Question About Driftwood

[fireman212]

I live very near Lake Erie and am starting a 55 gal tnk within the month and need to know if getting driftwood from this lake is o.k. in the tank. I know there is a polution problem with the lake.

If anyone could help it would be apprecated.

 

[Crossfc]

Pollution from lake will be present in driftwood. Also all sorts of bacteria you don't want. I wouldn't recommend it. Even a cleaning and boiling there could be toxins left in the wood.

 

[t1tanrush]

When it doubt, throw it out.

 

[Tolak]

It's a risk. I've done it with some wood from the Mississippi, but I wouldn't recommend it. If you want to chance it, boil it for a couple of hours.

 

[Rhiannon]

Personally, if I knew something was polluted, there is no way I would put it in my tank, I wouldnt want a disaster to happen and kill my fish.

What kind of pollution is it?

 

[madmom]

I wouldn't use driftwood from anyplace I knew was polluted. No matter how long thhhhe wood is boiled toxins remain in the wood. Boiling only kills harmful bacteria. It doesn't remove toxins. So as titanrush says "When in doubt, throw it out."

 

[ox5477]

Ya, i live on lake ontario....same sorta problems. Wouldnt put anything from that lake or any of the great lakes near any of my fish tanks......

 

[Bozza]

What do u think about creeks in the middle of nowhere? Just cattle country around there. Would u think that wood would be ok? I rekon it would be ok. Ideas?