Can I Put This In My Tank To Decorate It?

[Jenste]

Can I put sticks I find outside in my tank? or will they eventually rot ??

 

[Nick16]

you can use some that you find in your garden as ong as they are dead. however i have forgotten the names of these. You need to be very careful as some wood will be poisonous and even if the wood itself isnt, there is often things in the bark.

have you got a river/stream or lake nearby? (freshwater of course) have a look around the edges of that for some wood. if its been soaking in the wtaer for ages it should be ok. (try to find out the types of wood though) but when you return with it, soak it for a couple of days and keep replacing the water.

 

[Mikaila31]

I use old dead weathered branches in my tanks. They don't last like the store bought stuff, the stick I use usually only go about a year. Mine probably fall apart faster do to all the snails and shrimp chewing on them. I would avoid stuff that has been submereged. All the stuff I find like that carries tons of insect larva. Some of the best peices I find are the ones sticking out of the water. I kayak a lot in the summer though, so its easy to get to these branches. I always look for pretty rocks too...

 

[loraxchick]

if the branches you find outside *snap* when you break them and you take the bark off they should be fine. soak them in a bucket for a few weeks, with weekly waterchanges, until they brown in the water is gone. i dont really bother to do this as the stained water looks great and the fish like it.
also, trees with needles (evergreens) are typically not as "aquarium safe" as hardwoods which loose their leaves. but if it is an old dry piece will be fine. the reason they are not cosidered as "good" is that evergreens have more sap which can leech into your water. but if the wood is "dry" or "seasoned" it should be fine. as mentioned, along streams or rivers is a great place to find wood.
cheers

 

[TheConstantGrower]

I use old dead weathered branches in my tanks. They don't last like the store bought stuff, the stick I use usually only go about a year. Mine probably fall apart faster do to all the snails and shrimp chewing on them.

So i am to gather that rotting i guess im confused about the difference between rot, and natural decomposition. I live in a rural area, and can find large busted up chunks of wood, branches, sticks of that nature, i have no idea of the time they have spent outside nor what wood they are, but after a good soak, and placement in the tank, them going away and breaking down should not be alarming?

I dont mean to hijack the thread but i want to decore my 75 with natural woods, and have the same question.
(and not pay $60 for a 12 inch frag of wood)

EDIT: it should also be noted its winter time where i am and would have to get wood out of the mud/snow.

-TGC

 

[Jenste]

I don't mind you hijacking at all! we are of the same mind....what is and what is not acceptable?? Plus all of the "Drift wood" by lfs sells looks to....ordinary....they all have the same look so creating an unusual and unique design becomes a problem if every piece of wood looks the same!

 

[TheConstantGrower]

Now we just need some definitive answers!


Mikalia - what water type are you pulling your wood out of, what do you know to look for as good and bad, as i do not know how to detect things that would be harmful to my fish.

Lorax - the leeching of saps into the water, can sufficient filtration neutralize this issue or am i really going to have to research every bit of wood i get to make sure its not pine.