drift wood

[icka]

first what does do to a tank besides decoration... does it mess with ph, etc?
and what do i do to get ready to put it in a tank?

 

[fishyman45]

i dont know about ph, but to make sure it stays down, let it soak in water for a few days, if it still floats, try attachin lead weights to the back somewhere :idea:

 

[flyfly]

it does affect ph by lowering slightly

If I remember correct

 

[Kasakato]

It will lower the pH a bit. Depending on the size, the effect could be small or bigger. To get it ready: boil it, and make sure it will stay in the tank. You can get some slate and a stainless less screw if you have to.

 

[Chill]

If this is driftwood your buying from a pet store. It could slightly lower your ph and leach some tannins into the water darkening it slightly. This is actually good for certan types of fish neons, cardinals, etc. If however this is something you collected it could have all sorts of effects (some could be terrible) if not properly cured. For example beach driftwood can leach harmful amounts of salt, others could have absorbed contaminants which in the confines of a tank can be lethal.

 

[icka]

i got it from a garage sell that a guy was using it around a jap tree (cant remember name)... will it change ph slighty or all at once? slightly is ok right?

 

[icka]

also i was thinking about freezing it in water, then boiling it, which should take care of everything bad right?

 

[Chill]

Was the guy using any sort of chemical fertilizers or pesticides around his tree? Those things would be hard to boil out. I would boil for several hours.

It should lower ph slightly over a gradual period which would be fine if fish like slightly acidic water. That you can monitor for and take it out if it causes drastic swings. The unknown contaminants would be harder to detect. If he used fertilzers or pesticides I would not use it no matter how much boiling I did.

 

[icka]

ok he was using it around a bonsai tree (sp?) do people typically use ferts with them? ill have to figure out whether there are chems on it or not.

 

[WinterWind]

Test in some water first. Put it into a bucket and leave it for a few days. See if the water turns all brown or something. Test pH before and afterwards to check the effects of the wood.

The thing to be worried about the most is chemicals and pesticides that the person might have used the plants around that wood.