petrified wood

[grant116]

So I searched and found nothing, So what is up with petrified wood in the planted tank. I found some at the lfs that I thought would be a great base to a shelf to grow on but I was not sure if there can be any harmful effects?

 

[bman]

Isn't petrified wood Stone? The piece I have sitting in my rock collection (from when I was younger) IS stone. If that is the case, you have nothing to worry about, just like adding rocks to the tank, just make sure they are washed.

 

[Japola44]

petrified wood is wood that over millions of years has been replaced with with qaurtz crystal. I don't know the qualities of quartz, so i couldn't ell you if it would have an effect on your tank. I would google it.

 

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

Correct, the word "petrified" means "turned to stone".. it's like a wood fossil and typically they won't alter water in any way.

 

[grant116]

Thank you for all of the quick help, Although they wont go into the tank for a week or two it is good to know.

 

[Simpte]

Works fine with no problems. Just make sure its clean.

 

[fish_4_all]

Well, most say it is fine and safe but I have also seen in the Ginko petrified forest in Vantage Washington that the minerals can actually be poisonous and not to put it in your mouth or lick your fingers after handling it. It could be the soil from there and not the petrified wood itself but I would make sure I washed it extremely well before placing it in a tank. Not all the minerals in petrified wood are quartz. They can be calcite, magnesium, potasium, carbonates, silicates and many others. Thats where all the different colors come from.

Personally I have used it but just be aware that it could have an adverse effect on your fish and the levels of minerals. I just used very small pieces that way most of the leechable elements should have been minimul from natural weathering, kind of like driftwood.

 

[BlazerFRS]

I would give it the acid test to make sure it won't raise your KH, but other then that it should be fine.