Looking For Wood

[This Old Spouse]

I'm really trying to find some root systems because they look so great and give the fishies places to play. Anyone ever used willow? I think the knarly roots would look great, but I don't know about its reaction to sitting in water.

 

[onidrase]

If the wood is really hard and dried out and cleaned up, it's usually safe. I think there was a thread pinned somewhere around here that talked about wood that isn't safe, though...

 

[nurglespuss]

Hmmmm there are some chemicals in willow bark that might prove problematic... However, you often seen 'weeping willow' growing near to/on the banks of ponds/rivers...

In terms of 'wood' in general, pets at home currently have '3 for 2' on generic bogwood and Mopani.

I scouted forums/ebay etc. for mine and managed to get a good couple of pieces for £25 posted... there is also the option of 'making' your own artificial stuff...

Hope any of that helps! (there are a couple of good facebook based swap/sell groups that might help with fish related stuff)

 

[MBOU]

Well, like with any wood you use from outdoors, you would need to scrub it to within an inch of its life and strip the outer bark off of it.

Looking it up, i believe that willow is a soft wood and threfore not really adviseable to use. Bloomin shame because i wanted to use some twisted willow branches!

How cool does it look!?
http/www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=twisted+willow+branches&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&biw=1084&bih=607&tbm=isch&tbnid=GtjTplVaMpyvuM:&imgrefurl=http/www.blinkdecor.com/decoratorsdish/%3Fp%3D158&docid=sNbGiTRvTM0P_M&imgurl=http/www.blinkdecor.com/images/blogs/dd_nettle2_091907.jpg&w=250&h=517&ei=c9seT6MMjKuyBuK3rbgP&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=96&vpy=170&dur=183&hovh=323&hovw=156&tx=89&ty=251&sig=103349512573384008980&page=3&tbnh=145&tbnw=75&start=50&ndsp=28&ved=1t:429,r:14,s:50

 

[nurglespuss]

Very...

 

[This Old Spouse]

Yep, that's beautiful and just how cool would it look in my tank???!!!!

Not to mention that I happen to have a tree in my back yard. *stomps foot*

 

[coldcazzie]

Stick to hard wood TOS. Soft woods are a bad idea. Sorry!

 

[This Old Spouse]

Will do. I think I may have ended up with a glorious piece of softwood in my cory tank. It's disintegrating and fouling my water and filter constantly. I really don't want to take it out (especially since the java moss finally decided to take hold) but it's really a PITA to keep the water clean.

 

[Sanctuary80808]

Just for interests sake, willow bark contains a chemical called salicin, which is a precursor to aspirin. Salicin has some of the same pain relieving/anti inflammotory effects as aspirin does, so i cant imagine it would be beneficial in an aquarium setting. Unless of course you were to put some willow bark in your tank to see if it has funny effects on the fish... for science... joking

 

[nurglespuss]

Also checkout the following Facebook groups (Fish4sale, Fish Forsale, Pleco sales or swap uk) these often have cheap wood on site, its where I got most of mine from.

 

[gdoggy1678]

I ran across this site with many different pieces of beautiful wood. http/manzanita-driftwood.com/Manzanita.html

 

[This Old Spouse]

I ran across this site with many different pieces of beautiful wood. http/manzanita-dri.../Manzanita.html

Wow! Great pieces there!

And thanks for the suggestions, nurglespuss but I'im in the states.

 

[nurglespuss]

Doh! serves me right for not reading! I assume everyones in the UK LOL!

 

[Myuu]

What? I've ordered wood from that site and I live in the US. I think the guy that runs the site lives in California. o__o

Here's proof!

 

[This Old Spouse]

No, no ... not THAT site! The Facebook sites that nurglespuss mentioned.