# Driftwood



## SyrusTheVirus (Nov 14, 2012)

Hi I was thinking of getting rid of my large lump of wood, and using smaller stick type driftwood, ands grow it out with moss attached. Would I be better buying the Driftwood, or can I make my own at home, and where would I start?? I will be making a new tank (375 ltr), and want to get everything sorted before I set it up, and move my fish. Please any help would be great!!!!

Thanks in advance for your help.


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## CrypticLifeStyle (Dec 14, 2009)

If you can find Manzanita Wood around you that would be ideal for using moss attached. You can create a tree or something. That wood can get pricey depending on the source but i found craft places online that sell it for super cheap compared to sites that sell it for fish/plant tanks. I'd go with the sand blasted variety.

I use a lot of grape wood as driftwood in my tanks, but you have to get picky, and lucky to find something branchy like your looking for, other then that i love the stuff as a substitute wood.


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## SyrusTheVirus (Nov 14, 2012)

Thanks Cryptic. I will try some hobby craft sites and see what I can find. I did want to go and find my own wood, but I have researched a lot of sites, and it does not seem worth the time you have to wait just to try and save $35.


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## BelieveInBlue (Jul 17, 2011)

A lot of woods that you'll find are either not suitable for aquaria use long term, or do not sink very easily. I would just buy them from a store. The money you save is not worth the time spent collecting and treating the wood, unless you're lucky and happen to live near an area with lots of good wood.


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## Yael (Nov 25, 2012)

If you do find wood you like on your own it isn't that hard to treat it. Also, you don't have to wait for it to sink, just attach it with silicon to a piece of flagstone and bury the flagstone under the substrate. The flagstone will let you set the branch at the angle you like and keep it from floating.


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## NJmomie (Jan 17, 2013)

Yael said:


> If you do find wood you like on your own it isn't that hard to treat it. Also, you don't have to wait for it to sink, just attach it with silicon to a piece of flagstone and bury the flagstone under the substrate. The flagstone will let you set the branch at the angle you like and keep it from floating.


Yael, can you elaborate on how to treat wood please.


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## Yael (Nov 25, 2012)

Boil - soak in dilute clorax - rinse - soak in a solution with Prime (to absorb any excess clorax) - dry in the sun (UV gets rid of any last impurities) - attach to the base.

Even with all that you'll likely get some water discoloration from tannins and even some leaching of wood sap, neither of which will hurt the fish and will eventually be taken care of over time with water changes.


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## NJmomie (Jan 17, 2013)

Do you mean Clorox bleach or is there something called clorax? And how much is diluted (same for the prime solution)? Thanks.


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## Yael (Nov 25, 2012)

yeah, clorox bleach - 10% solution kills live stuff

Prime - read the bottle for amounts but for removing chlorine bleach I at least double it in the soak solution. It isn't strictly necessary since drying in the sun will also blow off the chlorine but it never hurts to be safe.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

BelieveInBlue said:


> A lot of woods that you'll find are either not suitable for aquaria use long term, or do not sink very easily. I would just buy them from a store. The money you save is not worth the time spent collecting and treating the wood, unless you're lucky and happen to live near an area with lots of good wood.


Plus one.


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## NJmomie (Jan 17, 2013)

Thank you to both.


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## SyrusTheVirus (Nov 14, 2012)

I am of to England on Friday (Blackpool), right near the sea, so I might take the kids for a long walk on the beach and see what I find. Just one question Yael, What is Prime? I am english, but live in Germany, and I dont think I have herd of it before, so I wondered if there was an equal, and what it might be called? Also we dont get much sun here, is there another way of drying the wood without using a microwave or oven. Army quarters dont have the biggest ovens!! lol

Thanks for the input to date though. Lots to think about!!!


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## Yael (Nov 25, 2012)

Prime is the decholorinter most of us use over here in the states - Use whatever you use to treat water before adding it to your fish.
You aren't trying to dry the wood - it's the UV in the sunshine that helps decontaminate it. It's not necessary.


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## thedriftwoodguy (Mar 27, 2013)

I sold driftwood to pet shops for over 25 years and never got a complaint. As long as your stuff is hard and comes from freshwater lakes that rise and fall there should be no problems. Many of the pieces I sold have drifted on the TVA lakes for many years but when the dams let the water out they are given a chance to dry. That prevents rot. I understand Pleckos love it when it's slightly soft. Anyway, just my 2 cents.


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## SyrusTheVirus (Nov 14, 2012)

Thanks People for your input. Driftwoodguy, do you still deal in driftwood? If so is there a special type of wood I should use for my Cichlids (Convicts)? Also if anyone else has some input, that would be great!!!
Regards
Marc "The Monster" Collins aka SyrusTheVirus


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## CrypticLifeStyle (Dec 14, 2009)

Since he hasnt responded yet i think he does. He has 2 driftwood ads that are current at the moment. Maybe PM?

Convicts could careless about the type of wood, as long as its safe. They come from so many different areas.


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