I want to have some nice root systems in my tank. Large fake roots and driftwood for a 500 gallon seem to be far too expensive and not large enough. I am looking for roots to extend from the top to the bottom of the tank. I even thought about some tree stumps/roots that I could run the plumbing through in the tank. I can't find anything. I have, however seen tons of dead tree roots and stumps when hiking by my home. Has anyone used real tree roots/stumps? I heard they will grow fungus underwater but I am not sure. Any thoughts or ideas?
Real tree roots in a tank?
- Thread starter Tien
- Start date
I wouldn't use roots in a tank unless its mangrove roots. Trees have soft roots and they will usually decompose rapidly when placed underwater. You could use stumps as long as they come from a hardwood tree. Boil it and get rid of living organisms and u should be fine. You can also use dead branches too.
Might be hard to boil a tree stump that is wanted to be the focal point in a 500G tank. 
Can't see it fitting on the stove. Cure times can take months or up to a year if the stump is large enough. You could soak it in a 55g drum maybe or a bathtup or stock tank. Stick with hardwoods though, soft woods will disintegrate too fast.
If you don't mind the extra tannin in the water for a while you could just toss it in. I would scrub it really well to clean as much dirt off as possible. You will likely get a white fungus on it this way, but if you have a pleco they will usually consider it a treat. the fungus isn't toxic, just doesn't look good.
Can't see it fitting on the stove. Cure times can take months or up to a year if the stump is large enough. You could soak it in a 55g drum maybe or a bathtup or stock tank. Stick with hardwoods though, soft woods will disintegrate too fast.If you don't mind the extra tannin in the water for a while you could just toss it in. I would scrub it really well to clean as much dirt off as possible. You will likely get a white fungus on it this way, but if you have a pleco they will usually consider it a treat. the fungus isn't toxic, just doesn't look good.
I have used some big stumps in my tanks. There is a long period of tannin leaching and fungal growth, and you may get a nutrient spike in the tank, so there are some drawbacks. But, you'll end up with a very cool centerpiece.
Know what kind of stump you are using. I've used oak, maple, sycamore, weathered red cedar, and baldcypress with good success. Pine, fir, spruce, and willow decay quickly. Pine and walnut may release toxins into the water. If in doubt, leave it out.
Another option is to carve your root system. You can use polystyrene sheet, expanding urethane foam (Great Stuff), PVC, etc. Here are a couple of helpful threads by other folks:
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/paludariums/65424-streambank-paludarium.html
http://www.caudata.org/forum/f1173-.../63462-do-yourself-fake-wood-cheapskates.html
Know what kind of stump you are using. I've used oak, maple, sycamore, weathered red cedar, and baldcypress with good success. Pine, fir, spruce, and willow decay quickly. Pine and walnut may release toxins into the water. If in doubt, leave it out.
Another option is to carve your root system. You can use polystyrene sheet, expanding urethane foam (Great Stuff), PVC, etc. Here are a couple of helpful threads by other folks:
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/paludariums/65424-streambank-paludarium.html
http://www.caudata.org/forum/f1173-.../63462-do-yourself-fake-wood-cheapskates.html
Ive always used real (fish safe) wood in my tanks. Large and small tanks. Just be warned, you may need to remove certain pieces due to too much rot. Keep a close check on your parameters as well.
I disagree with most people so far. Heres why.
Softwoods do not rot faster than hardwoods this is a myth. Softwoods are just less dense woods. Now if you have a hardwood thats gone soft it's rotting but a softwood will always be soft just make sure it's only the wood left, no bark.
USE PROPER DRIFTWOOD!!! i can't stress this enough becuase this is where the myth that softwoods are toxic comes from. Of course the saps are toxic all tree saps are toxic and there will be saps present if you just pull up a random root from your backyard. Go to a lake and search for proper driftwood any saps AND tannins will have leached out long ago and the would will effectively just be pure cellulose (which can't rot).
I pulled up a 5 foot long log at a lake last year and it hasen't started rotting yet (it's white cedar which is (GASP!) a softwood) nor did it have any tannins left in it.
Roots make the best driftwood because there all knotted and twisted i found a new peice at my cottage that i will definately be putting in my tank and it loosk amazing. i can actualy see where the trunk of the tree broke off.
Softwoods do not rot faster than hardwoods this is a myth. Softwoods are just less dense woods. Now if you have a hardwood thats gone soft it's rotting but a softwood will always be soft just make sure it's only the wood left, no bark.
USE PROPER DRIFTWOOD!!! i can't stress this enough becuase this is where the myth that softwoods are toxic comes from. Of course the saps are toxic all tree saps are toxic and there will be saps present if you just pull up a random root from your backyard. Go to a lake and search for proper driftwood any saps AND tannins will have leached out long ago and the would will effectively just be pure cellulose (which can't rot).
I pulled up a 5 foot long log at a lake last year and it hasen't started rotting yet (it's white cedar which is (GASP!) a softwood) nor did it have any tannins left in it.
Roots make the best driftwood because there all knotted and twisted i found a new peice at my cottage that i will definately be putting in my tank and it loosk amazing. i can actualy see where the trunk of the tree broke off.
You're partly right, but not all saps are toxic. They are all nutrient-loaded and can cause ammonia spikes. Only a few are actually poisonous in and of themselves, and trees of those species (which include walnuts, tree-of-heaven, and quite a few conifers) should be treated with extra caution. A hunk of say, maple, on the other hand that is not perfectly cured may still be perfectly safe. Also, the major component of "skeletonized" wood is lignin, not cellulose. All plant tissues are full of cellulose, which rots swiftly.
Wow, I did not realize I had all of these responses. Thanks for all of the info everyone. If I do real wood I think I will stick with manzanita wood. It is hard to find large peices though. I am amazed by the fake background on the aquatic central link. This is making me rethink making my own.
Well, my Larch Bonsai died and it didn't kill snails so I tried it in the 30 gallon. Looks like winter all the time in there, but it's the whole tree. About 16" tall and semi-rooted into the gravel. No visible rotting of any kind. It's just sitting there bark and all.
