The brown color is due to the release of tannins from the driftwood. There are many advantages to maintaining slightly stained water, including reduced algae growth and more natural conditions for your fish. To avoid water discoloration, pre-soak or boil any natural driftwood before adding it to your aquarium. You can also used carbon to remove tannins from the tank water.

Not all pieces of wood will sink right away, or at all. Driftwood is a natural product and, as such, there can be variations from one piece to another. We suggest pre-soaking the wood in a clean bucket for about a week, while changing the water once to twice daily. Some pieces may need to be weighed down for the first couple of weeks once added to your aquarium.

The white film is a bio-film, and is no cause for alarm: bio-films are common when driftwood is first introduced to an aquarium. Many fish and shrimp species will eat the bio-film, and it will eventually go away on its own.