Just wondering if its ok to use driftwood from the beach in a freshwater aquarium. Is there anything I can or should do to make it useable? I've only ever used wood from a river but have a nice piece I found at the beach.

pour boiling water over it or boil it if its small enough. You then have to make it sink but emersing it in water for a long time. Use rocks to hold it under.

some of the best bits of wood are found on the beach , as it is not from the sea you can use it .

waterblast it if you like , i do that when i get mine that way i get any bugs out of it.

I usually boil all my wood but if the woods been in the sea at some stage would it not contain salt and slowly disperse it into the fishtank?

It's fully waterlogged and sinks already.

you can check the ph of the wood by putting it in a tub of water for a few weeks , test the water when you first put it in and if it goes to high after a few weeks i would leave it for a few months then put it in.

Good idea, but you know, like a new toy, I can't wait months for it!

I'll just monitor the tank water for a while, anything drastic I'll whip it out.

:lol: yes i no what thats like i want things now all the time :lol:

good luck hope it's fine , if not you could always set up another tank and have fish that like higher ph's

usually id just stick my driftwood in the bath with boiling ht water! then id dril sme holes on the under side and put lead weights in because i culdnt b bothered waiting weeks for the wood 2 becme water logged s that it wuldnt float!!

Cheers shae

Our club is doing a day trip to Hokitika on the 10th Oct (next Sunday) to see what we can find in the way of driftwood. The river mouth often has some nice pieces of already waterlogged rimu and rata.

and of course thats the weekend I am away, would loved to have met some of you. Please come back again when I will be home, ok.

Most definitely Judy! We have our driftwood trap ready and will post pics when we return :lol:

You should have been in the chat room for the discussion on how to sex driftwood, when their hibernation season was over, and the best way to catch them :lol: Some people's sense of humour is a worry :roll:

Thanks Caryl. And I was there for that discussion ......... lol

I just hope it isn't my sense of humour you are worried about, it seems to me its the only normal one there .............. just kidding.

I didn't think to check with you before. Are you going to cage them or just keep them in sacks. Because it will be a long trip home and I really think sacks would be cruel. Or do you put them out of their misery as soon as you catch them? :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Have a fun day

Jude

I have organised a high sided box with an open top so they can breathe but high enough so the more agile ones can't climb out

And so they start again

Start again? It isn't driftwood breeding season already is it?

Judy