# Driftwood- How long does it last?



## JennKS (Jul 12, 2009)

I brought home two nice driftwood pieces from camping trip with intentions on preparing it for the aquarium. How long does driftwood last and any experiences with it possibly rotting?


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## kmuda (Nov 27, 2009)

I have store bought driftwood that has been in one of my tanks for over 20 years. No rot.

That said, collected wood will have a higher chance of rotting as well as potential dangers. If there is any chance of the wood being any form of pine, don't use it.

Outside of that, there is really no way of telling because there are too many variables (type of wood, condition of wood). The "rule of thumb" is that if you can scrape off wood by scratching it with your fingernail, or if there are any soft spots, the wood should not be used.... or if it is in use, it should be removed.


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## jeff000 (Jun 1, 2010)

Why no pine?

Pretty sure the drift wood that you buy in the store is collected rather then created on purpose in a controlled environment.


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## kmuda (Nov 27, 2009)

"Store Bought" driftwood is generally specifically collected for the purpose, selecting pieces and species of wood that are known to be acceptable for aquarium use. Usually, very hard woods such as Mopani.

What you pick up in your local woods may, or may not, be as acceptable.

Pine is a very soft wood, which means it will rot in short order. But that is the least of the issue. Pine contains chemicals that can be outright toxic and these chemicals will leach into the water.

Not that I am recommending store bought wood. I am simply saying store bought wood is safer, as there is somewhat of an assurance it is acceptable for use. When collecting wood, you have to know what to look for, as not every piece of wood is acceptable. Avoid green (fresh) wood, avoid decaying wood, avoid pines, and avoid any soft wood.


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## BillD (May 17, 2005)

Lots of cedar is sold as driftwood. Mopani and Malaysian bogwood are a relatively new type of wood sold for aquarium use. However, woods of all types have been used over the years. If a piece has been submerged for a long time, most likely everything has leached out of it. Wood that is submerged tend to last a long time as it isn't exposed to oxygen. Sunken logs from many years ago are being reclaimed from the bottoms of lake and rendered into lumber. They remain perfectly preserved at the bottom of the lake.


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