Driftwood from River?

[James G]

Hello everyone, I was wondering if you could go to a river like the north Saskatchewan and get driftwood for your aquarium? and if you can I'm wondering if you have to do something to it and what you have to do to it?.

 

[V227]

If the DW comes from a clean body of water, and it's a hardwood, sure. Avoid Pine. Let it dry out long enough for any unwanted hitchhikers to die off. Some boil it, others soak it. It's your choice.

 

[Mulch05]

Well I'm in Scotland and I looked at doing this too but I wouldn't know the type of wood that was coming out.

 

[V227]

That's a good point. I've busted off long dead branches from living trees before with no problems. That way no doubt regarding wood type. Just have to anchor down the new additions with rocks until it becomes saturated.

 

[BBradbury]

Hello Jim...

I use the wood pieces and rocks in the river and lake areas near where I live. The pieces look much better than the stuff you get commercially. I rinse the pieces well and leave them in the sun for a day or two. Then, they're ready to go into the tank. Never had any problems and I've been collecting stuff for years.

Go for it. Hopefully, there aren't any laws against this kind of thing in your area.

B

 

[Angellove78]

Yeah, I just did this with hard wood from the woods and I wasn't able to get to cleaning it last fall so it all sat outside through the winter and as soon as weather broke I brought them in an just scrubbed them up with some hot water. I had alot of ants. But it an clean. Then I just put it all in the tank and weighted it down with rocks. My rocks are from outside too. I've had them in my tank for almost a yr. I just bakes my rocks, cooled them down with cold water and put them right in the tank. People say, boil, bake, soak the wood before hand. But, it's not needed. As long are the wood I'd hard wood and dry Imo, it just needs a good cleaning. A bath tub of hot water, scrub brush, and old toothbrush worked for me. Git-r-done!

 

[flitabout]

I have some in mine that I seriously couldn't tell you what it is. I boiled mine I now regret doing that. The wood doesn't last a long when you boil. Now I would just dry and then soak.