HBSterbai Posted October 22, 2016 Report Share Posted October 22, 2016 Hi everyone. I have set up a new aquarium at home, and although I have had tanks filled with fish before, I have never added wood. I am wanting to know if there are ways to prepare driftwood taken from the beach, for safe housing in a freshwater aquarium. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shilo Posted October 22, 2016 Report Share Posted October 22, 2016 Choose hard wood. Avoid pine or any soft, partially rotten, or sappy green wood. Some of our hard natives make for excellent aquarium wood, so looking on a beach where rivers drain native bush are great when searching for the right piece. Cut off any surplus branches etc remove any bark if any and scrub the wood well (I use a water blaster). Some people recommend boiling the wood but if it is too big then try soaking it in freshwater for as long as possible - at least a few weeks & preferably a few months with water changes every few days. This will remove any salt and residue tannin's but more importantly helps the wood to sink. A rock on top should keep it down while soaking. Despite soaking it may still not sink as one piece I have in the tank has been in there for over a year and still floats. In these cases you have the options of gluing it to the bottom of the tank with silicon and covering up the base with gravel or arrange rocks to jam it in or silicon to a heavy tile and cover the tile with gravel. Hope this helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted October 22, 2016 Report Share Posted October 22, 2016 How far in driving time are you from the East Cape? There is a mass of the most brilliant hard wood drift wood washed up on those beaches and it looks great in the tanks. I have always just given it a good rinse off but Shilo's advice is good and sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HBSterbai Posted October 22, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 22, 2016 Thanks Shilo, that was very informative. It's cool that native hard wood is so suitable. Thanks Adrienne. It don't think I'll be making it up to the East Cape anytime soon, although thats sweet information for any other readers. I will be searching for wood in the Hawkes Bay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted October 22, 2016 Report Share Posted October 22, 2016 Any wood you find on a beach should be fine. I've always just rinsed any debris off and put it in the tank, put a rock on it if it floats, it will sink eventually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted December 12, 2016 Report Share Posted December 12, 2016 Like Ira, I just rinse and add to tank. Never had a bit float as I gather native hardwood from the river outlets on the beach and they have already been waterlogged. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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