# Driftwood differences?



## 90gal (Jan 7, 2008)

All,
I just wondered what all the differences are in driftwood. Is it possible to scoop stuff up off the beach and clean it up? What about fresh water driftwood, stuff that's sitting at the side of a lake? Surely someone has thought of this and I'm just wondering what the outcomes and hazzards are...
Rob


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## longbowaj (Nov 25, 2007)

Well i would say a hazard of using what you find would be any bacteria living in it will get in the tank. It may have toxins in it from the lake that would then go to your tank. Possibly other things. I don't know if soaking it and trying to clean it is worth the risk or not, I have not used found driftwood before.


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## cs_gardener (Apr 28, 2006)

I've used freshwater driftwood I've collected by a local river. I scrubbed it with a rough brush to get rid of any loose material and soaked it repeatedly in hot water until it was well water-logged and no longer producing a lot of tannins. 

Some people have put collected driftwood through the dishwasher (hot water with no detergent and no drying cycle) to help clean and water-log what they've found. Others use a bleach dip to kill any nasties before soaking it. And make sure the wood is hard with no soft or spongy spots.


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

In an el natural tank we dig up soil from the back yard, and dump it in the tank, covered only with some sand. Then we raise plants and fish in there. I'm sure there are more bacteria, and other creatures of the deep living in that soil than on a washed piece of river or beach driftwood. Most of us also eat potatoes, turnips, carrots, etc. that acrually lived their entire life in really dirty dirt. Dirt is not bad.


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## mikenas102 (Feb 8, 2006)

IMO it's just not worth the risk. But that's me. I'm just theorizing but I would guess you would have less of a chance of nasties with saltwater driftwood assuming you boil it or soak it well first. Any hitch-hikers in a piece of saltwater driftwood may only be able to live in saltwater and therefore not pose a risk to a freshwater tank.


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

All the driftwood I've ever used has either been found by me or bought from a guy who gets huge pieces from folks who collect it from the wild. A long time ago, I bought a small piece from the lfs at a ridiculously high price. I asked the sales clerk where it came from and she told me she had collected by the river. She didn't have to hit me over the head a second time.  Make sure it doesn't smell like any chemical might have been spilled on it (once I found a really cool piece but it smelled like engine oil and felt a little slimy so I never used it), scrub it really well and boil it - either entirely or in pieces until it's all been 'cooked'. The boiling will kill anything living in it, as well as make it easier to sink. The scrubbing removes any dead/dieing bits of wood and junk which may be attached to it. I agree with Hoppy, a little dirt never hurt anything.


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## deepdiver (May 30, 2006)

I've used dried up driftwood from Lake Huron. It floats like crazy for a while, but after it sinks it stays sunk.

sinks it stays sunk. WOW say that 3 times fast


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## FishandTurtleJunkie (Apr 14, 2007)

I suggest pressure washing it and then soaking it in a trash can. If its a smaller piece a wire brushing and boiling do wonders.


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## reefcrawler (Dec 31, 2007)

deepdiver said:


> I've used dried up driftwood from Lake Huron. It floats like crazy for a while, but after it sinks it stays sunk.
> 
> sinks it stays sunk. WOW say that 3 times fast


lol, rayer: haha

I'll broil it, it can everything, and sink it at least 2 weeks.


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## mikenas102 (Feb 8, 2006)

reefcrawler said:


> lol, rayer: haha
> 
> I'll broil it, it can everything, and sink it at least 2 weeks.


You do mean BOIL it not BROIL it right?


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## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

I have used some bark off an oak tree (Quercus lobata, California Black Oak). It floats for a while, then sinks. It has a LOT of tannins. It will turn the water deep red, as dark as red wine. 
The other drift wood I used was some hardwood prunings I found in a horse pasture. I think it is Crape Myrtle (_Lagerstroemia indica_) I soaked this in a garbage can, then cut it to length, and scrubbed or pruned off the soft parts. I still have quite a bit of it in several tanks, though the wood eating fish have cleaned off all the picturesque bark.


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## bradac56 (May 9, 2007)

Diana K said:


> I have used some bark off an oak tree (Quercus lobata, California Black Oak). It floats for a while, then sinks. It has a LOT of tannins. It will turn the water deep red, as dark as red wine.
> The other drift wood I used was some hardwood prunings I found in a horse pasture. I think it is Crape Myrtle (_Lagerstroemia indica_) I soaked this in a garbage can, then cut it to length, and scrubbed or pruned off the soft parts. I still have quite a bit of it in several tanks, though the wood eating fish have cleaned off all the picturesque bark.


Oak and Beech tends to pull nutrients back into there trunks away from there leaves during fall
so the bark/wood will have allot of tannins. You should be careful with the leaves especially as they
will lower your PH via there tannins even more drastically that crushed coral depending on your 
tap waters ability to buffer.

- Brad


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## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

This Oak bark was harvested in 'Fall' all right: A storm broke a branch bigger than most trees and it 'fell' on my clients' roof. 
I got a lot of firewood from it, gave the fire wood to my Dad, and as the bark started 'falling' off, I took that home for the aquariums.


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## 90gal (Jan 7, 2008)

Diana K said:


> The other drift wood I used was some hardwood prunings I found in a horse pasture. I think it is Crape Myrtle (_Lagerstroemia indica_) I soaked this in a garbage can, then cut it to length, and scrubbed or pruned off the soft parts. I still have quite a bit of it in several tanks, though the wood eating fish have cleaned off all the picturesque bark.


Diana,
Do you have any pictures of your tank? Southern Texas is COVERED in Crape Myrtles and that would be a great addition/solution. I did go to the beach and found some very nice pieces there which are solid and wild looking so I'm going to pick through those today and see what will fit.
Rob


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