End all driftwood thread
- Thread starter Deadliestviper7
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- driftwood
I have several pieces but I haven't used them in a good while.
Finding driftwood:
Look for hardwoods such as oak,mopane,honey locust,acacia,Hickory,cedar,ironwood,eucalyptus (soaking required to remove oils with eucalyptus),manzanita etc.
If finding wood on land look for dead wood and remove bark,avoid overly toxic trees like machineel, softwoods and cottonwoods rarely last long in water. Soak in water for several weeks.
If you are looking to collect wood that's already in water,feel the wood, it should be a piece with little or no bark,and should be hard,it shouldn't be crumbly or spongey.
Avoid collecting in areas with toxic chemicals.
Look for hardwoods such as oak,mopane,honey locust,acacia,Hickory,cedar,ironwood,eucalyptus (soaking required to remove oils with eucalyptus),manzanita etc.
If finding wood on land look for dead wood and remove bark,avoid overly toxic trees like machineel, softwoods and cottonwoods rarely last long in water. Soak in water for several weeks.
If you are looking to collect wood that's already in water,feel the wood, it should be a piece with little or no bark,and should be hard,it shouldn't be crumbly or spongey.
Avoid collecting in areas with toxic chemicals.
When placed in tank driftwood may grow a slight white fuzz,this tends to go away in a couple weeks and is harmless to fish.
Tannins may also be released, this turns water sort of tea colored,and is beneficial to many fish (especially many central and South American fish).
Tannins may also be released, this turns water sort of tea colored,and is beneficial to many fish (especially many central and South American fish).
If you dislike tannins in the water you can reduce the amount of tannins in wood by boiling it
I got no problem with the tannins but I do not like the fuzzy white stuff that seems to appear on the wood from out of nowhere.
Other similar items that can be placed in water (but don't last as long as driftwood) are dead oak leaves,dead almond leaves,dead true palm (not cycad), leaves,pine cones after boiling,Hickory bark(in tanks where fish won't destroy it).
Eucalyptus leaves are interesting ,however you need to get rid of the oils first,do this by placing them in a bucket of water outside,replace water every couple of days,do this until water no longer appears oily
Eucalyptus leaves are interesting ,however you need to get rid of the oils first,do this by placing them in a bucket of water outside,replace water every couple of days,do this until water no longer appears oily
How to decorate with driftwood: decorate to your aesthetic interest,just make sure wood is placed so it wont injure inhabitants.
Wood can simply be placed on the bottom or leaned snugly against objects, or you can use fishing line to turn it into a island or suspend it in the water column.
You can have part of the driftwood breach the waters surface,this above water portion can have mosses,bromeliads,airplants and other epiphytes attached to it,or even certain fungi. This could also be used as a basking/haulout area for semiaquatic animals.
Driftwood can have certain aquatic plants such as Phoenix moss,flame moss,java fern attached to it in freshwater,or sponges and sessile worms attached to it in saltwater
Wood can simply be placed on the bottom or leaned snugly against objects, or you can use fishing line to turn it into a island or suspend it in the water column.
You can have part of the driftwood breach the waters surface,this above water portion can have mosses,bromeliads,airplants and other epiphytes attached to it,or even certain fungi. This could also be used as a basking/haulout area for semiaquatic animals.
Driftwood can have certain aquatic plants such as Phoenix moss,flame moss,java fern attached to it in freshwater,or sponges and sessile worms attached to it in saltwater
.....and in turn my fish would likely eat any fish that might eat the fuzz.
