Dangerous driftwood?

[Rizzobitz]

Can anyone identify this wood please and is the polyacrylic coating they put on it safe? Also has anyone had a fish get hurt on driftwood that is pointy like this? I have koi and am torn between wanting to add some decor and worrying that my fish may be harmed.

 

[pops]

aside from being pointy, the sealant wold worry me.

 

[convict360]

If it wasn't sealed like that, I'd have buffed down the point bits to be safe; in fact I wonder if you could take sandpaper to it, to get rid of most of the coating?

If that's not feasible, best erring on the side of caution and not using

 

[Rizzobitz]

I just found this thread on caudata.org, see link below. Johnny O. Farnen says urethane sealants are safe so long as you let it cure 1 week then soak it in tap water for 1 week with a bag of carbon. I looked it up and polycrylic is a fortified "water-based" polyurethane. Other urethanes are oil based. So this means it is safe, right? http://www.caudata.org/forum/f46-be.../65781-suitable-paint-aquarium-ornament.html#

 

[convict360]

I just found this thread on caudata.org, see link below. Johnny O. Farnen says urethane sealants are safe so long as you let it cure 1 week then soak it in tap water for 1 week with a bag of carbon. I looked it up and polycrylic is a fortified "water-based" polyurethane. Other urethanes are oil based. So this means it is safe, right? http://www.caudata.org/forum/f46-be.../65781-suitable-paint-aquarium-ornament.html#

I'd definitely work on it, its a cracking bit of wood to waste

 

[pops]

sounds so. the fact that it needs to be treated so much suggest its not really safe, but can be made to be. your call.

 

[Rizzobitz]

If it wasn't sealed like that, I'd have buffed down the point bits to be safe; in fact I wonder if you could take sandpaper to it, to get rid of most of the coating?

If that's not feasible, best erring on the side of caution and not using

Sanding down the pointy bits is a great idea. Thank you.

 

[boldtogether]

Nice wood...treat it accordingly....any fish that will attach to it or eat it or scrape stuff off of it will most likely ingest whatever it is coated with....be aware...even "aquarium safe" paint can and will get scraped off of anything a suckermouth fish grazes on...