So... What's the truth about conifer wood?

[Seisage]

I hear soooo much online about how all conifer wood is evil and dangerous and will kill everything in your tank (only a slight exaggeration... I've seen some very animated online comments). But then, I also hear from a significant chunk of experienced aquarists that it's fine, given a few conditions, and that many people have used fir, cypress, spruce, cedar, or even pine (in one case with visibly leaching sap!) with zero ill effects on the tank.

From what I can understand, and what makes sense to me logically, is that if the wood is not green (i.e. dead), well-weathered, has no bark on it, and doesn't smell at all like coniferous resins, does it really matter what type of tree it came from originally?

 

[GaryE]

If there are resins, they rot. I am surrounded by pine, and have used very old, completely dried out drift pieces, but rarely. They don't last compared to hardwood, and the quick decay has to affect water quality. They shrink fast.

I have avoided using anything with resins, as I haven't wanted to test the hobby lore they'll kill fish. It may be a legend, but I don't want to risk fish on the unnecessary experiment. It is almost as easy to find maple or oak here, and while it takes forever to get it to sink, it lasts.

 

[Seisage]

If there are resins, they rot. I am surrounded by pine, and have used very old, completely dried out drift pieces, but rarely. They don't last compared to hardwood, and the quick decay has to affect water quality. They shrink fast.

I have avoided using anything with resins, as I haven't wanted to test the hobby lore they'll kill fish. It may be a legend, but I don't want to risk fish on the unnecessary experiment. It is almost as easy to find maple or oak here, and while it takes forever to get it to sink, it lasts.

Good to know and keep in mind, thanks. I knew softwoods don't last as long as the hardwoods, but had read conflicting information on how much quicker they decay.

We have hardly any deciduous trees here, which greatly limits my options for foraged wood (buying aquarium wood is just so damn expensive), but thankfully, we do have manzanita and madrone. Not deciduous, but I hear they're fantastic woods for aquariums. It's also legal to collect here, which is even better. How do you like to process the hardwood you collect? I know the classic method is soaking and/or boiling, but I definitely want to keep the tannins for blackwater. I'm thinking probably a quick boil to remove any potential surface contaminants might be best?

 

[Ichthys]

I clean wood, and pour boiling water over it to kill anything, then put it in a tank and wait till it sinks.

 

[GaryE]

I go the long route. I have never bought wood.

I put a tub in the yard, with a screen over, then weight down the wood and submerge it, bark removed. It's a summer activity. It takes the whole season - I do a monthly water change, make sure mosquitoes aren't getting in and reset the screen, and wait. By later fall, the wood usually sinks. Then I use it. No boiling.

There are some peat bogs around here, but the wood around them is softwood. Hardwood takes some looking for.

A piece of pine can lose 10-20% per year.

At one point, I pulled up a hedge. I don't know what it was. The roots were rock hard and beautifully twisted. so I soaked them, and then released some indoor Peckoltia sp onto them. I still have a few pieces 15 years later.

 

[Alice B]

so my oak root I've had in the garden weathering for a couple years might be ok?

 

[GaryE]

so my oak root I've had in the garden weathering for a couple years might be ok?

I would use it, but then again, who am I? I tend to to take more risks using natural objects in my tanks than many here.