Putting Dried Bamboo In The Aquarium?

[Katty]

I've researched everywhere for a definite answer but I can't find much, and what I can find isn't very definitive, I don't know what to do! Keep in mind I'm talking about dried true bamboo you can get in long stalks in the garden department, not the live lucky bamboo.

I would really like to put some dried bamboo into my aquarium. I don't want it to rot, but I'm having a very hard time figuring out what sort of sealer I can put on it with the least hassle and without it coming off in water or harming my fish. I got a couple of large stalks the other day and cut them into 10 inch pieces, about 5 pieces per stem. I tried to go the clear silicone route but it turned into a complete disaster (didn't figure out they foil sealed the top of the caulk until the silicone started to burst out of the bottom of the gun , my rubber gloves ripped, silicone went everywhere and I lost 4-5 silicone coated pieces because I couldn't get them to stand up straight to dry with my makeshift clay/sewingpin stand. I stopped while I was ahead and have 6 pieces left...).

Anyways, I'd like to try polyurethane because it sounds a lot less messy than the silicone since I can paint one side at a time and not have to stand them up. I feel like I can trust silicone more than poly but I don't know how I can keep the pieces from wobbling around and falling over and getting sticky gooey stuff all over. I also have a bamboo sushi mat (click for pic) that I think it would be neat to seal up and use for a tank divider for some bettas, but not really sure how I can do that. If I can seal up the bamboo rods, I'm sure I can seal the mat, but the strings might have to be replaced with some plastic thread.

So has anyone ever coated wood/bamboo in polyurethane, know someone who has, know a brand I can use without any peeling/dissolving, or have any idea how I can stand up silicone coated bamboo sticks? Any help or advice is welcome!

 

[OldMan47]

If you just want the appearance without a separate group of sticks, maybe consider using the casting resin they make table tops out of. It would be transparent and really seal up whatever you cast inside it.

 

[Katty]

What is a casting resin? Is it like epoxy?

 

[FoMoCo]

I've researched everywhere for a definite answer but I can't find much, and what I can find isn't very definitive, I don't know what to do! Keep in mind I'm talking about dried true bamboo you can get in long stalks in the garden department, not the live lucky bamboo.

I would really like to put some dried bamboo into my aquarium. I don't want it to rot, but I'm having a very hard time figuring out what sort of sealer I can put on it with the least hassle and without it coming off in water or harming my fish. I got a couple of large stalks the other day and cut them into 10 inch pieces, about 5 pieces per stem. I tried to go the clear silicone route but it turned into a complete disaster (didn't figure out they foil sealed the top of the caulk until the silicone started to burst out of the bottom of the gun , my rubber gloves ripped, silicone went everywhere and I lost 4-5 silicone coated pieces because I couldn't get them to stand up straight to dry with my makeshift clay/sewingpin stand. I stopped while I was ahead and have 6 pieces left...).

Anyways, I'd like to try polyurethane because it sounds a lot less messy than the silicone since I can paint one side at a time and not have to stand them up. I feel like I can trust silicone more than poly but I don't know how I can keep the pieces from wobbling around and falling over and getting sticky gooey stuff all over. I also have a bamboo sushi mat (click for pic) that I think it would be neat to seal up and use for a tank divider for some bettas, but not really sure how I can do that. If I can seal up the bamboo rods, I'm sure I can seal the mat, but the strings might have to be replaced with some plastic thread.

So has anyone ever coated wood/bamboo in polyurethane, know someone who has, know a brand I can use without any peeling/dissolving, or have any idea how I can stand up silicone coated bamboo sticks? Any help or advice is welcome!

I would avoid coating any type of natural woods as they are pourus & will need to breath to release tannins etc, and also absorbe water. Plus if you have any 'plec' type fish they will knore away at the coating, to get to the wood. The trouble with bamboo is that it rots & smells because water gets stagnant inside. I have stood them up before and dropped in a small air stone inside each one to keep the water circulating, and have been fine for months on end.

 

[Katty]

I would avoid coating any type of natural woods as they are pourus & will need to breath to release tannins etc, and also absorbe water. Plus if you have any 'plec' type fish they will knore away at the coating, to get to the wood. The trouble with bamboo is that it rots & smells because water gets stagnant inside. I have stood them up before and dropped in a small air stone inside each one to keep the water circulating, and have been fine for months on end.

There wouldn't be any way to encase the wood so that breathing and tannins would be a non-issue? The bamboos are so small and thin that there would be no way to put an air stone inside. They are only about 1 cm in diameter. Just for future reference, the bamboo will be in a betta only tank so I'm not worried about them eating off the coatings off anything.

Another thought, I could just put the bamboos and the mat in unsealed and replace them once they start falling apart, they are so cheap. I'd really prefer to seal them though to keep things from getting nasty.

 

[chrisbassist]

See if you can find a latex based clear lacquer spray can. That'll besafe. If you wanted colours, anything 100% latex is safe.

 

[Katty]

See if you can find a latex based clear lacquer spray can. That'll besafe. If you wanted colours, anything 100% latex is safe.

Have you used latex spray in a tank before?

 

[chrisbassist]

Not personally.

But it is safe. But it's definately worth checking the paint/spray. If it has other additives it may not be safe.

I think krylon do a few latex based sprays which are ok

 

[TFHobbiest1]

In case you're lucky enough to know someone that has some dried, wild-cut bamboo to give you, I just wanted to let you know that any little black spots on your bamboo is dried, dormant mold and NOT a naturally occurring pigmentation... and that it can be (and probably should be) removed! So, I'm posting this to strongly advise you to boil your bamboo cuts for at least 25, to even 30 minutes, in an effort to soften/loosen up the bamboo's skin enough to be able to scrub (and I do mean SCRUB!!!) these little mold spots off!
Now, I'm not some mischievous loon that wants to trick you into melting your bamboo into a pulp by telling you to boil it for a half an hour, lol... as, I just got done doing it myself - and, believe me, they were still knocking around in the pot, pretty much the same as before they even started boiling!
Anyhow, I had eight, 2.5" in. pieces to scrub ... and by the third one I was seriously thinking about grabbing a pair of gloves, as the short bristled kitchen brush I used was really tendering up my finger tip! But, after boiling my bamboo cuts for 30 minutes, scrubbing the crap out of them, and letting them sit in the pot to cool, they dropped, clean, to the bottom of the tank!
Of course, there are other small "particulars" involved in completing the process successfully, but I won't get into them particular things at this time... lol, particular things like plucking individual pieces out from the boiling water for scrubbing, while the others are left in the pot to continue boiling; and, like having a brand new scrubbing brush on hand, so you don't have to continue boiling the scrubbed pieces for another ten minutes because the brush you chose to use has 5 years worth of various kitchen bacteria growing in it!
Also, the water I boiled them in was the same water I left them sit in for over an hour to cool, and when I poured it out it was a beautiful tannin brown color! So, in addition to revived mold, if ya don't boil and scrub it off, bamboo will certainly leech tannin into your aquarium too!
I just wanted to post this for anyone unsure about how safe it is to put bamboo in their aquarium. Well, I think it's safe, but please check out for any black spots, as it will surely revive into something once it's been placed under water...