Question about gathering my own wood for my tank

[paytertot]

so, i was just wondering, what kind of woods are safe in my aquarium? Could i just walk around the woods in my house and find a piece, or down by the river? I live in Joplin, Missouri if that helps. we have a lot of oak trees and maple and elm and whatnot. cherry trees, bradford pear, sycamore, cottonwood, etc. i dont really know anything about these trees to be honest haha just that theyre out there. I was just wondering what i could use. Thanks guys

 

[Sillyfishies]

I have the same question ! And what do you have to do to the wood before you put it in?

 

[HN1]

The denser and harder the wood the better. Soft woods will rot and I believe cedar and some fruit trees can be toxic to fish. Oak should be safe.

 

[Bubbles0oO]

Well i know that any wood that has sticky sap is bad ( maples, pines ) and all bark must be removed before soaking in a bucket to leech out the tannins. If you find a random piece of wood you like but don't know what tree it came from you can test it in water, if it has goo start to come out of it then its not ok for your tank. Be careful with lichen too as some can leech harmful toxins into the water.

 

[Athaocity]

I personally would go choose dw thats already soaked and water logged over dry ones laying about. i've been fishing a lot and have seen really good ones. bc dry ones that you pick out pretty much will float for a while if you dont like to have the dw attached on slates or some weight so it will sink.

 

[Sillyfishies]

I fish a lot too and we own a little slice of lake. I'll go find a nice one for my angelfish

 

[paytertot]

Well thanks for the answers guys so what I'm getting out of this is that I can use oak, or something I find that's already been soaking, like down at the river ..? Obviously ill test it and use my best judgement as well

 

[paytertot]

Lol I'm just waiting for this heat wave to really dissipate (its cool today at 84) and then ill go on down to the creek.

 

[Batt4Christ]

I regularly collect driftwood from a local stream. True driftwood - that which has been in moving water for a long time and totally bleached out to where it can't be ID'ed, is pretty much safe to use. Less weathered, then avoid cedar. Pine is hit-or-miss. Hardwoods are better.

Regardless- BOIL the wood! Boil again. It gets out excess tannins, but more importantly -it takes care of nefarious bacteria, viruses, and parasites that may be riding along. It can also help in the removal of bark.

 

[paytertot]

Yea I know, I wouldn't put it in my tank without boiling it.

 

[charlesweaver3]

How long must you boil it for?

 

[LyndaB]

I don't boil my wood. I mean, I'd have to have an outdoors fireplace for the pieces that I choose. They're too large for inside.

If the piece comes from the local river, I do put them in a bucket of water and let them soak for about a week, then I lay them in the sun to dry out. If I find branches in my back yard, I just wipe off the cobwebs and toss them in the tank.

Also, a good way to tell hard or soft wood is, if you can make a dent in it easily with your fingernail, then it's soft.

 

[charlesweaver3]

Thanks for the advice. I'm slowly moving from fake decorations to real in my tank. I got the fish tank bug now for sure. Wish I started the hobby sooner.

 

[HN1]

I'd be cautious of using wood completely untreated from your yard unless you KNOW that no pesticides or fertilizers have been used.

 

[paytertot]

I'd be cautious of using wood completely untreated from your yard unless you KNOW that no pesticides or fertilizers have been used.

It's not really my yard, we have about 2 acres of woods behind my house that I was gunna go into.

 

[LyndaB]

Yes, that's what I mean when I say "back yard". It's up a hill, a wooded area, uninhabitable, completely wild.

 

[paytertot]

Yes, that's what I mean when I say "back yard". It's up a hill, a wooded area, uninhabitable, completely wild.

Well.. mines technically in the middle of my stupid "un-gated gated community" as my brother calls it lol. It has some reserve law over it saying we can't tear it down or anything, but we own it. Either way, nothing touches it but rain.

 

[HN1]

Situations (and "back yards") definitely vary. I just wanted to throw the caution out there for anyone who may read that without reading the rest of the thread. Safety first.

 

[paytertot]

Situations (and "back yards") definitely vary. I just wanted to throw the caution out there for anyone who may read that without reading the rest of the thread. Safety first.

Haha yes, always. Thanks

 

[LyndaB]

Situations (and "back yards") definitely vary. I just wanted to throw the caution out there for anyone who may read that without reading the rest of the thread. Safety first.

You're absolutely right. Some clarity was definitely needed. That's why you get to wear that big awesome shiny moderator badge.