I am not sure of the type of wood the only place we can get it locally is "fish-4-you" (lfs) in salt lake at $6.00 a pound and yes it will sink, no it is not "driftwood" there is $240.00 in four big logs that would not fit in most tanks, and it has not been sand blasted, i just don't like that look. yes it still looks like a tea bag is in the tank, but i have only done three water changes at the time of the photo's since we put the log's in. it gets lighter every time doing a 40gal change every eight day's.