Where To Find That Perfect Bog Wood!

[stan1979]

normally its down the bottom of the pile in the lfs, hidden away from everyone, i always found its best to find a few good pieces and just work with that, like what was said earlier once it gets covered in moss even a straight piece of bogwood can look superb
i thought i found the perfect piece to put in my tank but ten days later still waiting for it to sink

 

[chrismr]

I had not one, but three pieces of wood, which on their own were nothing special, btu I was able to use them together to make a nice arrangment in the center of the tank..... then I re-arranged to make space for one of my plants which is just getting far too big, and stuffed it all up.... (needless to say, this weekend I am putting things back the way they were)

I have always found the best way to get wood looking good is to use several pieces arranged together. Finding that one, perfect piece is a mission I just would not take on.

First, before you put them in the tank, sit with them on the floor and try them all sorts of different ways seeing how the pieces fit or don't, how they can support each other, etc. This is what I always do with wood and have gotten some nice arrangements in the past.

My biggest problem has always been having to re-arrange because of plants, because I have been learning how different plants grow.... hopefully this will stop in time

 

[oldwhitewood]

Excellent advice there. You have hit the nail right on the head, the best way is to combine driftwood you will never find one great piece anyway.

 

[TammyLiz]

I've had fun looking for wood for nano tanks. I have two that I am particularly excited about right now. I've found that in a little tank (or canister for my latest project), moving the wood to the side just a tiny bit, or leaning towards the front or back, or tipping it just so instead of how it naturally wants to go, can give a completely different look. I think finding a piece that looks different than the norm, and creating a line that looks complex and strong (whether combined pieces or just a single piece), and considering the lines of the tank when placing it, is what really makes a hardscape stand out. What I've said sounds so vague I don't know if it even makes sense, but maybe someone will know what I'm talking about! I just need to figure out how to get the plants looking good, then I can post pictures, unless you guys don't mind pictures of just wood in water!

 

[lljdma06]

I've had fun looking for wood for nano tanks. I have two that I am particularly excited about right now. I've found that in a little tank (or canister for my latest project), moving the wood to the side just a tiny bit, or leaning towards the front or back, or tipping it just so instead of how it naturally wants to go, can give a completely different look. I think finding a piece that looks different than the norm, and creating a line that looks complex and strong (whether combined pieces or just a single piece), and considering the lines of the tank when placing it, is what really makes a hardscape stand out. What I've said sounds so vague I don't know if it even makes sense, but maybe someone will know what I'm talking about! I just need to figure out how to get the plants looking good, then I can post pictures, unless you guys don't mind pictures of just wood in water!

When have we ever objected to pictures? Post a journal thread if you're interesting in keeping plants, there's a bunch of us starting nano journals, and would love to see what you're doing and offer advice if you need it.

llj

 

[simonbrown403]

I've just been reading through all these post chuckling to my self, we are all spending so much time trying to find the perfect hard scape to create a natural looking aquariums.

Well here's a thought why don't we just buy a selection of wood and drop it in the aquarium and plant around it, surely it dose not get anymore natural than that

In the end we are not trying to create a natural looking aquarium as nature is organized kaos, we are trying to create an aquarium that is pleasing to our own eye.
Its all another form of style and we are all fashion victims.

 

[TammyLiz]

What is really is, is art. God designs everything in nature, made to please his eye, and we are trying to mimic his style. In this case, he designed the wood, and we try to find a place where it would look like he would put it. Not that I had really thought of it that way before, but your post, simon, about throwing everything together, reminded me of how nature isn't really just thrown together, either. I don't want to bring up a theological discussion here, but I just thought I'd share the thought, too.

 

[craynerd]

In the end we are not trying to create a natural looking aquarium as nature is organized kaos, we are trying to create an aquarium that is pleasing to our own eye.

Is nature really organised chaos? Its not really in a way...it is organised! Things are there for a reason.

We are trying to create an aquarium pleasing to our own eye but in the same respect the idea of a nature aquarium is also likely to be pleasing! So i supose what you have said is a kind of contradiction imo.

Its all another form of style and we are all fashion victims.

100% agree but thats just the world my friend. People like the same thing, at the end of the day why do we all look at Justins tanks and gasp? Why are Amanos tanks commented on every other post? Because they are popular!! Who would hold their hand up now and say, NO, i would not like Amano to design me another tank? No one, we all conform to the same taste. Why am i trying to jump on the ADA band waggon, lol, because its popular? nope, because i like their products...but so does everyone else thus making it ""popular"" !! Its hard not to conform to the style, when it is so damn tasteful!!!



Chris

btw, with regards to you saying just drop some bog wood in the tank i think you are 100% correct IF the bog wood was all collected from the same location! Its not tho, and thats why it looks so daft if you do do that! The bog wood we find is cut and so unnatural!

