hey all,

I haven't wrote in awhile, but I have been trying afew things to improve Godzillas tank (spanish ribbed newt) I want it to look natural and inprove her land area.

I took out the small plastic level and added a floating driftwood piece. It is pretty cool looking, but the water is now brownish and alittle kinda slimy feeling. She is still laying eggs and I am just scooping them out so she hasn't had a water change..but I clean the hides and filter.

She is doing fine. I am concerned about the water turning gross from the driftwood though. Will it hurt her..and will the water clear after awile? She is in a 30 gallon by herself.

Any ideas of what I could do if the driftwood isn't going to work out? I was thinking of doing EE but it would be difficult to add a land area that way.

Thanks, Paige

do you have a filter system set up?

__________________
My name is Liz
Do what's best for the animal, not what's best for you.

Did you collect this driftwood? The driftwood is not cured! You need to remove it!
The slimyness and water discoloration is organic material leaching out of the wood.
Take the wood and immerse it for a few days in a bucket of heavily salted water. I used to use rock salt. You will need to weight it down to keep it under the water. Let it soak and periodically rub it down to clean the film off of the surface and change out the water. After a week start soaking it in plain fresh water. When the wood stops feeling slimy to the touch it will be ready to use.

__________________
Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

That sounds like a plan
would the salt not create problems?? or make the wood turn white??

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If you want it badly enough and you are willing to work at it anything is possible, "I want it all"

That is the reason for subsequently soaking the wood in fresh water.
It will not discolor the wood. I used to keep freshwater aquariums that were decorated to resemble natural biotypes. I collected and cured all my own driftwood.

__________________
Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

thanks I will do that right away! yes I have a filter. I just cleaned it out again today casue she lays so much eggs the filter gets clogged. I have pics of that too.

here are some pics I took today:







top




eggs everywhere AGAIN!



here she is







I didn't know I had to do that to the wood. will this harm her? Will the filter get rid of the stuff or should I change the water out completely?

oh and the water wasn't as slimy today for some reson, but I will fix this. Thanks!! I hope it will be ok till tomorrow cause it is getting dark now and I have to use the hose and things for this tank. She must be ok for laying eggs again last night with this mess in the water.

It will be fine overnight. But I would still remove the wood.
You actually have all sorts of things rotting and leaching organics into the water in nature.
In the closed environment of a tank its a bit more problematic

__________________
Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

I took the wood out first thing this morning and cleaned the whole tank out...here is what I have now at least until the wood has been cured ~ I hope =)

I wouldn't want anything to hurt her cause she has been with me for a long time







the tank



question though will this be enough land for afew weeks? It is slightly covered still. She rarely comes out of the water unless she isn't feeling well, but I will take the water down a notch if you all think I should.