Tree Branches / Twigs

[Scatta]

I notice some of you use tree branches / twigs in your aquascapes and was just wondering if anyone had a list of which tree branches were safe to use in an aquarium?

 

[*Fishkies*]

You could try posting over in the Plants and Planted Aquariums section, and maybe you'll get more responses.

 

[n3ont3tra]

Try asking Fishkiller_nomore. He has used some leaves in his setup I think. He might know a thing or two about branches.

 

[Bignose]

Almost all branches are safe, if they are dry. That is, not freshly cut or wet -- the sap in the branches could run out and definately foul the water. Most branches are very dry if they have been sitting outside for a year or so. It is probably also better if you don't use the part that sits right on the ground, from the mold and breakdown of the wood there. Otherwise, you just need to use a little common sense. Walnut trees excrete a chemical that kills off neighbor plants, so, I wouldn't use walnut wood just in case any of that toxin gets in the tank. You need to look up what kind of wood you are using before you plop it in.

Otherwise, the vast majority of wood is pretty safe. You have to think that fish wouldn't be too affected since wood falls in and gets washed into water all over the world.

 

[Scatta]

Thanks for the help, all!

 

[PlecMama]

We went and liberated some nice looking branches from our local river a year or so ago. Gave them a good clean and soaked them in boiling water in the bath (probably spent £100 worth of electricity boiling kettles) and put that in, everyone loved it.

We figured it was the same sort of thing as drift wood, well saturated and seasoned. Of course it helps that this is a clean, fast flowing, shallow river I 'spose.

Oh but watch out for the park ranger! make sure you are allowed to take it from the park....some lady got busted here for letting her labrador take a "branch" home that he had been carrying about for their whole walk, they deemed it as stealing park property, wth? she said the dog had been carrying it for a couple of hours so when they went to get back in the car, she just chunked it in the boot for him to play with at home.