything, would have killed every last critter in the wood, so its probably fine.

[tmcmullen]

Thanks, I soaked it last night, and even dropped the carbon I removed from the tank into the bucket with the wood. It turned the wood really brown, probably because everything I was trying to boil out ended up being absorbed back into the wood as the water level steadily decreased. It doesn't look too bad and I will scrub it well and soak it a long time before adding it to the tank.

[PASoracco]

I normally just stick a bucket outside and fill it with the hose; change it out daily until the water doesn't turn as brown, then swap it into the tank. a little bit of tannin soaking out of the wood isnt bad for the fish either; more of an aesthetic issue.

[starsplitter7]

I like the tannins in my tank. I boil to get rid of the critters. I think some of my fish like the tannins.