Finding The Correct Peice Of Wood For My Tank

[crago1990]

im planning my new tank a roma 200 and one of the things on my list is wood. i currently have two peices or bogwood in my current set up but i want some different. i really like the look of redmoor when people use it and put anubias on it. ive been looking online but im having trouble finding a peice i really like. have looked in a few local fish shops but no luck there either. is there anything in the local woods i can collect and wash and keep in the tank? what trees are the best to look for? does anyone else do this? got any pics? also its quite exspensive on the interent so would be good to find some for free. if not ill just have to keep searching for the peice i like i guess.

 

[gregswimm]

Make sure it isn't fresh(as in just off the tree ie green). If you do find a green piece of wood, it need to be dried completly(this can take a very long time). Stay away from wood with odor/allot of sap, and don't collect wood from the beach for a freshwater tank. No pine and prolly no cedar either. Mopani is great, and regular bog wood should work fine, also grape gives a nice 'rootie' look. I think dry oak can work also. Take the bark off, scrub it with a brush and it should be good to put in; you can soak it if you want to try and get some tannins out of it before you put it in your tank(I like tannins).

O ya, and stay away from wood that has been treated/painted/stained/modified chemically in any way and make sure you get it from somewhere 'clean'.

 

[CezzaXV]

I was the same as you when I was planning my tank. I didn't quite know what sort of piece I was looking for, but I knew I'd know when I'd found it.

I eventually found a beautiful redmoor piece on Aqua Essentials. It's not cheap, but they have some lovely pieces.

 

[gregswimm]

I found a rather large piece of mopani for $7 it weighs about 7-10?lbs, that wood is thick so it isn't as big as you would expect.

 

[Haveagojoe]

Are you in the UK ? if so go along to your local dunelm mill store,they have mopani wood there at a fraction of what it costs in your lfs,this might get taken down as it might be seen as advertising but I have nothing to do with that store.

 

[ian]

I also noticed the cheap wood in Dunhelm the other day. There was good bits a mopani for a few quid.

 

[crago1990]

cheers guys will have to check that out!!

 

[Juggler75]

Which section of the store?

 

[syd_the_rabbitsnail]

I'd also be interested to know which section of the store the wood is in I may have to take a trip out there!

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

I loooove Dunelm but have never noticed them carrying wood!

 

[crago1990]

yeah i checked it out, it had quite abit of mopani wood. but mostly small peices. It was cheap though! so if you need some that aint too large its the place to go! in was in the flower section in my local shop.

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

oooooh exciting! I need to check it out!

 

[gregswimm]

For acid loving fish, I swear by mopani. If you are doing blackwater, just scrub the wood with a stiff bristle brush and give it a rinse, then put it in your tank. By not soaking it, the wood will release tannins into the water, giving your water a glorious tea colored tint, and giving you natural PH reduction. Remember, there are some blackwater streams that have a PH below 4.5.