Aquarium Wood

Boscobear

Are there any types of wood that we should avoid in aquarium use ? As I walk through the Appalachian woodland near Boone NC. this coming weekend. I hope to find some exciting pieces of wood, LOL and a couple unique rocks. That's a whole lot of hope too. I may come back empty handed. I will be visiting the youngest son, so it's not all for naught.
I just don't want to put some beautiful hunk-a -wood into the soon to be purchased new tank that leaches unseen toxins into the water. Thanks for all advise.

bigfish93

Stay away from the soft wood, such as pine. Soft wood will quickly rot when submerged and become toxic to your fish. Also, make sure you only pick up wood from the ground and not from the tree because the wood needs to be dry and free of sap. You have to be careful to stay away from any areas that may have pesticides or fertilizers. I recommend wood from oak trees as this is very hard wood that should last a while in the aquarium. Just remember, that there is always a risk when putting things from nature into your aquarium and it is best to buy from your LFS when possible.

Geomancer

Plus it won't be waterlogged, which means it will float instead of sink so you need a way to anchor it. If you use rocks, make sure they can't ever shift and fall, potentially breaking your glass.

Byron

Agree with previous posts. But having said that, personally I would not use outdoor wood (meaning that you collect yourself), there is always a risk.

Boscobear

I just found a really cool fern looking plant in the stream by my house. Has a nice root system, and closes its fern type foliage at night, opens it for day light .
What are the dangers involved with, wild taken aquatic plants

Byron

Plants can carry pathogens, parasites, bacteria, insects that might harm fish, and other disease and issues that could harm other plants in the aquarium. Fish in nature will have some form of defense or immunity toward these things in its natural habitat, but our aquarium fish most likely do not. This is why invasive plants and fish are so dangerous; they can introduce foreign issues that could wipe out the resident populations, and that works the same in reverse when bringing the wild into the aquarium.

Another issue is that in a temperate climate, plants go through a die down period (winter) and in a warmer environment this may cause the death of the plant. Or if evergreen in such climates, it will likely not be suited to tropical conditions. Water parameters and nutrients may be different. Not all aquarium plants can be kept in the same aquarium due to allelopathy, being chemicals that act detrimentally to certain other plant species.

Byron.

Boscobear

I looked at some of the poster's aquariums, saw these nice pieces of wood, and other deco items in their tanks, and I thought they found them in their local areas. I understand what you are saying now, and have put the plant back where I found it. It is pretty nice too.

OK, how about a rock? I should be able to find a rock, pour bleach on it to kill whatever, and maybe put vinagar on it to see if it is acidic, it should fizz.

Thanks a lot, I appreciate everyone's help, I could have made some nasty mistakes. Things do look harmless.

bigfish93

Rocks also carry a risk of harming your aquarium, but most people do collect their rocks from outside. The first test you should do is the "vinegar test" to see if it will raise your pH. If the rock fizzes after pouring vinegar on it, then it will raise your pH. If not, then it is safe to use. The next step is cleaning the rock(s). I would not pour bleach on the rock because the rock will absorb the bleach and it will be toxic to your fish. Instead, pour some boiling water over the rock to kill off any parasites. I recommend pouring the boiling water over the rock, rather than putting the rock in the boiling water because there have been reports of rocks exploding. After that, your all done and your rocks are ready for the aquarium.

stevenjohn21

every year i go to my local river and wade in the water for "unique driftwood" pieces for my tanks. Occasionally i will find rocks also that i think at the time will be good in the aquarium (most of them now are door stops) The best way to clean both rocks and wood is in a bucket with a stiff brush, white distilled vinegar and hot water (as hot as your hands can handle) scrub them as much as you can whilst changing the water until its almost clear. The next step is a mans secret so woman please refrain from reading the next part.......when your wife, girlfriend or mom isnt around, chuck them in the diswasher with more white distilled vinegar. They come out sparkling and no nasties will be on them.

P.S just make sure you check the dishwasher when your done so that there is no evidence that you washed your wood in the dishwasher

Byron

I use Malaysian Driftwood in all my tanks. It is natural wood but should be safe. Petsmart here carry this, and each piece is different and it comes in varying sizes. You can get it online and in other stores too. It is the dark brown wood; it is heavy so it sinks immediately, and tannins in my experience are not too bad (they are harmless but just discolour the tank water for a few weeks at worst). I really like this wood, it is very natural looking. You can see it in my photos under "Aquariums" below my name on the left. I stay away from Mopani wood and grapewood, as these have been known to contain a toxic fungus.

I do use rocks that I buy from a landscape supply, basalt in my case. I also have lace rock purchased from a fish store in one tank, though with all the plants it is completely hidden now. Others have mentioned issues with rocks and how to deal with them. There is less risk with rock (provided it is not calcareous but inert) than wood or plants. I personally would not pour bleach on a rock, as rocks will absorb liquids. A good scrubbing under the hot water tap with a strong brush is all I do. The acid test works on the calcareous issue, though vinegar might not be strong enough. The Regent #2 in the API nitrate test kit is an acid, stronger, and a couple drops of this on the rock will work.