Wood/branches

[fish.com1]

Hi all,

I want to add some branches from wild trees to my aquarium. The branches are the sort of size/thickness that you would use as a stick to throw for a dog. How could I make them safe for aquarium usE.

Thanks

 

[Darkstar]

Without knowing what type of wood they are it's impossible to say whether you could make them safe or not..

 

[fish.com1]

Oh yeah.. I'll try and find out

 

[fish.com1]

Ok sorry about the wait my dad thinks it is a prunus tree. Can this be made safe for aquariums? If so how?

 

[chesterscot]

dont know if this helps anyone else answer you as i dont know lol but prunus is aka cherry sp

 

[fish.com1]

Anyone?
Should i just take the usual precautions like boiling the wood then soaking it in water for several weeks?

 

[Jallen]

Anyone?
Should i just take the usual precautions like boiling the wood then soaking it in water for several weeks?

Get a bucket and a feeder fish and see if it dies.

Harsh, I know, but you can keep the fish if it survives

 

[fish.com1]

any other ideas?

 

[Bignose]

Research the wood and make sure it doesn't release any kind of toxins or other undesirable chemicals into the water. I.e. something like how a walnut tree releases chemicals to keep other plants away from it would be a bad thing for a fishtank.

Beyond that, just let the wood completely dry. You don't want it to be green and releasing sap. Store it outside and off the ground for a long period of time until completely dry. So long as it hasn't been sitting on the ground and growing mold on it, and you are sure it isn't a kind of wood that releases toxins, it should be fine for a fishtank. It doesn't have to be boiled or bleached or anything else. What bacteria or whatnot are on there aren't going to be harmful to fish, and are a part of nature anyway. Guess what, wood falls into bodies of water all the time and doesn't kill fish.

 

[fish.com1]

Research the wood and make sure it doesn't release any kind of toxins or other undesirable chemicals into the water. I.e. something like how a walnut tree releases chemicals to keep other plants away from it would be a bad thing for a fishtank.

Beyond that, just let the wood completely dry. You don't want it to be green and releasing sap. Store it outside and off the ground for a long period of time until completely dry. So long as it hasn't been sitting on the ground and growing mold on it, and you are sure it isn't a kind of wood that releases toxins, it should be fine for a fishtank. It doesn't have to be boiled or bleached or anything else. What bacteria or whatnot are on there aren't going to be harmful to fish, and are a part of nature anyway. Guess what, wood falls into bodies of water all the time and doesn't kill fish.

How long should i store it outside? Its only an average stick that you'd throw for a dog.

 

[Mikaila31]

As long as it is fully dead it should be fine. Just boil it best you can and it should be fine. Even if it contained toxicins they should be destroyed by boiling or drawn out out the wood. And a wiki search says the branches should not contain anything hazardous anyway.

Although I agree with Bignose that boiling isn't really necessary. I just realized I boil stick I find outside, before I put them in my tank. Yet I put lots of dead oak leaves from my yard in my tanks every week and these are never boiled or cleaned.

 

[Bignose]

Research the wood and make sure it doesn't release any kind of toxins or other undesirable chemicals into the water. I.e. something like how a walnut tree releases chemicals to keep other plants away from it would be a bad thing for a fishtank.

Beyond that, just let the wood completely dry. You don't want it to be green and releasing sap. Store it outside and off the ground for a long period of time until completely dry. So long as it hasn't been sitting on the ground and growing mold on it, and you are sure it isn't a kind of wood that releases toxins, it should be fine for a fishtank. It doesn't have to be boiled or bleached or anything else. What bacteria or whatnot are on there aren't going to be harmful to fish, and are a part of nature anyway. Guess what, wood falls into bodies of water all the time and doesn't kill fish.

How long should i store it outside? Its only an average stick that you'd throw for a dog.

Store it outside until it is dry. Dry as in not green. Once dry, it is fine.

 

[drobbyb]

Clarification. Dry on the inside...like firewood type of dry. It takes quite a few months for firewood, should be faster on a branch.