Not sure if this is the right forum, but I am heading up to my lake next weekend and was wondering if i could bring back wood, or a stump of some sort for my aquarium? Is there certain types of wood to avoid? i know that i will likely have to boil the wood, dry it out and such, but could use some input. thanks. Finding decent driftwood in any of the stores where I live is far and few between at a decent price.
Wood/branches/stumps for my aquarium
- Thread starter WTB
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I've done this at my local rivers. Stay away from any fresh sappy stuff and you should be fine. I've found cedars, and sequoia pieces that had been long sunk and brought them home. Pressure washed, hot soak in bathtub and good to go. Hope you find some good ones!
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Any soft-woods or wood that is actively rotting should be avoided, or at the very least have the rot completely cleaned out. I wouldn't bother boiling, and pre-soaking for ages isn't really necessary unless it has either come from salt water or it is still leaching excessive amounts of tannin. All I usually do is clean with a water blaster and scrubbing brush, soak it til it sinks then add it to the tank. Most of the nice bits of wood I find would need an industrial sized boiler to boil!
Pressure washers make short work of getting rid of any rotten sections. If the piece of wood is too buoyant, boiling it can really speed up the waterlogging process by making the air in the wood expand, it'll show up as small bubbles coming out of the wood. Keep the water below boiling till no more bubbles appear on the wood. Then turn up the heat to get it to a rolling boil for a few minutes to get as much air driven out as possible. Just make sure to let it cool down while submerged, otherwise when the remaining air trapped in the wood shrinks back down it'll suck in new air.
I have a Dog Wood tree that is a Hardwood, that died from last year. Is Dogwood a safe wood to put in the Aquarium?
Ok, now I need some input.
I have cut down the Dog wood Tree(Small) that died last year. I want to use the branches in the 75 Gallon tank.
I looked online and Dog wood is a Hard wood.
I took a 3" piece of the trunk and put it in a bucket of water 3 days ago and it has sank after 1 1/2 days.
I really think that I will be fine with putting the Dog wood branches in the tank, but I just want to be sure.
I was really surprised that the piece sank in the bucket, it is not hot water.
I have cut down the Dog wood Tree(Small) that died last year. I want to use the branches in the 75 Gallon tank.
I looked online and Dog wood is a Hard wood.
I took a 3" piece of the trunk and put it in a bucket of water 3 days ago and it has sank after 1 1/2 days.
I really think that I will be fine with putting the Dog wood branches in the tank, but I just want to be sure.
I was really surprised that the piece sank in the bucket, it is not hot water.
Maybe add the branches to a tank with a couple feeders to make sure nothing bad happens. Just to be sure.
Thanks ToolMan78. 
Even though they are not feeders the bucket that the 3" piece is in has a lot of snails in it and so far they are still kicking.
I will try to get some feeders and try that.
Even though they are not feeders the bucket that the 3" piece is in has a lot of snails in it and so far they are still kicking.
I will try to get some feeders and try that.