Wood? any sort?

A

aussiegirl

AC Members
Oct 3, 2004
15
0
0
Gee the wood at the LFS is expensive. Can I use any peice of wood for my aquarium if I know it hasn't been treated? My LFS told me it had to be really old wood and I couldn't just use a peice I had sawn off the tree and soaked. Is this right? How do I know they use old wood?
Thanks and sorry if this is a really obvious question to everyone but me.
 
The problem with freshly sawn wood is that it's not completely seasoned and dried out. Driftwood has been tumbled, most if not all of the bark and whatnot is gone from it, so it won't be found floating around your tank. Additionally, all of the sap is gone from driftwood as opposed to a fresh cutting.

I'm no expert, but that's my take on it. FYI - look for driftwood online. I found it absurd to spend $18 for a little branch of wood. I got 7 pieces of smaller (I only have a 15 gallon tank) wood for $8 shipped ;) I'll boil and soak it before I introduce it to the tank as well to be sure.
 
You can try e-bay, or you can take a walk and look for a tree that is dead and really dried out, the wood should be hard and dry (no rotten or mushy areas) check for bugs too. (maple or hard wood being best I'm told)Take it home, cut it o the size you need, put it in a pot and boil it for 20 minutes or so let it cool. Boil it again, let it cool.
Or you can soak it in a bucket of 1/3 javel and water solution for 2 hours. Rinse in tap water several times after this, then soak it in a mix of water and dechlorinator for a couple hours. It probably won't sink. You can either wedge it down with rocks, or get someone to drill a hole in it, tie cotton string to it and tied it to a rock, or you can screw a piece of slate to it with a stainless steel screw (non rusting metal).

I couldn't be bothered, so I paid 12 dollars plus tax for a 5 inch knarled piece of mopani wood at my LFS store. E-bay is your best bet :)
 
They sell grapevine wood in Petsmart in the reptiles area. Wouldn't that work since it's been sandblasted and riven at the ends? If not, couldn't you just leave it outside to weather for a year in the elements?
 
I've had excellent luck wandering the banks of rivers and large streams in my area looking for driftwood. This may not be an option if you live in a larger (and generally more pullted) city. Lakeshores are also an option, but tend to be more hit and miss.

I generally spray my wild-caught pieces at a carwash, then repatedly boil them before placing them in my tank.
 
Yup, and to help it sink better.

I had sticker shock when I saw the prices of designer wood and said "Screw that!" Then spent the next month wandering along rivers and a couple of better lakes for drift wood, and I found an awesome piece. It looks like a part of the trunk and a larger branch, so its a smooth 'L' shape. But the darn thing still hasn't stopped floating after 2 months of soaking/boiling/anchored in my tank.
 
I got a LOT of my fish stuff (and a few of my fish) from the drsfostersmith aquarium website, liveaquaria.com. It's a great place for practically anything you could need, and they have a lot of informative articles for newbies like me. :) I've gotten a few pieces of wood from them, and I think they're great. The only thing you have to do is soak them for about a week before placing them in your tank, or they'll turn the water yellow. :p
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom