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so i was looking on aquabid for some nice types of drift wood to add to my oscars tank to eventally be covered in differnt mosses...

are these drift woods tank safe and/or keep long?

cedar
eucalyptus
pine
ash
chesnut
grape vine/wood
and swahala (sp?)

thanks guys!


\\\\\\\"an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of the cure\\\\\\\"

cedar if it is the true red Cedar I would say NO reason it is extremely light in weight & water resistant it also has a very strong smell

eucalyptus Possibly YES I use a river red gum in my 5ft tank.

pine NO also a soft wood and will have its own chemical problems.

ash There are too many varieties of ash to say Y or N

chestnut A big NO being a nut tree it would have been treated with chemicals also they can have an extremely long life and no one would know what happened to the tree.

grape vine/wood Again too many chemicals

and swahala (sp?) Never heard of it sorry.

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info

Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
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I can vouch for eucalyptus being safe and long-lasting BUT it absolutely has to be weathered and not just a nice fallen branch. If it smells anything like a gum tree, it isn't 'dead' enough. I've had pieces last for quite a few years even after yanking them out of a riverbed so I think you'll be fine long term.

I'd be a little nervous about cedar and pine would seem a poor choice given it is a bit soft, however I've only ever really had access to eucalypts and mangroves so I can't really be all that helpful on anything other than those.

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

Check out this site he as good selction of aquarium driftwood... not saying to buying from him..... but I get my plants from him.... however it can be a good reference site. Swahalla is the the light and dark driftwood you see for sale on most online stores.... never used it but from what I here it looks nice and is a really hard wood and sinks.....

Floridadriftwood.com

Djrichie
"So Long, and Thanks For All The Fish" Douglas Adams

Wait! Eucalyptus is ok????!

I'd thought I'd read that it's not

^_^

i have a few peices of mopani and i rather like them...

but i just havent found any other peices that i liekd that werent of astronaumical pricing...it appears most of the african hard woods and mapoani are highly priced on aquabid, maybe i might find some in a new LFS shipment!

thanks for all the advice!

\\\\\\\"an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of the cure\\\\\\\"

Well, I'm guessing so. It pretty common to see it in tanks. A lot of LFS down here sell it.

I think the main problem with it is the oil/resins but if you get a good old properly seasoned piece out of a creek or dam or the like, there is nothing much there at all.

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

I like Malaysian driftwood. Nice shapes, and also it sinks.

--------------------------------------------
The aquarist is one who must learn the ways of the biologist, the chemist, and the veterinarian.

yeha i think what i am am gonna do is take a look arround my local lake(s) and see if i find any good rocks or DW.

then if i dont, i will save up and buy some malaysian or mopani DW.

thanks... i could have ended up with pine or cedar in my tanks!

\\\\\\\"an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of the cure\\\\\\\"

Good point, softwoods like cedar, pine etc you don't want. There's chemicals in the 'gum' that are fish toxic.
The majority of hardwoods are just fine.

I do a bit of collecting driftwood bits from beaches etc in the summer, then soak in boiling water. Boiling then baking then boiling again recommended for larger pieces. I'm also soaking some small pieces atm as I have 5 small moss samples to try out, unfortunately I've been unproductive and they've been in their baggies for 3 weeks. Tonight I'll get on it, alot to catch up on and crossing my fingers they do well.

The Amazon Nut...

well how would one know what type of wood they have collected from the beaches?

also is bamboo DW of to use because there is a bamboo "forest" at my local lake and i see it floating arround alot but not much of anything else.

DaMossMan, how many "cycles" do you put the wood through when you clean it? and keep us posted on those mosses!

also can one taka a fallen or cut branch and process it to be a DW in a tank? or must it float about in the water to be used in a tank..?...

\\\\\\\"an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of the cure\\\\\\\"

The few pieces I have collected from the ocean are all from the top of Australia in very hot tropical conditions the DW is bleached white and could have been floating in the ocean for years. It can get washed up on the beach during storms or the wet seasons then taken out again.

The only way to know what species of wood it is, is to have a very good knowledge of timbers. If not take it to your local timber yard they might be able to help you or tell you where it can be identified.

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info

Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

I've tried bamboo. It isn't really a wood as such, and the stuff that grows around waterways especially seems to break down very quickly. If you want to use it for the look, I'd seal it well and attach it to a chunk of slate etc to stop it floating away .

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

o ok... seal it with aquarium sealant? like silicone? or are there non toxic sealants that can be sprayed on?


\\\\\\\"an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of the cure\\\\\\\"

Epoxy might be what you want... You may have to paint it, rather than spray it on, though.

--------------------------------------------
The aquarist is one who must learn the ways of the biologist, the chemist, and the veterinarian.

Yeah, a fish-safe epoxy sealant would be ideal. There are several around but they seem to vary depending on where you live and what companies operate there.

I think you'd have trouble with silicon. I tried it but it looks lousy and you only need one tiny little hole (which you get, because it is tricky to get it on smoothly and evenly without scraping too much off or missing spots etc) and the whole plan goes to pieces.

Maybe try clear pond sealant?

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

"DaMossMan, how many "cycles" do you put the wood through when you clean it? and keep us posted on those mosses!"

Hi Brandeeno how goes it ?

I had some delays (mostly procrastination oriented)

I've taken my driftwood bits and put them in a baking pan, weighed them down with a piece of slate, then submersed with boiling water from the kettle. Left overnight. Done this 3 times now since Friday, the main pieces are still floating...

Mosses I have to do something soon or they'll die. I maybe put them into containers temporarily.


The Amazon Nut...

Hi,
Really guys, it takes months and even years for
"Drift wood" to become water logged. Some types
leach tannins (Tannic Acid) into the water for
long periods of time as well. That will cause your
pH to drop. How much depends upon the KH of your
water, the type of wood it is, and how freshly cut
it is.

The best idea is to scrub it with a stiff bristle
brush, soak it for a prolonged time, and then attach
it to a piece of slate to act as an anchor. Push the
gravel to one side, set the slate on the bottom glass,
and push the gravel back over the slate.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

ok thanks frank!
i think i am gonna look for some more DW next week (this week is completely booked with stupid school work!)

\\\\\\\"an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of the cure\\\\\\\"