# Choosing the Right Driftwood



## Sir_BlackhOle (Jan 25, 2004)

How do you go about selecting a piece of driftwood for an aquarium? There is not much choice at my LFS. Do you just get a piece that looks good at the store and then find a way to work it into the aquascape? or do you go into the store with a plan and hope they have what you are looking for? Are there any good online sources for driftwood that you would recommend?


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## Gomer (Feb 2, 2004)

I usually have an aquascape in mind and then try and find a piece of driftwood that meets the mental image of the driftood. Sometimes while looking for that driftwood, I come across another piece that ends up working better for another layout. Of course, I have reasonable mental pictures of the aquascape before spending the money on it. Collecting driftwood where I am is rather sparce, so I usually have to buy if I am looking for something special. Most good driftwood isn't cheap, so make sure you get the one you want!

Here are my two recent driftwood purchases:


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## aquaverde (Feb 9, 2004)

Very nice, Gomer. Rare to see anything of that caliber for sale in my area.


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## jerseyjay (Jan 25, 2004)

Those are nice Tony. 

Are those available in LFS and how much ?


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## ginnie5 (Feb 16, 2004)

*I love the bottom one...*

We're actually going looking for driftwood Friday for a friend. Hopefully we'll find something half that nice.


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## Gomer (Feb 2, 2004)

I WISH my LFS had those. they mainly have smaller 8-10" pieces....although they do from time to time have MASSIVE pieces for $150.

These two I got from ebay. They weren't cheap. I picked those two, and 9 smaller pieces up for $90 shipped.


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## litesky (Feb 9, 2004)

Gomer has talent. Me? I can't build mental pictures well. Shoot, when I get bored in class, I only draw stickfigures. Gomer's right though, building mental images is the best way to set up a good looking tank. But a good way to start off to help you get in the motion of building mental images is to simply trial and error things out. Look for a piece of wood. If you like it just for the way it looks then take it home. Place it in as many different positions as possible. When you feel you have finally chosen the perfect position for that piece of wood, plant plant plant. A few weeks later, once the plants grown in, maybe it won't be allll that spectacular, but you at least gain some experience in setting up driftwood. This experience will carryon while you shop online/lfs/lakes and shores for driftwood.

In my honest opinion, any piece of wood has a GREAT potential in looking real nice in the tank. It's seriously all about who designs the plants around/ontop of it.


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## aquaverde (Feb 9, 2004)

I knew a guy in college who started to scribble on a piece of paper. I watched, and it just looked like something a 3-year-old would do. All of a sudden, this incredible detailed face pops out of all the scribbles. Every line was exact. He claimed he could "see" the face on the paper, sort of like he was just filling it in. That sort of talent to me is just inconceivable. I start with an idea and see how it develops, and hope I luck into something. That's as good as it gets for me.

Oh well, enough OT.


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## tsunami (Jan 24, 2004)

To choose the right driftwood, everyone is right, you have to visualize what the aquascape is going to look like.

Sometimes, however, you may see a piece of driftwood and be inspired to create an aquascape centered around it. It all depends on the moment. 

I always get my driftwood from:

www.aquariumdriftwood.com

You can email or call her and ask her for a specific shape --she may actually have it in stock or be able to collect it for you.

Carlos


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## Raul-7 (Feb 4, 2004)

Carlos, don't you feel that their driftwood looks fake with that glazy look they have on it?


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## Phil Edwards (Jan 22, 2004)

They take their pictures while the wood is wet, it's not glazed. All the wood in my discus tank (above) came from aquariumdriftwood.com and it's not glossy at all.


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## Momotaro (Feb 17, 2004)

I always have something in mind when I look for driftwood. Since it is absolutely impossible to find _exactly_ what I am looking for, I shoot for as close as possible. After getting as close to what I want, I then start to fine tune the aquascape around the wood I have.

Mike


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## litesky (Feb 9, 2004)

Ok guys. WHOEVER Lives in southern california...GO WOOD HUNTING end of this week. Since it started to rain today, some people may be able to find some good pieces. Magnus and I will go around to look for wood and if we find good ones we may even sell it at a cheap price locally. Shipping would be a bastard. Magnus showed me a piece last time that was just incredibly awesome. Perfect for 60 gallon cube tank and he got it for free at the jetty. Take advantage of nature. People hate rain, but for me, it's a sign of a better tomorrow. Take cares and good luck!


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## Gomer (Feb 2, 2004)

can't got his weekend, but perhaps another. Wish you guys luck. That was a monster piece that Magnus got last time.


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## cactusdoug (Feb 17, 2004)

It's going to be a good rain litesky,

Its even raining here in the desert as I type this.

And the news says flashflood warnings in Riverside and San Bernardino County Mountains.

I know a few places to look but I can't get to the ocean as easily as you.

When I use driftwood I start with an idea, and look for a piece that fits my theme.

But as others, sometimes I just find a piece and I gotta have it, and eventually I will come up with a design for it.

I've got a nice piece that I found last year. 

It's a hollow oak branch about 30 inches long and 7 inces in diameter.

I'll neeed another 55 Gal tank for this one.

I'd like to do something like a river bank with this one, you know Vals and micro sword with rounded river rocks.

I'll take a pic and post it in a few minutes ( I have to go to the other computer to download the pic)

CD

Heres the pic, it is hollow all the way through, and the branch in the center is hollow through to the middle.
And it has nice "Feet"....


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## Sir_BlackhOle (Jan 25, 2004)

Wow now at least I have an idea of where to start. What do you think about wood that drifts up on the beach? If I boil it do you think that all the salt would leave the wood and it would be safe? There is miles and miles of beach here and Im sure I could find something.....although I might just purchase one from aquariumdriftwood.com. I just ordered my 75 gallon today and I would like at least one large piece to go in it


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## cactusdoug (Feb 17, 2004)

The main thing is that you want hardwood like oak, you don't want softwood like pine.

