Thats how I get mine. I collect it form a clean stream or lake. Then I take it and pressure wash it and then soak it and in the tank it goes. I have had no problems doing this.
Tedsfishroom.com said that they would post new pix of xxl in June but have as yet not done so. I guess that I will go out and find me some on the river or lake. I plan to hit it with a pressure washer and then soak it in some clorox and water mix and then a good soak in clean water. Clorox is broken down by sunlight so its not near as bad as it sounds and its cheep and very effective. This is why you keep having to put chlorine in a pool every day. This topic comes up often on fish sites, it looks like some one would wake up and stock some large stuff and post some good pix of it with maby a yard stick in the photo and not a soup can! Good luck--HappyFish
I personally LOVE Malaysian dw and Ironwood.....both are awesome types of wood. Obviously you can't get them around here. Main reason I like them so much is that they DON'T decay in your tank. Compared to wood you collect or find around your house/area, which starts to decay relatively quickly depending on where you live and what type it is, can be very annoying.
I am getting 60 pieces of XXL wood next week. I will post new pieces after the ACA. If you are goin to the ACA convention next week I can bring pieces to you.