I live near the Columbia River it is fresh water, can i add drift wood and other log type figure's into my Cichlid Tank that come out of the river..even so branch's and stick from my own back yard.??
Aquarium wood
- Thread starter JagMan
- Start date
If you are going to add the wood I would boil It in a big bucket of water and then let it sit in water for about a week so it can sink and see if it is safe for a tank. If it floats attach a couple rocks with rope or string and tie them to make it sink. Good luck!
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if it comes out of the river and it already sinks still boil it, or branch's and sticks out my yard????..and how could i possibly do if its a good size chunk and can't boil on stove??
From what I've read on this .... (just went through treating driftwood) ... you boil it no matter what. This will kill fungus and bacteria and such, as well helps release the tannis contained in the wood. And to release the tannis from large chunks, soak it in tubs of water (weighted down if needed ... so all is submerged). As the water will change colour (tannis releasing) you'll need to replace the water. Keep doing this until water stays pretty much clear (depending on size process could take a week or two, if not more). Once this is complete then you can wash the Large Chunks in boiling water to kill said fungus, etc. The tannis will change the colour of your tank water, and some may even remain after all this for a bit. Carbon filters are supposed to help clear up any remaining discolouration, although I lucked out and didn't have any remaining.
As for your backyard branches, not really sure. All I know is when I was looking into this, I was strongly advised by numerous people to use only hardwood and that the roots were the best.
As for your backyard branches, not really sure. All I know is when I was looking into this, I was strongly advised by numerous people to use only hardwood and that the roots were the best.
I would leave yard branches alone as they could still be moist on the inside. Also when soaking your found driftwood use aquarium salt too. Bacteria and parasites hate that stuff. Make sure you give it a good scrub down and rinse after using your aquarium salt too.
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ok ...Idk how i would boil such a bug piece tho..Just let it soak in the water for a long time even if it already sink's and how long sould i let it sit in salt water for..?
I've collected wood from beaches, rivers and even straight out of the ground, and mostly due to the size I have never boiled any of it. If you've dragged it out of a river there is a good chance the worst of the tannins will have already leached out and it will be waterlogged enough to sink (or be close to it). The primary concern with "wild" driftwood is rotting. You need to give it a thorough going-over with a screwdriver or some other sort of picking tool to investigate any potential areas of soft rotting wood, which will pollute your tank water very quickly. Giving it a clean with a water blaster first will make this easier and may help find any soft spots. Once you're satisfied it is clean and free of rot I would recommend soaking it in tap water, anywhere from a week to a couple of months depending on how long it takes to sink and if anything is leaching out of it. If the water is still clear after a week you should be right to put it in your tank.
ok thaks you im going to give it a shot..after i powerwash it and letting it soak in the tub, should i add aquarium salt somone mentioned that to kill parasite's..?? what color will tannis turn my water? What is Tannis??
Tannin is the brown colour that leaches out of wood and other organic material and gives the water a tea-like colour, otherwise known as blackwater. In the right tank/set up it can be desirable;
though usually most people try to avoid it. A little bit certainly won't hurt your fish, and if you don't like the colour you could run carbon to remove it. How much leaches out will depend on how "fresh" the wood is and how long it has been soaking (and what kind of wood it is).
As for killing parasites, I've got no idea what lives in the rivers where you are and if there is anything that could be harmful to an aquarium that could be transferred by a damp piece of wood, but I'd find it unlikely. If you're concerned and the wood is too big to boil you could pour boiling water over it, or soak it in a light bleach solution then thoroughly rinse and and soak it after before adding it to the tank. I doubt aquarium salt would kill much unless used in a high concentration.
though usually most people try to avoid it. A little bit certainly won't hurt your fish, and if you don't like the colour you could run carbon to remove it. How much leaches out will depend on how "fresh" the wood is and how long it has been soaking (and what kind of wood it is).
As for killing parasites, I've got no idea what lives in the rivers where you are and if there is anything that could be harmful to an aquarium that could be transferred by a damp piece of wood, but I'd find it unlikely. If you're concerned and the wood is too big to boil you could pour boiling water over it, or soak it in a light bleach solution then thoroughly rinse and and soak it after before adding it to the tank. I doubt aquarium salt would kill much unless used in a high concentration.
