stinky driftwood safe?

[pwmin]

We had a beaver clogging up a pipe that runs between two coolwater ponds so we had to clear the debris out and I found a couple nice pieces of wood. I took them home and boiled them and have had them soaking in water for probably a week now, changing the water every so often. I'm not sure what the wood smells like, like pond, i guess. It stunk pretty bad when I was boiling it. Do you think it would be safe to add it to my tank(s) or not? I checked the ammonia and nitrites of the water and they were 0, but that probably won't really tell me anything, anyway. I'd rather not have to put it in the oven, but if you don't think it's safe now, do you think that will make it safe?

 

[Oddball]

Unfortunately, boiling soft woods causes them to break down faster. The smell you're enjoying is the wood rotting. IMO discard it and look for an already seasoned piece (not from a beaver dam since that wood is usually too green).

 

[pwmin]

Unfortunately, boiling soft woods causes them to break down faster. The smell you're enjoying is the wood rotting. IMO discard it and look for an already seasoned piece (not from a beaver dam since that wood is usually too green).

the wood is actually dead and not green at all. i'm not sure why the beaver drug it in there (it probably was in the pipe already). all of the pieces i took sink, also. i don't want to risk anything, so if you don't think it's worth it, i'll forget about it. IMO, it smells more like nasty pond water than rotting wood, but you're probably right.

the water actually comes from a reservoir. the water come from the reservoir, through trout hatchery raceways and, from there, the water drains into the ponds.

 

[2004exrider]

I personally wouldnt use it.

Jimmy

 

[pwmin]

anyone else have an opinion they'd like to share?

 

[LextacySC]

You could use it, but you run the risk of making your tank smell that way also. I agree with Oddball, it sounds like it is rotting. Do you know what kinda wood it is? Soft woods are not really recomended for aquarium use. Ebay is a great place to buy cheap driftwood. Just make sure to check their feedback from previous aquarium driftwood sales.

 

[pwmin]

I'm not worried about it smelling too much. The water it's soaking in barely smells. I'm not sure what kind of wood it is. There's not too much around here besides pine, cottonwood and aspen. They were probably from a Russian Olive or Cottonwood.

I'll check ebay. I'd really like to find a nice big root piece. The river is probably a better place to look.

 

[itzacraze]

all driftwood rots wood in water rots i have used all different types of woods from lfs my own findings and other suggested after time u will take it out smell it and it will stink.... im not sure about petrified wood but i dont have any to try... i have my tanks stocked full of wood.... my fish are gorgeous no health problems "long term" no yellowing and no smell... untill u pull it out.. ive always been skeptical about finding wood though but thats just me

 

[pwmin]

i tried two of the pieces in my 55. we'll see how it goes. i wanted to try it in there first because it would really suck if i lost any in the other two tanks.

 

[Merbeast]

Unfortunately, boiling soft woods causes them to break down faster. The smell you're enjoying is the wood rotting. IMO discard it and look for an already seasoned piece (not from a beaver dam since that wood is usually too green).

While you have the right to disagree or otherwise ignore his advice, Oddball knows his stuff. He has forgotten more than you and I will ever know about fishkeeping. And, he has a point: if you smell it, it is rotting and fast. That is what makes the smell. Good luck on your experiment, and remember that carbon will help remove the odor.