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Hi,
Actually, that site and the others that cropped up when
I searched, are related, specifically, to "driftwood."

Walking out into the woods and chopping/sawing off a piece
of tree for the tank, or grabbing some limb that has
fallen off after a storm, is not, by definition,
"driftwood." It is "green" full of sap, and requires much
more care before it should go into a tank.

Actual Driftwood, is trees and tree limbs that have
immersed in bodies of water, sometimes for years. They
have their own "problems," most notably burrowing insects.
The release of tannins, is actually a secondary concern,
and in most cases is ignored as the tannic acid does not
harm the fish and for some fish is like "being home."
As the true driftwood ages (soaks) in the water the
tannic acid seepage will slow down to nearly nothing as
the wood forms a "rind" of depleted tannic acid and
blocks the migration of the acid from further inside the
piece. Scrubbing can remove the rind or thin it out and
the acid will again migrate out of the piece until another
rind is formed.

Taking a piece of truly "green wood" and placing it in a
tank is not a good idea. All the sap and such still
remains in the piece along with other organic products of
a living piece of wood. As the piece dies and decays,
all those products will be released within the tank, a
confined system.

If one is going to use terrestrial pieces of wood for the
tank, be sure that it is "dead," dry, and brittle. That
way age, and exposure to the elements and sunlight have
accelerated the decaying process and then, you can
soak, scrub, boil, the piece for the tank.

Frank


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

thats some good infor frank... hopefully that helps cichlid kid! but still, i woudl reccomend finding a sunken and completely waterlogged and decaying piece of wood instead as there is less chance of problems due to orgainic decay in that case...



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

I have collected a few pieces of DW over the years BUT only from one area and that was at the tip of Aust in hot tropical conditions. The DW has been in the ocean for years and then washed a shore with the very big tides and there it sits for years getting baked in the hot tropical sun.

That is properly cured DW.
Any wood that has been immersed in water has taken in all the impurities from that river/creek/stream. There is no way knowing where the wood came from or how long it has been in that area.

My whole working like has been around wood including teaching the trade for 26 years.

Under no way would I put a piece odd DW I found other than what I stated previously in my tank.

I could drive a few Klm and get plenty from local beaches BUT I would never touch that as the waters are too polluted and I have no idea where it came from also the sun is not hot enough to bake it clean.

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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ok thanks guys.sorry i have not been on in a few days i have had work and such. i was just going to soak it for awhile. each time i empty it the water is cleaner and cleaner and i can boil it from time to time.i think that it isnt sapnit is just water from deep inside the wood which is ultimately drying out in my oven. i wish i had the money to buy peices at the LFS but i do not.my question is after an extended amount of time, even if its up to a year i do not care is that by soaking/boiling/baking will it eventually be safe? i plan to check the water perimeters after this next change.