Malaysian Driftwood: When to replace?

D

doreenjoy

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Jun 25, 2007
538
4
18
I've had a piece of Malaysian driftwood in my 10 gallon tank since 2007. About 8 months ago, it began to be aggressively colonized by ferns. About 5 months ago the fish began to behave oddly: My dwarf gourami no longer eats the Hikari micro pellets (though he will pick at algae wafers) and all the fish have been hiding.

I'm wondering if the wood is breaking down and leaching something into the water that I can't measure. Does Malaysian driftwood need replaced after a few years?

Stats on the tank:

10 gallons

0 ammonia (it's been cycled since 2007)
0 nitrites
< 10 nitrates
7.4 pH
<3 hardness (very soft water in my town)

Water changes: 20% every week with Prime, Excel Fluorish, and a touch of Nitrogen

Planted with anubias and some ground cover. Eco complete substrate. Crappy CFL lighting in a cheap hood.

Inhabitants:
* no additions for over 2 years
* 1 dwarf honey gourami
* 10 cardinal tetras
* 3 otocinclus
* a few dozen red cherry shrimp.

Thoughts?
 
I've had Malaysian driftwood in a 10 gallon since 2006. Never had a problem with it or the tank inhabitants. It is amazing how it still leaches tannins, but that should not be a problem.
The only thing I can think of is to check your water temperature. Perhaps your heater if faulty.
Any changes to your tap water? I do 30% water changes on my tanks. Good luck figuring this all out.
 
Thanks for taking the time to reply, GCL.

No changes to the tap water that I'm aware of...and I got a thermometer and the temp is stable at 78 F.

I'm going to get a new test kit to see if my measurements are off.
 
The only trouble I had with 15-20 year old malaysian wood was it getting crumbly surfaces. Not a big deal just a PITA to try & vacuum out & looked crappy on tan pool sand. I took it out & scrubbed the loose stuff off a few times. I qiut using it but not sure I threw it out.

Do you vac your eco? I do, not super deep just down a half inch or so. I know lots of plant-y people don't vac but IME shrimp can poo a lot & I'm not a detritus fan.
 
If he was big when you bought him, maybe he is just getting old.

Some of my Cardinals are nearing the 7year mark, and I am starting to loose a few.
 
Thanks.

I do vac lightly, but not aggressively.

The fish are *really* hiding now. They come out to eat but are super skittish.

I might try rearranging some decor. It's heavily planted in there so I'm not sure why they're skittish; they have plenthy of cover.
 
I know this is an old thread but I wanted to update everyone. I changed the temperature to 80F and all is well.
 
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