 

[craynerd]

Just looked on AE website! I can`t bring myself to part with £90 for some wood that some luck sod scouting the Amazon found!! I mean, £100 for a quality glass diffuser YES, for a piece of wood, ?? Not only that i don`t need 5 pieces, my tank will only be just over 20g!

Chris

 

[simonbrown403]

Is nature really organised chaos? Its not really in a way...it is organised! Things are there for a reason.

We are trying to create an aquarium pleasing to our own eye but in the same respect the idea of a nature aquarium is also likely to be pleasing! So i suppose what you have said is a kind of contradiction imo.

It is organized chaos all nature follows rules (a set of events or elements that need to be present for something to happen) the chaos part is the order in which it happens!

Many people are fascinated by nature, habitats, and even creating them, but few would have them as a centerpiece in there living room.
Aquariums fit into our lives and even the decor of our rooms.

Just looked on AE website! I can`t bring myself to part with £90 for some wood that some luck sod scouting the Amazon found!! I mean, £100 for a quality glass diffuser YES, for a piece of wood, ?? Not only that i don`t need 5 pieces, my tank will only be just over 20g!

Why not £100 pound for a lump of wood you would pay that for tacky piece of chip board furniture

 

[oldwhitewood]

I hope you are not slagging off IKEA there

The old black wood has been specially sourced from the rio negro, when you take into account the costs it takes to do that, to ship it back to prepare it etc it's probably about right. It's not just taken from somewhere and cut off ruining the overall look. Sure it is expensive but ALL ADA stuff is expensive, you wouldn't be able to buy an Aston Martin cheaply, same with ADA stuff really.

Annoying as I would love to buy all of it too! But what can you do eh! Amano needs our cash to keep up with the ferts his home tank must get through!

 

[George Farmer]

Amano needs our cash to keep up with the ferts his home tank must get through!

No kidding, and his electric bill! Imagine what ADA HQ must go through too, there must be 100s of MHs.

On the "overpricing" issue there is a saying, "If you need to ask how much it is, then you probably can't afford it!"

But on a more serious note -

I sincerely hope that the high-tech, high-end/bespoke aspect to the hobby will gain more popularity, especially in the UK. I cannot thank Aqua Essentials enough (and you and Nick for your influence) for taking the bold step of stocking ADA and other top quality gear.

Hopefully through UK-based forums like this and even my future high-tech planted PFK articles (due to be published October onwards BTW) this wonderful hobby will gain enough followers and in the longer-term force manufacturers to take a look and start producing quality, aesthetically appealing products at a competetive cost. The more competition there is the lower the cost and the more benefits to us, the consumer.

ADA pretty much have the high-end planted hardware market to themselves and so consequently can charge the relatively high cost they do (although it is worth mentioning that shipping to UK inflates the cost considerably for all those that think Aqua Essentials are overpricing). I urge anyone that is passionate about the hobby enough to justify spending that bit extra cash to do so on ADA gear. In the short-term you will have some fantastic quality, designed and styled gear but in the long-term, if enough of us do take the plunge then it will hopefully make the big manufacturers (Eheim, Hagen, Tetra, Rena etc.) take a look and start producing there own quality glassware etc. and at a fraction of the cost.

I think the high-tech hobby has the potential to really take off over here, just like reefs have in recent years. Let us lead the way my fellow enthusiasts!

 

[craynerd]

Next you will be calling us comrades! Standing strong in union to lower the price of ADA in the UK

lol

I seriously have an issue with this. I have money layed out on the table ready for the ADA diffuser £60 , ADA lily pipe £70 , ADA aqua soil £25 ...but i seriously cant justify me putting £90 into wood. I think the issue is that i cant actually see it since i am buying it online. Even with pictures i can`t properly grasp its overall look in my tank!

help!

 

[Andyg]

Hi,

My solution was to collect my own from a river near my parents house. I found dozens of beautiful shaped,aged, worndown, branchy hardwood, just like the ADA stuff. I then used a saw to sellect and cut the best bits and using stainless steel screws, I screwed them together to design the overall layout. The screws are covered with moss and ferns and are not visible.

The good thing about this method is that the screws allow you to rotate the wood slightly to enable finite adjustment. I done this for my parents tank a couple of months ago and it is looking good. I still have a pile of wood in their garden for my own project that I will be starting soon.

Luckily the river in question runs through ancient gorge woodland with a never ending supply of Oak that fall in every winter when the river is in spate. Most rivers in the UK are of this variety and should have loads of branch wood.

Kind Regards,

Andy

 

[craynerd]

What sorts of wood can you use in your tank. Will they not rot or pollute the water?

Chris