driftwood question

DanMarion

What exactly makes driftwood... driftwood? I found a stick in my yard that would look really cool in my aquarium, but it would float. Is there a way to make it sink so it can be used in an aquarium? I've been told that my bristlnose pleco and my rubberlip pleco both need wood to gnaw on.

brancasterr

I don't really know to much about driftwood but I do know that most of it does actually float. That's why it's called driftwood....because it drifts with the currents. Most of the driftwood seen on the bottom of tanks have been weighted or anchored to the bottom somehow.

As for using a stick you've found in the yard I would personally recommend against doing so. There are many many many things the stick could be contaminated with and it would dirty up your water. Again, I don't know to much on the subject so maybe someone with more knowledge could come along and point you in the right direction but I would take the safe route and buy a nice piece from your LFS. If you do so, aim for one thats already in a set up tank because driftwood that hasn't been soaked for a while will turn your water brown.

iamntbatman

Well, the driftwood you can buy at the store is either dense enough to sink on its own (Malaysian driftwood, mopani root wood, etc.) or else is weighted down, often screwed to a piece of slate. Found driftwood usually needs to be waterlogged before it will sink, which can take a while. Also, certain types of wood won't last long in your tank (soft woods will rot pretty quickly) and finally, it can be impossible to determine if the wood you've found is free of toxins like pesticides that could be harmful to your fish. I just avoid the hassle and buy driftwood from the LFS.