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Last week my SIL and I went driftwood hunting and I came across this piece. We almost got ticketed for removing wood off of State land, but that's another story.
Anyway, its Eastern White Cedar (which might be bad?), its obviously been tossed around in the river for quite a long time, no sap or resins coming out of it (bone dry), from a place that I know is pollution free.
I know the stuff about the tannens and nasty hitchkikers, I'm just wondering if even though its old and quite weathered, could it still be ify because of the species?


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I used to be Snow White, but I drifted.
~ Mae West

Nice wood!

Hmmmm not sure on ceder, but garyroland warned me against using pine in the tanks as it's a softwood. I know they're both evergreens but I'm not sure if ceder is classified as a softwood ...keith would know. I ended up putting the pine in the tank anyway, and it is a bit softer. I dont suppose it'll last 10 years, not sure the state of it anymore as it was in the office tank for the job I quit.

Now about this ticketing.... ...."you know your addicted to fish when______"

^_^

Cute.... babelfish!

If you do end up trying it out.......... please put a picture of it back on here in the tank.
That's a neat lookin' piece of wood! It looks like it's saying, "TA-DAAAA!
.........................

I was just looking at some older photos in the photo booth & if you go back a couple weeks, you will a thread about a 3 ft. cedar log. He said his LFS sells them.

I know Easter White Cedar is considered a "soft wood" not sure how it would hold up in a tank. Have you boiled it at all to get the junk out of it?

Wow, I just read my previous reply and I think I had some marbles that'd rolled away ...guess that's what you get for having more than 10 things on your mind!

Even being a soft wood the pine has lasted for a few years in the tank. I think it was at 2.5 years by the time I'd left the job.

By "a bit softer" I meant that you can feel that the wood is, well, mushier than you'd expect most wood to be. And I would sometimes get some of the wood up under my nails when cleaning the tank if I brushed the wood the wrong way.

I had a low lit tank so I didnt concentrate on plants in that tank but I'd immagine that java fern would have an easier time with rooting itself to the wood if it's soft.

^_^

I'm not really worried about the wood holding up since Cedar is naturally rot resistant. We use it untreated on houses all the time. (see pic below) The thing that makes me nervous is that each species of cedar is a little different and the properties that makes cedar rot resistant could be toxic. I'm 99% sure that all of the oils/resins are out so if they may be toxic, it shouldn't be a worry.
Maybe I'm just thinking way too much about this! Now I wish I had listened better in Dendrology and Forest Products classes a hundred years ago!

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I used to be Snow White, but I drifted.
~ Mae West

Just remember, Cedar can be highly toxic. Myself, I touch the stuff and break out instantly in a rash.
I am not sure how cedar would be with fish - my dad,
who is a Spacer and really knows his trees, advised against using cedar in my aquarium. He said the resins
in it may be toxic to fish that dont naturally live in rivers with cedar trees (like tropical fish from south america/asia/africa/etc).

All that being said, it is a nice light weight softwood that is durable, rot and pest resistant and makes
excellent boats.
Keep in mind you will certainly need to attach it to slate or rocks to get it to stay sunk - this wood is a definite floater.



Come Play Yahtzee With Me!
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That is the most picturesqe house I have ever SEEN!!!! It is the stuff my dreams are made of. Wish-ga at home sewing and cooking..... I wish I could visit in a house like that one.



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~~~ My fish blow kisses at me all day long ~~~

I wanted to comment on that house too wish-ga!

Forget the cooking & sewing though.

But that upstairs balcony better lead to the master bedroom!

I had found some cedar driftwood once in the lake in tennessee, it was really beautiful old wood, I baked it, attached it to slate, and put it in my tank. It looked GREAT! Then I was told (either on here or another forum I was on at the time, I can't remember) that cedar is very toxic to tropical fish and no matter how old it was there were still toxins that would leach out into the water. So I sadly took it out and tossed it, I wasn't willing to risk it. This has been a few years, but it seems like I remember my fish acting a little funny, and doing a lot of water changes. You can buy some really nice and safe self-sinking pre-soaked wood on http://www.aquariumdriftwood.com/driftwoo.htm. Better safe than sorry!
~Lauren

I ended up scrapping the cedar idea and went with the piece of fake stuff I had in the tank before. I just flipped it over so it looks different.

That is the most picturesqe house I have ever SEEN!!!!

For a couple of Million I'm sure it could be yours! It sits on a gorgeous spot on the lake. Very relaxing.

But that upstairs balcony better lead to the master bedroom!

it leads to the sitting area (with fireplace we love our fireplaces here ) off the master bedroom. The actual bedroom is that little bump out to the right. Its an even bigger fireplace than the one I posted in the member photo thread in the RR. Sadly I don't have a picture of it finished. (I dont think)

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I used to be Snow White, but I drifted.
~ Mae West