Went Root Raiding! However, Is It Safe To Use?

[jojouk]

I found an uprooted tree stump local to me, and pulled out some really nice roots.

Brought them home, and now they are in the garden. I was pulling off the stringy root bits, and noticed what appears to be some kind of white fluff underneath the outer layer of bark.

I am assuming that this is some kind of fungus.

My questions are:

Is this safe? I will soak them in hot water, and this should kill off the fungus? What about salted hot water?

I didnt really want to strip off the bark, as the roots are fairly thin (width of a pencil) will this be ok?

Thoughts?

 

[Tizer]

The wood we put in our aquariums has generally been dead for many years. If you want to put stuff in there that has probably only been dead for 5 minutes in comparison, its a risk you alone have to take!

 

[jojouk]

The wood we put in our aquariums has generally been dead for many years. If you want to put stuff in there that has probably only been dead for 5 minutes in comparison, its a risk you alone have to take!

Yeah I know, but it was free, and pretty...

I have read a lot about doing this, and was pretty confident abaout it, until I saw the white fluff! Now im not sure if I will bother, and just buy more instead

 

[ShinySideUp]

I found an uprooted tree stump local to me, and pulled out some really nice roots.

Brought them home, and now they are in the garden. I was pulling off the stringy root bits, and noticed what appears to be some kind of white fluff underneath the outer layer of bark.

I am assuming that this is some kind of fungus.

My questions are:

Is this safe? I will soak them in hot water, and this should kill off the fungus? What about salted hot water?

I didnt really want to strip off the bark, as the roots are fairly thin (width of a pencil) will this be ok?

Thoughts?

No, don't do it. I put some in, killed all my fish. I thought it was because I'd left the filter switched off and forgot all about the root wood I'd added.

 

[BigTom]

Any idea what sort of wood it is?

If it's still got the smaller roots on then it doesn't sound very dead to me. I'm pretty laissez-faire about the wood that goes into my tanks (spruce and ivy, anyone?), but have never messed about with anything that's still green.

 

[bigfish-smallpond]

I just bought a piece from my LFS, over 50cm long by 25 high by20cm deep and it was only 8 quid. It really is not expensive and nice and clean Not worth the risk if you ask me.

 

[jojouk]

Any idea what sort of wood it is?

If it's still got the smaller roots on then it doesn't sound very dead to me. I'm pretty laissez-faire about the wood that goes into my tanks (spruce and ivy, anyone?), but have never messed about with anything that's still green.

It's def not green. Quite dead and will snap if under pressure, all nice and brown inside.

I have no idea what wood it was, it was just a stump