IceCap Mopani Wood

Instructions:

1. Unbox your unique piece of Small Mopani wood. Use a clean, stiff-bristled brush to thoroughly scrub all exterior crevices under running tap water to remove any loose dust or debris from transit. Warning: Never use soaps, bleach, or chemical household detergents on hardscape wood.
2. The Tannin Prep Phase: Mopani wood naturally contains high concentrations of beneficial organic tannins. If added directly to an aquarium, it will leach these tannins, turning your water a dark, tea-colored amber.
3. If you prefer crystal-clear water, submerge the piece inside a clean bucket filled with fresh water. Change the water daily for 5 to 7 days, or boil the wood in a large pot for 1 to 2 hours to accelerate the tannin release.
4. If the wood still shows slight buoyancy due to internal air pockets, leave it submerged in your soaking bucket until it remains completely anchored on the bottom.
5. Place the wood carefully into your tank layout. Push the heavier base of the piece firmly down into your sand or gravel substrate to secure its position before adding delicate plants.
6. If a harmless, translucent white biofilm slime develops on the wood face during the first two weeks, do not panic. This is a normal reaction as beneficial micro-bacteria consume remaining sugars in the wood. It can be easily scrubbed away or left for shrimp and snails to eat.

Pro Tips:

• Run a High-Grade Carbon Media Bag to Keep Water Crystal Clear. Even after extensive boiling and soaking, a premium piece of dense African hardwood like the IC-WMS will continue to release trace amounts of tannins for several months. While these tannins are completely non-toxic and mimic natural river habitats, you can easily neutralize the yellow water tint. Drop a high-quality chemical filtration media bag—such as activated carbon or a specialized synthetic adsorption resin—into your filter to capture the discoloration instantly.
• Glue Epiphyte Roots Directly to Crevices with Cyanoacrylate Gel. Because Mopani wood does not rot easily, it is the perfect anchor for long-term epiphyte plant growth. Do not try to bury the roots of plants like Anubias, Bucephalandra, or Java Ferns in your substrate, as their rhizomes will rot. Instead, place a tiny dot of gel-based cyanoacrylate glue (aquarium-safe super glue) directly onto the rhizome and press it against a natural groove in the Mopani wood for 15 seconds. The plant will naturally wrap its anchor roots around the wood grain within weeks.
• Level Your Aquascape by Slipping Flat Supporting Stones Beneath Key Pressure Points. Even an 8-to-12-inch piece of Mopani wood carries considerable physical mass due to its density. When building a dramatic, sloped aquascape in a smaller aquarium, never rest a heavy, jagged edge of the hardwood directly against the bare bottom glass panel of your aquarium. Place a thin, flat cushion stone (like a piece of slate or a smooth river pebble) underneath the main structural pressure points to distribute the weight evenly and protect your glass panel from targeted stress fractures.