DIY Driftwood
For those of us who are the DIY types and who do not want to spend money on over priced driftwood from the pet shop, here is a simple guide to making your own.
Selecting the wood.
Finding driftwood can be a fun experience for the whole family. If you are lucky enough to live in a country setting, most driftwood can be found near your back door - in a river, lake, stream, or forest. If you live in suburbia or the big city, you may have to travel out of town a bit to find something suitable. Driftwood does not have to be 'drifting' in a stream or lake. It can be from one of the many fallen dead tree in the woods. Make sure it is OK to remove wood from the area. Some lands are protected and it is against the law to remove fallen trees/wood without first obtaining a permit.
Avoid softwoods such as Pine, Willow, or other fast growing tree. Avoid trees with lots of sticky sap like Pine or Maple. Avoid Cedar as it contains oils that repel insects and could be harmful to your fish. Hardwood (the harder the better) is best. It will last longer and you will be much happier with it. Cherry, Apple, and Oak all work well. Hardwood weighs more than softwood because it is more dense, and will also not break down as fast in your aquarium. Where you live determines what is available.
Take a good saw or hatchet along with you. You may have to cut it from a larger piece. Try to pick a sun beaten, old, gnarled and very dead specimen. Unique shapes with knots will add character to your aquarium. Look for signs of rot or infestation, which may make it un-desirable. Avoid polluted areas so you don’t pick a specimen that is contaminated. The more pristine the area, the better.
Preparing the wood.
Once again, make sure there is no rot. Use a wire brush to remove any rot. Strip the wood of any bark. Prepare a large plastic container by cleaning it and filling it with clean water. Tupperware or Sterilite work well. Dump in a couple handfuls salt and mix it well. This salt-water solution will help draw out any impurities and dehydrate many organisms on or in the wood. Weight down the wood with rocks, submerging it completely and cover the container with a lid. The wood will most likely leach tannins, turning the water brownish looking. Soak it for a couple weeks, changing the water daily. Try to soak it until it sinks on it's own and stops leaching tannins into the water. The length of time you need to soak it is largely dependant on how sun bleached it is to begin with. When you feel it has soaked long enough, rinse it well.
Sterilizing the wood.
There are two ways to sterilize the driftwood – Boiling and Baking. Boiling or baking will kill anything the salt water did not and keep your fish safe. There are pros and cons to either method.
Many times, boiling the wood is impractical unless you have a very large pot the wood will fit in. Boiling tends to stink up the house a bit. But, with boiling, there is less risk of the wood catching fire. Boiling also helps to ensure the wood will sink when added to the aquarium. If you choose to use this method, boil it well for at least an hour at a full rolling boil. Make sure the water covers the wood at all times.
Another method is to bake the wood in an oven on low heat (200 degrees F) for several hours. I prefer my old outdoor gas grill. Usually the wood fits nicely inside and I can close the lid and simmer it on low heat for as long as I like. When baking the wood, keep a careful eye on it. The dry heat of baking can allow the wood to catch fire, so check on it frequently.
Adding the wood.
The natural realistic driftwood addition makes any tank look spectacular and many fish and live plants love it. At first, your new driftwood may float again and you may need to attach it to a piece of slate or stone to weigh it down. There are different methods of achieving this. Your new wood may also leach more tannins into the water column for a period of time. This should not last forever and adding carbon to your filter will help to remove them. If it does leach tannins, they will not harm your fish. Keep an eye on things for a while and soon your driftwood will become an established part of your aquarium. Watch for mold growth or other abnormalities and you should be fine. You and your fish may now enjoy your new DIY driftwood.
This is not meant to be an all inclusive guide
