Save MONEY & Avoid The DANGERS of Collecting DRIFTWOOD for your AQUARIUM 10 Tips for Safe Fish Tanks
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- čas přidán 5. 01. 2022
- * PLEASE CHECK WHERE YOU CAN LEGALLY COLLECT WOOD, WHEN IN DOUBT, STAY ON PRIVATE PROPERTY
Save Money, Avoid Toxic Wood. The DANGER LIST for wood and Driftwood being used in your aquarium or fish tank aquascape!
1. NO Toxic woods
60,000 trees / wood.
hemlock, cedar, cherry, almond, bosse, brazil wood, poplar, cashew, sassafrass, rosewood,, wormwood, Australian Cyprus, Doug fir, ebony, ironwood, teak, yew, fresh oak, mulga, iroko, milky mangrove, sumak, bitter Almond,sweet chestnut olive,mahogany, orange, oleander, grapewood , black walnut, juniper, or
2.b - no (3 fs),fungicides, pesticides, fossil fuels or fertilizers
3. Mold and decay + green wood
4. Debug/debark/ remove moss lichen
5. Harder the wood the better
6. Time 3S (seasoning) sun, salt and soaking ...
7- - boil or (sun bleach )
8. Soak ( never use soap)
9. Test wood in 5 gallon bucket ph/ammonia /nitrates
10.Use a hatchet or saw (roots look best)
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Oh oh Alex, you had an oop's. Ammonia doesn't evaporate quiet like you mentioned. Ammonia turns into the safer ammonium from pH 6.8 and lower.
Oh shoot, thank you! I did 3 takes filming this and in 2 I explained it probably...I guess I left out this (or perhaps this is incorrect? I'd love a source or rather more info on it, if I have it incorrect, though!
Essentially my understanding is that ammonia is the most toxic, but it's always in a fixed ratio with ammonium- the non-gas form of ammonia, which is far less toxic, and less dangerous to fish.
Every time ph decreases by 1 ph unit it gets safer 10 fold or rather- exponentially with each full point decrease in ph. So exponentially more ammonium is created and the ammonia is processed via bio filter or may also evaporate out as well.
I wasn't aware there was a cut off point of 6.8 ph where something chemically happened. I had been told that 6.4 was "probably safe" and thus said by 6 it would evaporate out and the ammonium is left over with such trace amounts of ammonia it wouldn't be of any harm.
Do I have that incorrect? 🤔 I'll definitely pin this comment to clear that up! Thanks, Alex.
@@Fishtory You have the idea/principles pretty much correct.
It's been many decades (back in the 60's) since I learned about ammonia & ammonium so I can't really explain the exact scientific terms or the how's, something relating to ions I think.
From my experience though... My tap pH here in New England (CT & NH) has always been 6.8 and very soft water, GH & KH - 0. We all know over time tank water's pH slowly drops. But I do frequent water changes so it stays between 6.6 - 6.8. Which in turn keeps my nitrates 20 and below. I should mention that I use the API liquid test kits.
My display tanks with substrate, a few plants, HOB for water polishing (not so much bacterial filtering) and light to medium fish loads my pH - 6.8, ammonia - 0, nitrite - 0, nitrate - 10 to 20 (fluctuates do to water changes). I do 25 - 30% weekly water changes.
Now the scary setups LOL! My bare rearing tanks with just algae on the glass and sponge filters. pH - 6.8, ammonia - off the chart (to high to read), nitrite - 0, nitrates - 10 - 20. I do 50% water changes every other day. The juvenile fish all do fine, no burned gills or fins.
I did a quick Google search and found this:
aquariumfishdepot.com/blogs/afd-blog/ammonia-and-ammonium-what-s-the-difference
@@James_Hande thanks!
I really loved the tid bit at the end of the article! I definitely want to discuss that on my channel. The gills are an incredible organ!
I still can't find info on, at what ph, there is 0 chance of ammonia ...maybe it doesn't exist? but it becomes so dilute it doesn't matter in the 6.xx range?
@@Fishtory I think PH really starts to change water chemistry below 6.8 or 6.5 not a hundred percent but I believe low 6's
@@knyghtryder3599 yeah I said 6 because I didn't remember the exact number. But now we're trying to sort that out here in the "foot notes" hehe. Thanks
No, you aren’t fancy and flashy. You are very, very intelligent, interesting and you are my go to for questions. I am a newby, I haven’t even taken my aquarium out of the box yet. I’m going on vacation for a week and I want to spend some time and I am trying to research so I think I have learned tremendously from you. Father Fish , LBR. Thank you Alex!
