I am wanting to know if the driftwood that you see along creeks,rivers,lakes etc... in the midwest are ok to use in your aquariums if boiled properly? Does this wood have to be a particular type of wood and how to tell the difference between different types?
Driftwood ?
- Thread starter beerad555
- Start date
I can't help you with on difference I'd, but if you soak the driftwood in hot water then yes that wood found by the stream, creek, lake imo would be safe to use. I've used wood found behind my house which is the Metro Park, the wood was sitting for years.
I've used wood from the jetty between the Pacific Ocean and a lagoon. Took 2 months to sink and has never grown any algae. I used a 55 gallon trash can and boiled water throughout the day till it was deep enough to submerge.
I should add that I was wary of using ocean wood in a freshwater aquarium. After a guppy test run with no I'll effects, I was confident dropping it into my community tank. All that said, anything you mentioned should be fine. You may find a preference for different types due to tannins and break down. Perhaps research a little as to the types of native trees around you and find which ones will best suit your needs.