# Do I need to disinfect mopani wood from the store?



## BYHGAB (Jun 13, 2011)

Hey everyone, I did some searching and a lot of what I found was about wood that was collected. Do I need to bake/or do some other form of sanitation for a piece of mopani wood I bought from Petco? The reason I ask is because it says on the label that it is cleaned and ready for use in the tank (but it states a method of leaching tannins for an aquarium application). The wood is very dense and dry and I dont know how long I should bake it if need be.


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## mike35 (Nov 18, 2006)

In short, yes you should steralize it. You never know how it was handeled, the person stocking the shelf could have been handeling some other animal prior.


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## BYHGAB (Jun 13, 2011)

mike35 said:


> In short, yes you should steralize it. You never know how it was handeled, the person stocking the shelf could have been handeling some other animal prior.


Thats what I was thinking, but for how long? Temp? Before I have put small pieces of wood that were fairly moist for an hour at 300*F.


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## happy dart (Nov 22, 2009)

Hey!

I am also setting up a vivarium with mopani wood from PetCo. I have some really big pieces so I ended up just washing them off really well then pouring boiling water on the wood. I also soaked it for a bit to try to remove tannins, but I could never get them to stop leaching. No animals yet, but hopefully the wood will be safe enough.


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## BYHGAB (Jun 13, 2011)

I'm not so much worried about tannins as I am about introducing something that could infect the tank.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

The problem is that the methods described above are unlikely to do much in the way of disinfection or sterilization other that the very surface. Much of the same effect could be made by throughly scrubbing the piece of wood with a stiff brush and water. Neither of the above suggested methods are going to be able to penetrate cracks and/or crevices of the wood. 

Ed


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## BYHGAB (Jun 13, 2011)

Cool thanks, should I be concerned about tannins leaching or is that primarily a concern with aquariums?


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

BYHGAB said:


> Cool thanks, should I be concerned about tannins leaching or is that primarily a concern with aquariums?


Unless you are putting in a recirculating water system, you don't have to worry about the tannins. Keep in mind that many of the substrate mixes will leach tannins (sphagnum, peat moss, leaves). If you are attempting a recirculating water system, then the main problem is aesthetics as it will result in dark water that produces a lot of foam. 

Ed


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## BYHGAB (Jun 13, 2011)

Ok thanks, its not for a water feature, just a piece for my auratus to climb on. Thanks for the info on the water though, I plan on making a 29g or an exo terra 18x18x24 in the next few months and thought a piece of mopani would look good. I guess I stick to my original plan and use cork bark for that. I would've been pretty upset if I had found out after and had to rebuild.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Unless a water feature is really needed for a specific type of frog, they are typically more effort than they are worth. 

Ed


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## BYHGAB (Jun 13, 2011)

What types of of darts would those be? I enjoy making ponds with waterfalls outside and would like to give it a shot on the small scale. I accept the difficulties involved with trying to control water Haha!


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