Wood

[jmaster]

hey all
well today wen i was at work i was chucking stuff from the truck onto the fire wen i came across a really nice piece of wood that would look so great in a tank
so i was wondering can i use it?
if i clean it up and stuff?
i hav n idea wat kinda wood it is so i dont know if there are certain woods u cant use?
thanks

 

[mlawson]

Depends what kind of wood. If it has been man-made in anyway then no. Some branches can sometimes work although first we must know what sort of wood. Generally I would only recommend buying wood designed for use in the aquarium. If you are using wood make sure it isn't living and add a small peice to the aquarium. First we need more info.

 

[jmaster]

well i cant really give any more nfor coz its just a piece of wook thats been cut off a tree in somones garden

 

[Bignose]

This is what I wrote in this recent thread ( http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=184322 ) (BTW, that old thread is only a few days old at this point, feel free to use the search function next time so that the exact same question doesn't need to be answered over and over and over and over...)

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.