Driftwood

[Wasserpest]

Just be careful... Driftwood shouldn't drift at all... if it does, the rotting process might not be finished yet and it might still leach lots of tannins and other acids into the water.

Even if you buy "Drift"wood you might end up with problems...

In my opinion the best way to get a nice piece is to find a clean river, and pull out something that looks like it has been there for a long time... really soaked and heavy. You should boil it and/or at least scrub it with a stiff brush to avoid introducing weird critters into our tropical fish community.

 

[val]

It's weird because when I bought my driftwood, the aquarium store had already done something to it so it would sink immediately in the tank. I forgot what she said. And it did.

Valerie

 

[impur]

It will sink eventually. Just takes time to become water logged.

 

[subopposite]

focus, my driftwood turned the water colors for a while. I have a 5 gallon bucket at home. I just filled it with water and plunked the wood in and put some rocks on it so it would stay down and changed the water every 3 days or so until the color went away. I would think it took about 2+ weeks and the sucker never sank, so I siliconed it. Now it is in my tank and it no longer changes the color of my water. I would assume different wood leaks out color for longer or shorter periods of time depending on the piece of wood itself.

 

[Dave]

mmm wasswerpest, you got me worried now Im not sure if has finished rotting or not? Maybe I should just ditch it, seems a shame though.

What about if I use a branch off a dead tree? I know itll float but theres still the Silicon and rocks idea or even suckers.

 

[impur]

Don't use a live piece. It will leech sap and other minerals you don't want in your water. If you got your piece from the beach, it shouldn't be rotting. Just keep some carbon in your filter and do a WC every week. I actually did a WC last night and one of my pieces no longer floats. Took about 2.5 months. Still leeching tanins though. I don't mind the tea colored water, i think it actually adds to the atmosphere in my tank.

 

[EddieW]

Val,

That could have been Mopani wood rather than ordinary bogwood/driftwood. It is a very hard and dense African (I think) wood that will sink even when dry. I have some in one of my tanks and wanted to split it into two pieces - it is hard work to cut

Eddie

 

[pebbles]

i have usually bought bogwood in the past and never had a problem with it sinking, but a few days ago i saw a lovely piece of mopani wood for my bigger tank for only five pounds, but will it sink . no. i guess i'll have to weight it down.i soaked it and soaked it,. never mind.. pebbles

 

[val]

Hey, African wood....cool.


Valerie

 

[MamaPish]

I have brought this topic up before...I will see if I can find the link......
I have some really cool driftwood my mom gave me that she had found years ago....it was sitting on her front porch......I still haven't put it in my tank.
African drift wood does sink...I bought some at the LFS a couple months ago, and I still went through the cleaning, soaking and boiling process......just put in my tank last night, and there is a yellow tinge to the water now.......I am keeping a close eye on my fish to make sure they are ok!

EDIT....found the link
here it is....

Great info on Driftwood