Twigs/sticks In Tank?

[indir-emir]

Hi all, would it be safe to use twigs/sticks taken of trees and the ground around trees in the tank after a good boil and soaking?

Thinking about doing a tree look from a bunch of twigs with some moss over the twigs

Regards,
Indir

 

[youngfisher]

If they are boiled.
I believe they are fine.
Someone might correct me though.

YF

 

[indir-emir]

Cheers buddy. Any ideas on the best way to hold a few twigs together for a stump to branch look like a tree? Rubberband or something?

Regards,
Indir

 

[youngfisher]

Many people use Fishing Line.
As its hard to spot.

YF

 

[mixmaster jay]

they also have to be hard wood like oak and dead preferbly for about a year my mate (who owns a lfs) has one massive oak branch from the local woods the full length of his 6 x 2 x 2 and it sticks out about a foot from the top too he has covered it in moss and fern (aquatic of course) this is his angel fry tank if its not dead you will get the sap leaking into the tank but im not sure if that changes ph or not

he uses black cotton or fishing line and you can't really see it that much at all

 

[indir-emir]

Yeah just thought of that after i posted lol. Got a ton of it lying around too

Used it on some moss type plant called "Fontalias" or something like that. But removed it because it was bloody messy and attracted dirt or something and had brown dust like things all over it

May think about putting some around some ping pong balls for a floating planet feel to fill up the top of the tank a little Anyone tried this before?

Regards,
Indir

EDIT because mixmaster posted before me by a second or two lol.
Ah darn so no luck with that then Was hoping could just go right into the tank lol. I have mopani wood soaking still been like 2-3 weeks now, its in the bath at the moment soaking lol. However hasnt been in water for 2 days or so because have been moving houses :\ Back in the bath though.
I want to get a tree look going but cant find a nice piece of drift wood like that anywhere LFS only sell mopani wood, i have 3 near me but only one is selling driftwood.

 

[Curiosity101]

I thought twigs etc weren't a good idea...
Don't quote me, but I'm pretty sure most of the wood we use in tanks tends to have come from root systems / was already underwater while it was alive.
I thought wood from general trees, even after boiling, tended to rot in tanks...

Like I said, don't quote me, but I'd seriously hold off until someone who KNOWS, can give a definite answer.

Edit: Looks like I'm wrong if someone has used oak with no ill effect nvm

 

[indir-emir]

Hehe, yeah just trying to get myself a unique center piece of the plants for the tank

Any other ideas on a "centre piece" plant design?
And also any ideas on the ping pong ball idea?

Regards,
Indir

 

[england]

mate you have to be careful, need to know which trees are safe like oak tree, fir trees are not safe, thing is also make sure wood is dead not fresh as leaking sap will kill/ruin water qaulity

 

[minxfishy]

Nelly, no to the spider dude, please get rid of it

 

[mixmaster jay]

yeah nelly is right it has to be very dead extremly washed and it has to be a hard wood eg oak is best

 

[england]

hehe i forgot sorry minx....

this is my oak branch, it's been of oak tree for about 3yrs in yard, wash/scrubbed/boiled/it's been in a while, still will float and still leak's tannins into the water but i personally like the look

 

[minxfishy]

Thanks Hon, Im terrified of em.

 

[saltynay]

Just find a nice piece of hardwood; oak, mahogany, etc. Go at it with a wire brush, then wire wool to strip the loose bark. Bake for 5-6 hours at 140C checking regularly, place in salted boiling water for 3-4 hours or as often as possible every day for 2 weeks, scrub and bake again then leave to soak in freshwater for a week changing the water regularly (twice a day ideally). They will then be ready to go in a tank....

 

[mixmaster jay]

what if you have a large branch say like nelly your not going to be able to boil or stick it in the oven ? im asking for myself really but other people might want to know too because alot of people want a nice big piece of wood for a centre piece that wont fit in domestic cooking appliences and pans