?'s about finding driftwood in a river..

Sarge_857 · May 30, 2008

hey guys, got another couple of questions that need a couple of answers

i want to try to find driftwood in a river down from my house and i was wondering--

what to look for on it?(colors, type of wood)
what not to look for?

this river isnt the greatest in clarity, so if i did find any, would i have to soak it in bleach water, saltwater? or some other way of cleanin it besides brushing it off?

responses would be great. cause prices on driftwood at lfs's near me are INSANE!!!!!!! a 10 inch long x 5 tall was about 25-30 bucks!!! if i can find some "ok" driftwood, it would be sweet. i read about people findin wood around them in rivers, so i thought i;d ask some questions before i find something that could possibly kill my fish.

Notophthalmus · May 30, 2008

Avoid any wood that is soft and decaying, or that still has sap in it. Ideally, you want wood that has been soaked and dried long enough to turn gray or pale tan and be hard and light. Most inappropriate woods won't make it to this stage, so any such wood you find should work.

Woods to avoid: pine, fir, larch (toxic sap); any softer wood (will decay in tank). Woods that definitely work: oak, red cedar, white cedar, maple (sometimes has fungus issues), sycamore. Of course, most wood will not be identifiable when you find it, but if you follow the guidelines above you should be fine.

Be careful where you get your wood from. Don't take wood from highly polluted waters; check EPA data to see if the streams near you are clean. Don't take wood from waters affected by VHS, as you might transfer it to your fish. Your state DNR should have info on that.

Most folks boil their driftwood to disinfect it. If it's too big for your pot, put it in the tub and pour boiling water on it.

Sarge_857 · May 30, 2008

Notophthalmus said:
Woods that definitely work: oak, red cedar, white cedar, maple (sometimes has fungus issues), sycamore. Of course, most wood will not be identifiable when you find it, but if you follow the guidelines above you should be fine.

Be careful where you get your wood from. Don't take wood from highly polluted waters; check EPA data to see if the streams near you are clean. Don't take wood from waters affected by VHS, as you might transfer it to your fish. Your state DNR should have info on that.

Most folks boil their driftwood to disinfect it. If it's too big for your pot, put it in the tub and pour boiling water on it.

i checked all the dnr and the epa. seems everythings ok (though i didnt understand half of it:headshake2

. if its too big tub it and pour boiling water on it, ok. what about a mild bleach/water solution?

Notophthalmus · May 30, 2008

I wouldn't use bleach, simply because it could be absorbed into the wood and take a very long time to soak back out, potentially contaminating your tank. A better disinfectant soak would be hydrogen peroxide; it breaks down into oxygen and water fairly quickly, and is non-toxic to fish in small doses in any case, so it's much less worrisome.

Sarge_857 · May 30, 2008

Notophthalmus said:
I wouldn't use bleach, simply because it could be absorbed into the wood and take a very long time to soak back out, potentially contaminating your tank. A better disinfectant soak would be hydrogen peroxide; it breaks down into oxygen and water fairly quickly, and is non-toxic to fish in small doses in any case, so it's much less worrisome.

ok peroxide....... whats the ratio for the mix on that? peroxide-water?

i was reading elsewhere that driftwood found in rivers should come from a fast moving area. is that true as well?

vmprlrd · May 30, 2008

the reason they tell you to get it from fast moving water is because it is most likely the cleanest. Dont forget to shave off the bark. I found my drift wood in a stream. I boilied it to remove bacteria. I also soaked it in a tub for two days so all the green coloring will leach out. The drift wood might turn your tnak green but that is normal and don't be alarmed by it.

Notophthalmus · May 31, 2008

Sarge_857 said:
ok peroxide....... whats the ratio for the mix on that? peroxide-water?

i was reading elsewhere that driftwood found in rivers should come from a fast moving area. is that true as well?

The ratio's not too crucial, but the stronger the better. I wouldn't go lower than 10 parts water:1 part H2O2. There's nothing wrong with driftwood from slow-moving areas except that it may have more dirt and organisms on it. Driftwood that's been lying up on the bank and drying in the sun since the last flood is the best kind of all.

Lady G · May 31, 2008

Notophthalmus said:
I wouldn't use bleach, simply because it could be absorbed into the wood and take a very long time to soak back out, potentially contaminating your tank. A better disinfectant soak would be hydrogen peroxide; it breaks down into oxygen and water fairly quickly, and is non-toxic to fish in small doses in any case, so it's much less worrisome.

Really...peroxide? Wow, I never thought of that...makes sense though it does draw infection out, so I assume it would draw any impurities out of the wood.

I usually, boil or bake mine...if it will fit in your oven you can bake it for a couple hours at like 150-200. I've done this with a few of mine. I usually soak it in salt water for a while too, I think any salt would work...but I use kosher. The salt will help to draw out impurities. Then I scrub it really good with the salt water and soak it in fresh water for a couple days and boil it again (I know sounds like a lot), and it may not be necessary for all these steps, but I have gotten several pieces and never had a problem yet. OH, and to get any remaining bark that may be on it, I found taking it to the car wash and using the power sprayer does a great job

Rbishop · May 31, 2008

I use salt water boil or soak. Then lots of freshwater boils and soaks.

Bk718 · May 31, 2008

why would one reduce the concentration of peroxide? all it is is H2O2 which will just break down into water eventually. Its harmless to fish (some people actually direct dose h2o2 in their tanks with algae. (unless you go for the off the shelf one thats at higher % concentration)

Either way put it in your bathtub and fill it with hot water, and every few hours drain it and refill it again. Then if you can let it dry out completely for a week in direct sun.


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?'s about finding driftwood in a river..

Sarge_857

Iam the one under your bed. BOO

Notophthalmus

I put the 'snork' in 'snorkeling'!

Sarge_857

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Notophthalmus

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Sarge_857

Iam the one under your bed. BOO

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Notophthalmus

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