new driftwood, safe? id?

[herp_mommy]

I just bought some driftwood for $15 on craigslist. I didn't think to ask the seller about the actual wood, but I have emailed him with questions.

In the meantime, can anyone help me identify the these pieces? I want to make sure they won't leech any toxins into my water. The orange dust on them is Georgia red clay (I'm in Georgia) and I assume they were collected from around here. I plan on scrubbing them and boiling them if they are safe types of wood to use. Any tips on boiling a 3ft piece of driftwood? Any input would be helpful!

First piece:

Second Piece:

 

[mfdrookie516]

Any tips on boiling a 3ft piece of driftwood?

in a 3' pot? lol jk. You would probably have to use something like a turkey fryer and do half at a time... i would soak it for a month or so in a big tub to get it waterlogged and leach out any tannins that may be in it... that would also provide a good way to test and see if it is leaching anything out in the water youre soaking it in

 

[Blueiz]

It looks like malaysian dw to me. This type usually will sink on its own, if not immediately, then within a day or so if it is really dried out. The pieces will feel solidly heavy.

 

[herp_mommy]

Thanks for the input!
I've got them soaking (well, half at a time) in a large utility sink. The larger piece seems to be heavier, and is taking on water easier. They're both leaching some tannis, but how can I tell if they're leaching anything else? Also, I picked up the first piece by a smaller "branch" and it broke off. Does this mean it's a softwood? I heard that softwoods aren't good to use.

 

[Blueiz]

The breaking off doesn't mean it is soft wood, it could simply be brittle wood . I don't think there is a way to tell if they are leaching anything else, if you can boil them I reccomend that, or if you have a filter that you can put on the container you have it soaking in and run carbon in it that would be a good measure to remove any contaminates.

Personally, after cleaning it as good as I could I would toss a feeder or two in with it to see if it lives before adding it to my main tank, of course disinfecting it with boiling hot water after doing so, this way you don't run the risk of introducing a disease from the feeders to your other fish.

It will take quiet a while to leach all the tanins out of it if that is what you are going for and it is indeed malaysian. I have some that has been in my tank for 2 years that still leach some out. If you do not want tanins in the water, you can run carbon in your filter and it will remove them.