I would like to add a piece or 2 of natural driftwood to my tank. I live just a few miles from a large lake and was wondering if there is any reason why I couldn't go search there for some driftwood washed up on shore. I realize that I would need to soak and/or boil it for a while to prepare it for my tank. I just hate to spend money ordering driftwood when there seems to be such a nice free supply so close to home.
Driftwood
- Thread starter Solarris
- Start date
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Blueiz
Aquarium Advice FINatic
I see no prob with this as long as you follow the precautions you have already said you would. I would add a soak in plain unscented bleach to that. Be sure when you pick it out you get some that has been out there for a while and don't get any from softwood trees.
I will say that one of the main concerns that you run into when considering this is the amount of pollution in the water source you will be getting the wood from. I say use your judgement on this, and if in doubt don't do it.
I will say that one of the main concerns that you run into when considering this is the amount of pollution in the water source you will be getting the wood from. I say use your judgement on this, and if in doubt don't do it.
saltwatertogo
Aquarium Advice Activist
you should be fine , just be sure its cleaned well and clear of foreign objects , its solid and no rotting wood . apressure washer works really well for getting any loose debrie off the wood , oh and it may take awhile to make it water logged if its not already good luck!
jsoong
Aquarium Advice Addict
I collect driftwood for my tank, & so do many others. <All driftwoods from the LFS are collected by someone at some point!>
If you don't have a lot of pollution in your area, it is safe to collect. <Main worry is pesticide contamination, some persists for years.> I personally collect from a semi-wilderness area upstream from all farms. Try to collect hardwood and specimens that are at least a couple seasons old. <Green wood will have sap & other stuff that might be harmful.> If you collect wood that is already waterlogged (find pieces from the bottom of the lake), you won't have to spend time sinking them. You just need to clean, sterilize/boil before use.
If you don't have a lot of pollution in your area, it is safe to collect. <Main worry is pesticide contamination, some persists for years.> I personally collect from a semi-wilderness area upstream from all farms. Try to collect hardwood and specimens that are at least a couple seasons old. <Green wood will have sap & other stuff that might be harmful.> If you collect wood that is already waterlogged (find pieces from the bottom of the lake), you won't have to spend time sinking them. You just need to clean, sterilize/boil before use.
i3k
Aquarium Advice FINatic
What kind of fish do you have in the aquarium? The reason I ask is because driftwood can drop your pH. Depending on what kind of fish you have in the tank, a low pH might be a problem.
No fish yet. Planning on a thomasi pleco, black skirt tetras, gouramis, dojo loaches, a rainbow shark, and maybe a synodontis catfish. I was thinking the driftwood would be nice for the pleco. Also, my ph has been steady at 8.0 so would it really make a diference if it was lowered a little? I'm not planning on a big piece of driftwood, btw, just something I can stick at one end of the tank.
jsoong
Aquarium Advice Addict
Driftwood lowering pH is overrated. As long as you have adequate KH (and you should with water at pH 8.0), the pH should change minimally with driftwood. It may be more a problem with water near neutral with zero KH.
You can test the pH of the water during the soaking process to see how much change there will be before putting it in the tank.
You can test the pH of the water during the soaking process to see how much change there will be before putting it in the tank.
Blueiz
Aquarium Advice FINatic
for jsoong's post.Even if your ph drops two points, it will be fine for the fish, hwever I'm going to make a rough guess and say that it will only drop a maximum of .5 points.
It'll be fine..
Jason7894561230
Aquarium Advice Addict
Yeah why not i love the look of drift wood and its great to grow plants on i think
