Was simply trying to understand it is all.
I don't think any question is a stupid question.
Not everyones an expert
Natural wood in Lakes
- Thread starter ClaustrophobicTurtle
- Start date
I don't think any question is a stupid question.
Not everyones an expert
sorry, i'm just getting sick of our experts wasting time answering questions that should be common sense. I apologize for being on edge......and maybe a little drunk
that's one of those peeves that bothers me like mixing native temperate fish with tropical cichlids or some other nonsense like that. I keep forgetting you still have to explain to people everyday WHY it's a bad Idea or they will do it anyway.......and still might do it anyway even after explaining why they shouldn't do it
I'll just throw this in here....
I've never purchased driftwood. I've collected all of mine from the wild. 100%. I also don't treat my driftwood at all...I let it dry out for about 5-6 days, ensuring that most of not all of the waterbourne hitchhikers are dead and gone.
Never had an issue....
anyway, lakes rivers and streams don't have issue with rotting wood and plant matter due to the shear volume of water being displaced/added....nature hits a balance just like our tanks, and also does more frequent water changes lol.
I've never purchased driftwood. I've collected all of mine from the wild. 100%. I also don't treat my driftwood at all...I let it dry out for about 5-6 days, ensuring that most of not all of the waterbourne hitchhikers are dead and gone.
Never had an issue....
anyway, lakes rivers and streams don't have issue with rotting wood and plant matter due to the shear volume of water being displaced/added....nature hits a balance just like our tanks, and also does more frequent water changes lol.
I always collect wood myself, mine usually came from the shores of Lake Michigan, or some other shore. I usually soak mine in my fish less rain barrels for a few months, so any parasites would die out, and Lake Michigan has plenty of fish parasites. And whenever it rained the water in the barrel would automatically be changed out
I think it's a perfectly valid question. Understanding wild ecosystems will improve your ability to maintain your tank's ecosystem.
And that's basically the answer to the question: the lake is an ecosystem that has formed a balance through millions of years of evolution. It is built to handle the branches that fall in, in fact they're an important part of its ecosystem. Your tank is a smaller, simplified ecosystem, that doesn't have the checks and balances that the lake does.
The reason you need to treat wild wood before adding it to your tank is because, as said above, the bacteria, bugs, etc it may contain are something that could throw off the balance of your tank's ecosystem, which hasn't had the luxury of millions of years of evolution like the lake has.
And that's basically the answer to the question: the lake is an ecosystem that has formed a balance through millions of years of evolution. It is built to handle the branches that fall in, in fact they're an important part of its ecosystem. Your tank is a smaller, simplified ecosystem, that doesn't have the checks and balances that the lake does.
The reason you need to treat wild wood before adding it to your tank is because, as said above, the bacteria, bugs, etc it may contain are something that could throw off the balance of your tank's ecosystem, which hasn't had the luxury of millions of years of evolution like the lake has.
How to collect driftwood:go to a body of water. Find a hard(not soggy or soft),piece of wood that is in the water,it shouldn't have any bark,to treat it put it in a tub of water for a week or two.
Hardwood trees turn into driftwood in water,while softwood trees crumble or rot when they fall in water,the reason they usuallly(emphasis added) don't mess up a pond or lake is simply the fact that anything is dispersed over so many millions of gallons.
Hardwood trees turn into driftwood in water,while softwood trees crumble or rot when they fall in water,the reason they usuallly(emphasis added) don't mess up a pond or lake is simply the fact that anything is dispersed over so many millions of gallons.
Who decided that you get to determine what is a stupid question that is worthy of being asked and what is not?
Also, do you know how old people are on here that are asking questions? You could be ridiculing a 10 year old that's just trying to figure out the best way to care for his fish, possibly leading him to not ask questions any more for fear of being further ridiculed which will leave his fish not being taken care of properly because you at one time decided that his question wasn't worth asking.
Remember, don't drink and drive...and don't drink and post.
i DID apologize for my aggression if you read the thread. Again, my apologies to the viewers who found it unpleasant to read.Who decided that you get to determine what is a stupid question that is worthy of being asked and what is not?
Also, do you know how old people are on here that are asking questions? You could be ridiculing a 10 year old that's just trying to figure out the best way to care for his fish, possibly leading him to not ask questions any more for fear of being further ridiculed which will leave his fish not being taken care of properly because you at one time decided that his question wasn't worth asking.
Remember, don't drink and drive...and don't drink and post.
@ Claustrophobic Turtle, rock on and keep asking questions. We all have different knowledge and experience, always good to ask questions. Got some nice members here.
