# Azalea root aquarium safe?



## stephentw (10 Feb 2019)

Can anyone reassure me, I impulse bought some of the above, its got an aqua one label on it so I assumed would be fine. 

When I got home and researched how to prepare it for my tank I read loads of horror story reviews saying its toxic and has turned tank water so brown they can't see the fish.

So I'm a bit worried now. Should I take it back or is there a proper way to safely prepare it for use?


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## Edvet (10 Feb 2019)

Azalea will be safe. It might color a bit but doing waterchanges will counteract that.


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## Andrew Butler (10 Feb 2019)

A vast majority of wood sold as 'spiderwood' and similar is Azalea root.
Most woods will leach some tannins so soak it in a tub of water, changing the water daily if you can then when you add it to your tank run some carbon in the filter which should help clean things up a bit.


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## stephentw (10 Feb 2019)

OK great, panic over. Thanks for the help. 

Should I soak it in warm or boiling water or is cold fine?

Wont carbon remove the nutients the plants need?


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## akwarium (10 Feb 2019)

cold in fine, it will probably produce some mold, which is temporally and quite harmless, but nicer in a bucket than in your tank. 
In my experience the tannins released by spiderwood are not that bad,  a regular water change will be enough to keep your water clear.


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## stephentw (11 Feb 2019)

Thanks, it's soaking. No slime as yet I dont think but it's only been overnight. Wonder how long it'll take to form. And more to the point how long before it sinks!


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## GHNelson (11 Feb 2019)

Probably a couple of weeks!


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## stephentw (12 Feb 2019)

Update, it seems to have sunk already! No slime yet though.


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## Matt @ ScapeEasy (19 Feb 2019)

I never seem to get the slime before adding the wood to the tank... presumably there are nutrients in the tank water that trigger it...


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## stephentw (21 Feb 2019)

Well I gave up and put it in the tank. Not noticed any ill effects yet. Other than my Java Moss wriggling free of the nylon I used to tie it on.


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