Quick question About rocks and driftwood

[Wags_zach]

I'm new to this site, I see that it is pretty fast in getting good answers.


To the point. I have a 10 gallon tank right now filled and everything. Been running for a few months. Only lost a few fish. But I'm planning on buying a 60 gallon tank soon. I wanted my look in this new tank to be a "natural" looking tank with a few guppies, a pleco, and whatever else would work well. I've never used driftwood or rocks in my tank. What should I know about adding any type of wood Or rocks I find laying around. I was told let them boil in water for about 8 hours before adding. What types of wood and rocks work best and look good? What else should I know about adding these to my future tank so I can plan it all out. Lastly, what fish go good in a 60 gallon community tank. I'm debating if I want to plant it or not. I have no knowledge on planted tanks other than you need good lighting.

 

[acewiza]

Rocks can be hazardous if they are big enough to break the glass - unless of course you are opting for acrylic. The only downside to wood I know of is how it may discolor the water until it's fully saturated and gassed out.

 

[Wags_zach]

How long does it take to saturate ?

 

[katiekelsey]

I have several pieces of driftwood in my tanks. I got them from my local fish store or on-line. I soaked them in a bucket of water for a few hours and then put in my tanks. They did not change the color of my water.

 

[acewiza]

How long does it take to saturate ?

Long story short, it depends - on several things. It could be anything from like Katie said, no issue whatsoever to for example, 6 months of water browning I got from 2 fairly large pieces in my 200gal, even after spending 2 weeks in our hot tub. Water change clears it up, and sooner later the problem disappears. You just normally won't know ahead of time how green the wood is, what type of wood it is, or if it will have any unusual interaction with your particular water chemistry. In any event, it's not really a big deal.

 

[Fresh2o]

Regarding rocks, some folks do a vinegar test on them to see if they react (by fizzing). I believe this means that they could alter the pH of the water. Certain minerals can leach into water so you need to take that into consideration. Hot water and a heavy scrubbing should be sufficient for prepping rocks.
As for driftwood, some types take longer to sink than others. Same thing with releasing tannins. I've had some DW continue to discolor the water several months later (this is after a briefly boiling it at the start).
The 3 most popular types of DW include mopani, Malaysian, and manzanita. You can also collect your own DW. Just be sure to avoid those with sap and make sure the wood is dense/firm.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Wags_zach]

Long story short, it depends - on several things. It could be anything from like Katie said, no issue whatsoever to for example, 6 months of water browning I got from 2 fairly large pieces in my 200gal, even after spending 2 weeks in our hot tub. Water change clears it up, and sooner later the problem disappears. You just normally won't know ahead of time how green the wood is, what type of wood it is, or if it will have any unusual interaction with your particular water chemistry. In any event, it's not really a big deal.

Should I put it in while i do a fishless cycle on my new tank? Would that be good by the time it is done cycling?

 

[acewiza]

Should I put it in while i do a fishless cycle on my new tank? Would that be good by the time it is done cycling?

Doesn't really matter, and like I said - not a critical issue at all.

 

[jessipanda]

I have driftwood and rocks in my 55g. To prep the driftwood, since it was far too big to boil, I soaked it in hot water in my tub (added boiling water several times to keep it hot) with salt (to kill any bacteria and such) for a few days. Then soaked it for a few weeks without the salt to remove it from the wood. When I put it in my tank, it was still trying to float. I put a couple big (safe) rocks on it to hold it down. It's been in the tank for months and still releases tanins, but I don't mind. Gives it a more “natural” look. Goes away temporarily with each weekly water change.

As for the rocks, I just tested them like Fresh2o said--vinegar. If they fizz, they'll most likely alter the pH and I didn't use them. Most smooth river rocks are fine. I have a few of those, as well as a large mountain rock that passed the vinegar test. To clean them, I soaked them in boiled water until it cooled, scubbed them real well, then soaked them in dechlorinated water (probably not necessary) for a few days before adding to the tank.

My stock includes guppies, a BN pleco, a farlowella, an EBR, and several schooling tetra--15 rummynose, 10 cardinals, and 5 neons. Everyone seems to get along great. I really love the tetras. They add a lot of color and movement.

Good luck! Hope everything goes smoothly