# I Do not want to Buy Driftwood



## Byronicle

I Do not want to Buy Driftwood, it is really expensive! is there a way that i can just go collect it and sterilize it somehow? is it possible to actually collect wood straight from the forest and use that instead after sterilizing it?


----------



## Hitch

I know it has been done before, using wood found in woods and washed up and all. I dont know how to sterlize it as I never did myself, but I would imagine its a painful process and risk of pesticides on the wood and such.

As for drift wood, the hard wood from stores and such are expensive. You can keep your eyes peeled for people selling their old driftwood (I have gotten tones of wood this way for like $10-15).

I recently got into Manzanita wood, and have fully decorated 2 20gal longs with these wood and only costing me $35 in total. One tank having 4 30" long wide curved branches that are like 2" in diameter, other having about 8 very nicely curved branches that range from 12" to 30", but thinner about 0.5" to 1" diameter. Though manzanita wood is more expensive per lb, but if you just get branches and not the stumps, most of the branches weigh almost nothing..plus, they are beautiful wood.


----------



## twoheadedfish

wood and rocks. two things I despise paying for. can you believe an LFS charges by the POUND? for ROCKS? wtf? they're rocks. BY THE POUND. egads....


----------



## Jackson

Well I was told you can use old dead oak that is found in the woods. Boil it for 4rhs or more at a time and do this twice.

As for rocks you can buy river rocks and others that are safe to be used in tanks at home depot or other garden centers.


----------



## Hitch

or any rock query or landscape places.


----------



## AquaNeko

Jackson said:


> Well I was told you can use old dead oak that is found in the woods. Boil it for 4rhs or more at a time and do this twice.
> 
> As for rocks you can buy river rocks and others that are safe to be used in tanks at home depot or other garden centers.


+1 on River rocks. Any garden center would have it cheaper. I think it was $7.99 for a ~20L bag. I got some for a gardening project at Kennedy & Steeles. You pick your own as long as the bag has enough room on the top for them to tie the bag cinched fill to your hearts content on the sizings.

You can pick up from the local stream as well. They are small enough fit a pot to boil. Driftwood I would probably buy from the LFS or used. I've never messed around with finding my own as I'm not living by a lake/ocean.


----------



## CanadaPleco

I have never paid for rocks, and havent paid for wood in over 2 years either. I also live 2 hrs north of Toronto so all this stuff is virtually in my backyard. If you take a drive, you can use pretty much any rocks you find in a river as well as the wood. Pretty easy to tell hard woods from softs, have to stay away from cedar for sure unless its real old then it is fine. I have also taken wood from my backyard (forest) without any problems. No boiling or anything, wood doesnt get boiled in nature when it enters water....


----------



## Sagittarius-Aquarius

I'm pretty sure, if you're willing to take pollutant risks, boiling it will help. I've never personally done it, but I know it has been done. I'm sure if you're worried you can boil it several times and longer, but this may affect the wood so I'm not 100% sure.
But yes, boiling it has worked for others.


----------



## gucci17

For the city people, go check out garden centres. Sometimes they have driftwood for landscaping. It's supposed to be a hell of a lot cheaper. Doesn't hurt to call around.


----------



## Byronicle

gucci17 said:


> For the city people, go check out garden centres. Sometimes they have driftwood for landscaping. It's supposed to be a hell of a lot cheaper. Doesn't hurt to call around.


which garden centres would you suggest?


----------



## AquaNeko

Byronicle said:


> which garden centres would you suggest?


Well where are you located? I already mentioned one area which is Steeles & Kennedy (across from Pacific Mall. YOU CAN NOT MISS THEM no matter how distracted you are)

A word of warning a 20L bag is something like 50-60lbs. The girls at the cashier seem like resonable people and one guy that helped me with loading before named 'Jason' was a nice guy. He wears glasses and works in the loading area. I would ask the girls at cash if you can after loading out one bag of rocks if you can split down the bag you have into two bags for eaier carry should you be travelling by transit. At least you can offload half the weight into a bag while holding the other in hand. I know when I spoke with them about the pea gravel they did say I could split down into two bags over the phone.

At this time of year right now you have to hurry because I don't think they would be resupplying anymore stock. River Rock is always there and their garden center is an open space so you can see right away their stock.

http://www.millikenfarms.com/

PS I don't work for them.


----------



## Byronicle

gucci17 said:


> For the city people, go check out garden centres. Sometimes they have driftwood for landscaping. It's supposed to be a hell of a lot cheaper. Doesn't hurt to call around.





Byronicle said:


> which garden centres would you suggest?





AquaNeko said:


> Well where are you located? I already mentioned one area which is Steeles & Kennedy (across from Pacific Mall. YOU CAN NOT MISS THEM no matter how distracted you are)
> 
> A word of warning a 20L bag is something like 50-60lbs. The girls at the cashier seem like resonable people and one guy that helped me with loading before named 'Jason' was a nice guy. He wears glasses and works in the loading area. I would ask the girls at cash if you can after loading out one bag of rocks if you can split down the bag you have into two bags for eaier carry should you be travelling by transit. At least you can offload half the weight into a bag while holding the other in hand. I know when I spoke with them about the pea gravel they did say I could split down into two bags over the phone.
> 
> At this time of year right now you have to hurry because I don't think they would be resupplying anymore stock. River Rock is always there and their garden center is an open space so you can see right away their stock.
> 
> http://www.millikenfarms.com/
> 
> PS I don't work for them.


Hey thanks, I know that place but I am looking for driftwood...


----------



## ameekplec.

walk out into forest. Pick up anything that isn't pine (for the most part). Strip off bark, boil (if you can) or submerge in a tub in bleach for an hour or two, and then let it dry out. You can soak it in prime or something to neutralize the bleach if you're concerned about it after.

Or stick it in a big autoclave if you have access and clearance to do so.


----------



## damianrosario2000

*driftwood*

besides boiling it you need to make sure it does not release any more tanines to the water. in order to do this is recommendable to let the wood be on water for around 6 months (until it no longer dyes the water). it works for me. or if you dont want to wait you can collect wood that has already been on the water (from a lake/river).


----------



## Hitch

Tannin removal is not really necessay. It's more of a personal
aesthetic. Tannin in water is actually benefitial for most fiah of this hobby.

But yes, if you want tannin removal. Soaking works greats, the fastest way would be some hardcore boiling.


----------

