Old Oak Branch

[PerryClem0842]

This afternoon I went for a walk with my dogs and I came across this really nice piece of spindly wood (I think Oak), now I am not sure but if I managed to remove all of the bark and then soak it for a few months, would this be OK to go in a fish tank? Also how long would I have to soak it for? Thanks Perry

 

[Craig89]

I'm trying something similar at the moment but with bark too create a background but I'm using G4 pond sealer to seal the bar so it can't leach anything nasty into the water. I've soaked mine in boiling water

 

[IainMac85]

from what ive read mate you are best to dry the wood out for as long as you can, that way it is properly dead and any saps/ resins etc within the wood is totally dried up and wont leach into the water, once the wood is dried up then give it a good wash in boiling water and soak it til it sinks

 

[PerryClem0842]

from what ive read mate you are best to dry the wood out for as long as you can, that way it is properly dead and any saps/ resins etc within the wood is totally dried up and wont leach into the water, once the wood is dried up then give it a good wash in boiling water and soak it til it sinks

do you know if i am able to soak it in the tank water ?

 

[IainMac85]

if the wood is 100% dead ie dried up completely and not "green" then you give it a good wash with boiling water to kill off any bacteria or spores on the wood then yes you can soak it in tank water til it sinks

 

[PerryClem0842]

if the wood is 100% dead ie dried up completely and not "green" then you give it a good wash with boiling water to kill off any bacteria or spores on the wood then yes you can soak it in tank water til it sinks

thanks i will do so

 

[josh_g]

ive heard oak is good because it takes hundreds of years to rot in water?

 

[OldMan47]

Hard woods in general are good because they last well in water. I have a piece of apple that I have been using for several years now. I cut it from my own apple tree after I killed it by "girdling" it the year before. Girdling is where you cut through the bark and underlying cambium all the way around a branch. Since the branch gets no nutrients it dies but, since it is not touching the ground it also does not start to rot. I simply removed the bark and attached it to a piece of slate to make it sink. The plant that I tied to it is thriving and the wood looks much like the day it went into the tank.

 

[PerryClem0842]

brilliant maybe ill do this in the future rather than spending 30£ on a piece!