Tree Branch Wood

[Soaup]

Does anyone know if you take some wood that has been dried out and seasoned from a tree and boiled cleaned up really nice if it will do any harm to the fish once inside the tank...

 

[CFC]

You can but only from hardwood trees (beech and oak are the most common), the sap of some soft wood trees contains turpentine which is deadly to fish.

To prepare the wood hang it somewhere to dry out and then when completely dry (no green wood at all) strip off all its bark using a wire brush and add it to the tank.

 

[Soaup]

Great thanks. I was advised agains drift wood from salt water and long island sound which is where i am. What about a freshwater lake. If so what should i do to set them up for adding into the tank.

 

[Bloo]

Would dried grapevines be ok too ? The old and knarly (dead chopped off) kind ?
Oh organic obviously .....

Come to think of it (the above was a spur of the moment question), perhaps not....

 

[guppymonkey]

Would dried grapevines be ok too ? The old and knarly (dead chopped off) kind ?
Oh organic obviously .....

Come to think of it (the above was a spur of the moment question), perhaps not....

I would guess that grapevines wouldn't work well. They would break down pretty quickly in the water.

 

[Soaup]

What about driftwood from a freshwater lake?

 

[CluelessScot]

Hmm i stay near a large fresh water river and have always thought of adding some wood from the river... never had the bottle just try it tho not going to any time soon anyway cos is dam cold atm *snow everywhere*

 

[Soaup]

I dont know why it would be a problem, I guess a fresh water river would be better as it seems to not be as dirty. Im worried about any chemicals or toxins that were absorbed by the wood and will then leak into the tank.

 

[CluelessScot]

Well the water at aden country park in aberdeenshire near where i stay has an ace river where i used to hang about at in the summer with my mates (years ago good old days) was rather brown and we thought it was just a little muddy, but now i realize its tannins the bog wood and drift wood there would be ace now im thinking about it dam must have spend like £50 on something that i can get a few miles away for free

 

[Soaup]

The tannis are toxic to the fish, do most woods like that have tannins? I still dont know what do. Has anyone done this before?

 

[Gazoo]

The tannis are toxic to the fish, do most woods like that have tannins?

From what I know, tannins are not toxic.

 

[Soaup]

Hmm thats even better, I guess that means driftwood from fresh water is safe for a tank after some good boiling and drying?

 

[CluelessScot]

Tannins are good for some fish i hear, some people like to keep there tank water that dark colour, not 100% sure why tho. think its something to do with plecs or catfish maybe?

Kev

 

[Soaup]

Hmm i know in the past, I have made the coconut caves for my fish tanks and the plecos have stripped the shells down to nothing. Just the shell no rough husky outsides. I dont know maybe they like the tannins?

 

[Incitic]

Tanic acid changes the ph level in your tank I think among making it brown.