Selecting proper driftwood

[tcarswell]

Can't go wrong with the malaysian I always like that look myself. Its all subjective

 

[Pyramid_Party]

Im looking for a piece thats long and skinny almost like a branch. I cant find pieces like these from the other woods. I found a nice piece but its cypress wood. 29 inches long, 3 inch wide and 1 inch thick. Wanted to add some Java fern to it too.

 

[CHOMPERS]

Noto gave you a really good and concise answer. When you ignored it after your bump and then posted this:

Help me out guys, Im feeling sketchy about trusting certain woods.

Don't you think that's a cold slap in the face for the guy? He gave you the courtesy of taking the time to help you and you didn't even acknowledge him. He has the answer about cedar. If you would have paid him a shred of graditude, I am certain he would have told you.

 

[le patron]

dont hold me to this, but i believe most woods with a couple exceptions are safe as long as you boil them and they dont have harmful metals in them

 

[CHOMPERS]

...and they dont have harmful metals in them

Nails?

 

[le patron]

Nails?

no, wise guy. certain rivers and bodies of water are very polluted and have metals dissolved in the water, like rust and stuff, that are harmful to fish. driftwood absorbs these metals and when put in aquariums the can be lethal

 

[xiahaolong168]

Cedar is OK if it is weathered. Pines, firs, and spruces have toxic sap; avoid these unless they are very well-weathered. Look for wood that is gray and skeletal looking, and rock-hard all the way through; it should be fine no matter what kind of tree it is from. At that stage there's practically nothing left but lignin.

Most other trees (including practically all hardwoods) are OK but the wood still must be at least somewhat weathered; fresh-cut or green wood should not go in the tank, as it will foul the water. Also avoid wood that is decaying; if there are just a few rotten spots on an otherwise sound piece, use a drill or chisel to remove them.

good answer...READ!

 

[CHOMPERS]

An explanation wasn't needed. 'Rust and stuff' isn't what you need to worry about. The toxic metal in waterways is mercury. Industrial discharge frequently includes copper and lead compounds. However, the EPA regulations limit the discharge to contain only nonlethal amounts. Unlike animal tissue, wood that has been waterlogged in waters with heavy metals will not contain levels higher than the water they are in. If the banks of the waterway are lined with rotting fish and the water is glowing orange, common sense will tell you not to put the wood in your tank. If the wood is gathered from a healthy ecosystem, the wood does not contain heavy metals in quantities that are of concern. By the way, your drinking water contains mercury, lead, and copper (among other totally gross stuff that you don't want to know about).

 

[CHOMPERS]

good answer...READ!

Party pooper.

 

[Goanna]

Malaysian Driftwood, African Root Wood, Manzanita, and Cork bark (good for floating if you have crabs, frogs, etc, java moss attaches to it easily) are all safe for aquariums.

With that said, I actually have a paludarium with grape vine partially in the water and it's actually holding up very well, I thought it would rot right away, but it's setup over a year now and there's no real deterioration of it. Grapevine will float though, so a large piece under water wouldn't work, and it also leeches a good deal of tannins.