# Safe aquarium driftwood



## vrb th hrb (Feb 20, 2010)

hey all, looking to get some input on safe driftwood I can source in northern ontario myself. going to be mucking around in muskoka in the spring looking for some branchy bits to add to my 125gal. This will be driftwood im finding underwater or on the shoreline and I will have ability to boil it before adding it to my tanks.

Types of wood available:
Pine
Alder
Spruce
Beech
Poplar
Elm
Hemlock
Maple

I wouldnt think the conifers like pine would be safe as they might leech tar/sap. Anyone with experience in these please provide some input, thanks
Mike


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## CoralConnoisseur (Mar 5, 2014)

Following along for this.

I have a friend in northern Ontario with a massive beaver pond. Easily 3+ acres.

As soon as we get a list of "good wood" I will get him to be on the look out.


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## vrb th hrb (Feb 20, 2010)

my parents land backs onto a huge beaver pond, lots of fresh wood in the spring and fall. my pops brought home a piece of driftwood from his cabin in wawa too, not sure of the type so i havent put it in my tank yet


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## CoralConnoisseur (Mar 5, 2014)

I have contacted my friend north. He says the beavers eat majority poplar, and seem to only go at the hard wood when they're teeth need to be filed down. They also do not eat the bark from any hardwood they have been chewing on.
Sounds like an endless supply of poplar, but the others will be less common. At least from the pond I speak of.

I hope we can get something figured out with this thread. I do not have a fresh tank anymore, but would have no problem bringing down some good old northern driftwood if it could help some freshies, or at least save them a few bucks.

edit: did some quick online research, softwood is not a good idea. As the OP stated, pine is also a bad idea. The article was vague about what hard wood. They did recognize maple, ash and oak. All these types are fairly common in the north.


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## vrb th hrb (Feb 20, 2010)

yea the piece of driftwood my dad gave me is oak. its super dry and gray/silver in colour with no bark. poplar grows fast and is soft, I dont think it's a option at all. I'd think from my time in the woods that you'd get the nicest/most mangled interesting pieces from oak. Unfortunately alot of the time oak doesnt grow near the water.

hmm, well lets try to find out more


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

I am using, lilac, mulberry,maple, willow, and assorted others, including one I found in the park and have no idea what it is. You will often see cedar in aquarium stores. If a wood has been in water for a long time, even softwoods are probably safe. If you have wood eaters, soft woods such as willow may be a good choice. Norway type maples are a very soft wood, and they sink in a day or two. getting wood isn't a problem; getting interesting wood is. Usually the most interesting wood comes from the root area.


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## bob123 (Dec 31, 2009)

Stay clear of Pine and Spruce also I've been told no Cedar.


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

I have heard the no cedar many times, but, it is one of the more common woods available in stores. It is also well weathered, which may make it fine. Perhaps we need to differentiate between wood, live or dry, that is sunk to decorate a tank, and actual driftwood, or swamp wood that has been submerged for a period of time and is waterlogged.


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## vrb th hrb (Feb 20, 2010)

I'm looking for either or really, fresh or dry driftwood or bogwood. I should've thought of the willow as I have a brand of sera food that contains willow and alder wood for my panaque. 

have you used fresh or dried willow with any success?


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

I have some dried willow (about a month now) in a tank with a couple BN plecos. It took a few days to sink, but it is now down. There is tons of it across the road from my house, courtesy of last years ice storm. Interestingly, I once heard that willow would not sink once dried. Clearly not true.


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