# Softwood vs Hardwood



## reddhawkk (Dec 14, 2011)

OK, so I have read that softwood should not be used in aquariums. Why is that? Is it just because of tanins or is there something else, such as they are poisonous to the fish or plants? Can anyone tell me? Thanks.


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## JohanniMan (Oct 6, 2011)

I think soft wood would rot faster or alot easier then hard? could be very wrong


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

Much of what you read is bogus when it comes to wood! Often the well intentioned people who write books are writing from their experience and that often it just not as broad as they feel it to be. 
First we need to define softwoods. Fir,cedar, pine? Those do have some special character that needs to be dealt with but it is not whether they are softwoods or hardwoods. They have lots of sap in them and they often retain that sap longer than hardwoods. Walnut, oak, and hickory are hardwoods but that doesn't matter. What matters is how much sap and the tannins that ride along. If you pick up hard or soft woods and they have sap left, you are in trouble. As far as I can tell there is no problem with any wood, IF you get it without sap left.

One way to judge how much sap might be left is by cutting the end off. If the wood is totally dry all the way through, there may be a very thin layer near the surface that is different but the inner part should be quite uniform from the center to the outside. When you are out in the field, you can get an idea from the weight. Dry wood is much lighter than wet wood.

This would be totally dry cedar but it had been soaking in bleach water and you can see where water has soaked in from the surface. Before soaking it was much the same all the way through. I've now drilled the center and it was ready to mount and use.


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## CjCichlid (Sep 14, 2005)

I totally agree with PfunMo.

I think some people really nuke a lot of the logic behind some of the things regarding this hobby. When I collect wood for my aquariums I usually do it near some kind of body of water. I then make sure the wood has been dead for quite some time and is nice and dry. I'll break off a piece to make sure there isn't any "green wood" remaining. I also find that giving it a good smell helps to determine if the wood has been dead for sometime and is good and dry. If it doesn't smell "fresh" or "sappy" it should be ok to use. Unless of course, it was already submerged in the water. In that case, I just make sure it isn't to far gone (as in rotting).

A lot of people suggest to do a million things before making it "aquarium safe" such as boiling, baking, bleaching, ect. I personally, have never done any of this and have never had a problem. I simply take the piece of wood I am looking to use and clean it very well using a scotch pad, stiff bristled brush and the hose. After that, depending on the piece I may soak it for a couple days... And that's about it. Like I said before, I have yet to have any ill effects besides a bit of tannins which can be taken care of by water changes and a little Purigen.


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

The easiest way to collect wood for me is by boat. Not an option for lots of people but if you have a boat and a lake with timber still standing, a dry spell is wonderful for collecting wood. Doing a Google maps search and looking for a cove where wood is still standing can point you the right direction. Then it is a good time to check the lake levels. Trees die shortly after they are flooded so finding standing timber in the lakes that were built back in the '70's will give you wood that has had the time to totally dry. I think there is also a benefit to the alternating cycles of dry and then flooded. My theory is that the drying keeps water type fungus, etc. at bay and the flooding keeps the beetles and rot that normally eat trees from doing their thing. At some point the wood will break off and float to shore but then it will be laying on the ground and you have to catch it before it rots.

When the fish won't bite, that's okay. Just go fishing for limbs!


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