Questions regarding driftwood

[emiee]

hi all...

just wondering if someone can tell me is it possible to use drift wood found at the beach after a few weeks of soaking...

would this hurt my bristlenose at all?

any other suggestions offered will be appriecated

thanks
emiee

[mjscookie]

Hi.

I'd assume it would be OK. Does it have any tanins (ie. it just came down a creek/river and landed on the beach vs a long term floater).

You just need to be sure that it isn't poisonous.

The Sydney Cichlid Page (SCP) has an article on wood/driftwood safe for the aquarium.

I forget the exact URL, but a google should do it.


Cheers

Mitch

[GTR73]

I was told wood from the ocean and beach, or dry bushland, is much safer than those collected from freshwater lakes and rivers, because any potential diseases (ie: bacteria) and parasites (ie: flukes) are less likely to survive.

Regardless, you can boil it (if you have a big enough pot!), to rid it of fungus, mould, algae or any nasties you don't want in your tank.
Natural wood may also contain sap resin which in the close confines of an aquarium, may be toxic. So it should be as dehydrated as possible to minimize any danger. But yours coming from the beach you should be ok.

Tannic acid may still seep from it (even after endless soaking) and still colour your water in a brown tint, as well as lower the pH.