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is it possible to use wood found in the back yard for the aquarium (provided they get a good soak)? Is Eucalyptus (australian native tree) wood ok or would it leech toxins into the water?

I would avoid anything not bought from an aquarium shop. In particular I would avoid any Aust native trees. I think the eucalyptus would not be very healthy for the fish.

Just my thoughts but I am quite cautious as my tank took a long time to get a good happy balance with stocks so I am loathe to introduce anything that will make anyone unhappy or sick.

All the best with finding out, you may be fine with it. See what everyone else says.

Good luck with a decor for your tank!

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misty66666

I have a piece of Red River Gum in my 5ft tank but it was bought from a local aqu. It had been a driftwood piece not a fresh like you are thinking of.

It could be extremly costly (fish loss) when trying to save a few $$

Keith

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Hi,
Your countryman has pretty much stated the fact.

That particular wood would be exceptionally
hard to get the sap and chemicals out of to make
it safe for your tank/fish.

You would be best to purchase it from your LFS.

The treatment for "normal" chunks of wood found
laying around in a forest, peal off all bark,
and then to boil it for hours, several days in a
row, then bake it to dry. And, lastly, to soak
it in clean water until it waterlogs, changing
the water frequently to remove the tannins that
cause brown water.

For chunks of water found on the bottom of a
body of water, that is truely waterlogged, you
need to kill off all algae, worms, and other
parasites that live on and in it. That is done
by boiling and then baking, and then resoaking
to waterlog it again.

Lots of work.

Frank




[span class="edited"][Edited by FRANK 2004-08-06 18:57][/span]

[span class="edited"][Edited by FRANK 2004-08-06 18:58][/span]

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Don't eucalyptus leaves secreet a poison that kills other plants? I believe that is the reason there is no ground cover in the eucalyptus forests around here. Anyways, I wouldn't trust the wood in my tank.

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