And it should be real dead, dry, and weather beaten.

And then, soak, soak and soak some more.


Your in Texas, you should be able to find Oak or Mesquite or some thing like that.

CD


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## Sir_BlackhOle (Jan 25, 2004)

I noticed aquariumdriftwood.com has plant assortment packages for setting up a new tank. Has anyone ordered plants from them before?


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## Magnus (Feb 4, 2004)

> That was a monster piece that Magnus got last time.





> Magnus showed me a piece last time that was just incredibly awesome.


What? Huh?
Ohhh, you mean....this? 








:twisted:

If you do decide to check the beach, look at places with lots of rocks. When there's a storm or big swell, that's where the "drifting" woods are more likely to end up. I think wood at the beach are relatively safe. Just rinse off the dirt/barnacles.


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## litesky (Feb 9, 2004)

Good Lord. That has got to be a showtank wood. Look AT THAT! That probably saved Magnus at least 60 bucks. Jeez.


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## Sir_BlackhOle (Jan 25, 2004)

Yeah that thing looks pretty wicked. I am going to search the beach and also when I go up to the river in a few months I should be able to find some good stuff. If I do I will bring a bunch back and see if anyone on the forum can make use of it.


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## ginnie5 (Feb 16, 2004)

> I noticed aquariumdriftwood.com has plant assortment packages for setting up a new tank. Has anyone ordered plants from them before?


I have. that's where all the plants in my 75 came from. I was really impressed with them. Fast shipping and great customer service. A question I had was answered by email within the day. If I was going for another big plant order they are who I would order from.


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## Sir_BlackhOle (Jan 25, 2004)

Sounds great! Thanks for the info. I may end up ordering one of their packages. I know its good to start a tank off with a lot of plants right away, then worry about changing it up later.


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## ShaneSmith (Feb 15, 2004)

I go to my local driftwood shop, pick any mangrove root that fits my tank deminsions, and put it in there while keeping the rule of thirds in mind. Then i put the plants around the wood. I think this is how amano does things. Its much easier to design around the wood than to find the perfect peice of wood for your tank. Of course i am no AGA or ADA winner.


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## Sir_BlackhOle (Jan 25, 2004)

I wish I had a local driftwood shop! The selection here is not very good at all.


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## ShaneSmith (Feb 15, 2004)

Took me five years to realize it existed. Now i want to buy tanks just to use more cool driftwood!


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## IUnknown (Feb 24, 2004)

Sir_BlackhOle, if you order stuff from aquariumdriftwood.com, I would only get there centerpiece stuff. I've ordered other pieces from them and the pieces of wood don't have much character. I order the branchy centerpieces, and if I remember correctly one size up from the tanks I have(to give a fuller driftwood to the tank size). The pictures on their website are horrible, they need to fix that.

Once I get a piece that is close to what I want size wise, and if it is a stump, branchy or in-between piece, the hard part kicks in. I've made the mistake of trying to accomplish a style, such as a triangle style and the driftwood did not look natural. I think the key is the let they driftwood rest in maybe an empty tank, and take some pictures of the way the driftwood sits in the tank and compare it to a picture with the driftwood facing the other way. With multiple pieces things probably get more complicated.


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## Sir_BlackhOle (Jan 25, 2004)

Sounds like a good idea!


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## nonamethefish (Feb 25, 2004)

Would Redwood roots work? I have a few of these, they are pretty big, but I may be able to find some way to use em.


What is a driftwood shp? What part of the yellow pages would that be in(Im assuming either a lumberyard or a craft store type thing)?


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## ShaneSmith (Feb 15, 2004)

I'm not sure, i think i am in a lucky situation the shop is family owned by this guy who likes making decorations out of wood. I had been looking for a driftwood place for awhile and my friend told me about this one. I found this place called driftwood cleaners... i thought it would be what i wanted but it turned out to be a laundramat.


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## nonamethefish (Feb 25, 2004)

Does anyone know where to collect branchy pieces of driftwood(or, where these pieces generally end up)? All I find are straight ones. Not much to them. Do all the branchy ones break up before they become driftwood or what?


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## ShaneSmith (Feb 15, 2004)

I think most of the time they are roots of trees. That could be why they are so hard to find.


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## nonamethefish (Feb 25, 2004)

I meant as in...

A root or limb falls into the water, where would a branchy piece msot likely end up? Im thinking they are probably trapped in those hughe mounds of branches inand over some small streams, or perhaps lodged in the rocks besade lakes. After all, if any branchy ones were on the beach, anybody would be sure to snatch them up. I only have one curious little piece that would count as that, but it is a little to curious to fit.


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## ryuken168 (Feb 5, 2004)

*Large Driftwood*

Just want to share with APC members a picture of an nice driftwood I brought for a customer 150 gal. project this week. 
It end up to be too tall for a 150 gal and too expensive. So I ended up returning it to the LFS. The piece measures 40"long x 29"Tall.
I would have kept it for myself if the price was cheaper. That piece costed me $142 out the door.
I would loved to design around that driftwood, but it's not worth the price.

Ken


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## nonamethefish (Feb 25, 2004)

Yikes... lol


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## Phil Edwards (Jan 22, 2004)

No kidding! That's robbery at that price, wow! 

Ken, most of the wood you buy on slate bases has come from a large lake in Maine near Sugarloaf Mtn. I've seen people up there with Uhauls full of gorgeous roots. It may be worth your money to take a weekend to get a 12 footer full of wood. It would be about a 10 hr drive one way for you.

Best,
Phil


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