driftwood

mmh123 · 09-06-2006, 10:19 PM

I really like the look of driftwood in a tank but I was told that it makes a mess or is bad for the fish or something. (A little confused

) Is this true that it is not a good idea to use driftwood for some reason or another?

ahill3780 · 09-06-2006, 10:29 PM

Jay can help out more here than I, but from my understanding driftwood is great for tanks - you just have to soak it for months to leach out any embedded impurities. (kinda like cycling live rock)

My brother has a piece of driftwood in his tank that his girlfriends father had in his tank for over 10 years. It is a beautiful dark color with live plants growing on it. My brothers tank parameters are a little off, but they are stable, which is important.

thewebpop · 09-06-2006, 11:08 PM

I have many pieces "Marine Driftwood" I collected while living on the Alabama/Mississippi coast. Can anyone tell me the best way to Prep it for tank use?
Later, Pop's

ahill3780 · 09-06-2006, 11:15 PM

Soak it in a bath of fresh water for a few months while doing regular water changes on it. Keep testing the water parameters until they check out ok for your tank at the least. But even if you acheive good parameters within a month I would continue the bath for at least 2 months to allow ample time for anything undetectable by your test kits to make it out of the wood. In all honesty I am not definate on the 2 months as it has been a while since I read up on it for my brother - it could be necessary to go longer.

Jay · 09-07-2006, 09:26 AM

Driftwood can be a beautiful addition to the tank.

Two different kinds being discussed here.

1. Bog Wood from lakes, swamps, fw sources. Usually is loaded with tannin.

Needs to be dried which helps with the sanitation process, can be boiled or dipped in a mild bleach solution. The reason for soaking it is to let the tannin, which will leach a brown, harmless, color into your tank water leach out in a bucket. Also if it is dry it needs to absorbe the water back into it so it will not float. Length of time = until water changes are no longer brown.

Bog wood and the tannin will act as a water softener, lower KH.
Plecos should have some bog wood in the tank to munch on.

http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n...100_0645-1.jpg

2. Marine wood comes out of the ocean. Same issues, except you are soaking it to remove salt, minerals, etc. you do not want in the tank.

Regards,
Jay

thewebpop · 09-07-2006, 11:18 AM

Thanks Aaron and Jay. So if I understand, it would be ok to put marine wood (once soaked properly) into a FW tank?
Later, Pop's

ahill3780 · 09-07-2006, 02:34 PM

Correct. You will be fine with either type so long as it is soaked properly.

thewebpop · 09-07-2006, 04:33 PM

Maybe Jay would want to trade some of his Plant Trimmings for a few pieces of my cool looking driftwood?
Later, Pop's

mmh123 · 09-07-2006, 06:34 PM

alright, so even if I get driftwood from my local pet store, do i still have to soak it?

Jay · 09-08-2006, 01:10 AM

Quote:

alright, so even if I get driftwood from my local pet store, do i still have to soak it?

You don't have too, but I would. Only to see what happens before I put it in my tank.

Jay