Manzanita?

Chesherca

Since it isn't a LIVING plant (anymore), I'm not sure if this is the right place for this post, so forgive me if I'm in the wrong spot...

I've been digging for ideas and doing tons of research for what I eventually want my 29gallon high tank to become. This is basically my first tank, and I basically know nothing about anything.

I'd like to get a piece of driftwood in there, but am concerned about tannins softening my already soft water, I'm also looking for a twisty, rooty, gnarly kind of wood that isn't super thick (as I don't have SO much space to work with). My searches have brought me to Manzanita Driftwood.

I've been searching. . . but am not finding very much practical information on it other than it allegedly lasts longer than most driftwood types (like Malaysian), because it's hardwood, and that it doesn't release AS many tannins into the water (planning to soak it for a while to help with that), and that it'll float until it's good and waterlogged.

Can anyone offer advice regarding this type of wood in an aquarium, as well as pointers/warnings on driftwood in general? I'm also looking information on planting on them. . .

I'd really appreciate any insight y'all can throw my way!

Byron

I only use Malaysian driftwood now. I have had some other types over the years, and killed fish with toxins or fungus. I'm now leary of anything but Malaysian.

The downside is that is it almost always chunks. Finding branches is next to impossible.

Having said that, I am not myself sure what Manzanita actually is. I bought what I thought was Mopani but in hindsight it may have been grapewood or Manzanita. I know it developed a fungus that killed fish, whatever it was.

Geomancer

I wouldn't worry too much about it affecting your water parameters. I have a piece of Mopani in my 20g that releases quite a bit of tannins, so the water has a hint of tea color to it.

I have roughly 3 dGH water, and my pH is 6.8. Everything appears to be running well and all my plants are doing well.

The Mopani did form a fungus on it... but no one showed any signs of being affected by it. Once I got a mystery snail, it devoured all of it and loves it, he hardly ever leaves the driftwood. Unfortunately I'm not sure how long he'll last in the acidic water as they need basic water to maintain their shells =/

TwinDad

Manzanita is a desert shrub. It can get several feet tall. I used to see it all the time in the mountains and deserts, when I lived in Southern California.

I thought I saw on a different forum that people have been using it and recommended it. I have no personal aquarium experience. I have used it in carvings and bird cages.

Apparently the Hairy Manzanita is native to Washington State and Parts of BC. It doesn't have the twisty branches that it's desert cousin has.

Chesherca

Thanks for sharing what little you guys know. Hearing about a fish-killing fungus isn't making me feel better! Is there anything that can be done prior to putting wood in a tank to prevent such a thing from happening?! It's oddly difficult to find information on this particular wood, except that it's used and recommended for aquarium use! I'll keep on researching, hopefully find more information as I go along...

Thanks again!

TwinDad

Some say to boil in water. Others say to soak it.

I would at least play around in google for the wood.

"manzanita aquarium issues"
"manzanita fish problems"

Use as many words as you can think of, and see what turns up.

Geomancer

There isn't really much you can do in regards to fungus. Spores are nearly indestructible. I boiled the Mopani about 8 or 9 times to leach out the worst of the tannins, it still grew fungus.

But, yes, with all driftwood you should give it a good soak and at least scrub it.

Byron

Agree. There are many different species of fungus in the world, and a great many can occur in wood. Some fungus is harmless, some is deadly toxic. There is no way of knowing what if any may be inside the wood, until it begins to appear (if it's there). Some types of wood seem more likely to harbour various fungi--grapewood is perhaps the worst, and Mopani can be bad. This does not mean all wood of these types, but it has occurred enough that one has to recognize the risk.

Tetra Guy

Manzanita is a very slow growing hard wood. It is found in California, Oregon, Washington, New Mexico, southern B.C., Northern Mexico. It can get over 20 feet tall, and live to be over 1,000 years old. There are over 50 species, some are highly endangered. If left alone from the destructive hands of man, it can grow into a beautiful tree over several hundred years.

Chesherca

This seems SO obvious, but you're dead on. I DO tend to get kind of 'stuck' in searching for the same words. I'll see what else I can come up with this way!! Thanks!

So. . .I'm understanding that with any wood there is expected to be a time of weirdness after putting it in the aquarium, correct? It's gonna grow SOMETHING, whether harmful or not. . . IF I choose to put wood into my aquarium after soaking, is there any type of time-frame that I can be looking for these things to bloom and then be gone? Or does it vary depending on the type/thickness of the wood and type of growth?

What about soaking/boiling it in vinegar water for a time, drying it in the oven, then soaking it/boiling in clean water before adding it to the aquarium? Would the vinegar help in getting rid of any dormant spores, or would that be a bad idea, as the wood would soak in the vinegar and poison the tank, no matter what?