Aww thank you so kindly. This means the world to me, to read. Best luck to you and your tanks!
I am always amused by how hesitant FW aquarists are at adding items from nature , while the SW hobby is based on it , live rock / live sand , the principles are the same and I find it is insanely easy to use wood and rocks that haven't been sitting on a warehouse floor for months first .....
Exactly.
Agreed. As a creator I'm way more cautious than as a keeper...I try lots of cooky ideas and things from ponds and lakes all the time lol...I would feel bad if I ruined someone else's tank thougg
@@Fishtory
I think if you stick to the facts, and give a balanced view, then you carry no blame.
Even if you didn't, their fault for listening to someone on the internet without confirming.
@Sanguine I think if he started handing out faulty data he might start losing followers.
@@Fishtory Not a strike against you or any other creator, actually most are open to experiments , mostly just average hobbyists , just how much more timid the average FW hobbyist is than SW like how common it is for SW hobbyists to throw a lump of beach rock that was transported from the tropics into an expensive setup he he he , by the way your tips were phenomenal , in terms of reliable simplicity avoid aromatics avoid large pits and seeds , all spot on stuff thanks for getting the good info out their and accessible ! Great vid
My guide for wood. 1. Dead wood. 2. Root systems primarily 3. Hardwoods. 4. Soak in the sun. 5. Soak in salt water 6. Soak in fresh water.
Seems sound to me haha...there's a few exceptions (if it smells aromatic or like pine/cedar or chemicals...let it soak longer.)
@@Fishtory
Aged underwater cedar is very easy to find where I live. I've made decorative fences out of this wood fished out of lakes.
I'm always assuming that people have access to nature like I do and getting quite amused each time I see people pay ca$h and buy small bags of rocks twigs and bark.
Maybe I should start a marketplace business 🤔
I started watching you a couple years ago. The majority of important factors when it comes to the science of nature and running essentially a Waltad method (indirectly) aquarium I learned from you. The majority of CZcamsrs in this hobby are glorified Aquarium Co-Op sales people.
I started a channel a year ago. I pass on many things you've said, put it to the test and show people. Along with personal tips and tricks I learned from getting my hands wet.
Whoever reads this. Listen to this man. He is a rarity of honest hobbyist. When you teach, you don't need high tech equipment because you're trying help, not create a Network television show.
Thanks bro. 🤙
Thanks man, it means a lot to hear this. I try my best to not over complicate the hobby...ironically by making "boring" long complicated videos hahah. But I have turned down a lot of deals to work with various industry companies or other channels, and I know it hasn't helped the channel at all financially or in growing- except for all the folks that do come here are really interesting and serious thinkers and creative or caring people, and I'd much rather have 20k folks like that, than 100k subs who don't care and just clicked some video bragging about a fancy tank or flashy production (although, if i had the time or more so, money- I suppose I'd source an editor to make it slightly more flashy, or buying t he rights to use natl geo film etc. haha. ).
I hope 2022 is going well for you and I'll have to come check out your channel! Thank you again, for all you said. Cheers
@@Fishtory When your teaching for fun because your hobby is your passion. There's absolutely nothing wrong with accepting benefits and an income some how.
You got there honestly. Videos are long for a reason. You can't explain anything about all this in a 2min video. If you actually enjoy it yourself as a veiwer. I want to see and learn it all, it shouldn't be a shock to anyone that a 20min run down is cutting it short in itself.
Thanks again man!
Someone showing me a 3min video of a perfect CO2 run Aquarium show piece, it's like watching a lie.
I just wanted to say I love your channel name- my neighbor is weirdly insistent I drink their tap water, I don't know why (I was like, have you seen the local tap water report hyperlink by zip code on the Berkey website? Ours came out pink and chunky once and they told us to drink it, so the State sued and won, and we've been paying that judgement on our water bills since- after THEY inadvertently poisoned US! 😝 Gotta hand it to governments)
@@voluntaryismistheanswer , I appreciate it! Thanks for sharing your tap water story. I love it! 🤙
@@voluntaryismistheanswer thanks my friend... and holy he'll that's gnarly lol
Great information Alex. Thank you for sharing this.
This is so informative! Great job, fantastic reporting!🌻🌼🐝 Keep it up 🙌
Thanks for the video. Your willingness to share knowledge is appreciated.
100% thanks for coming by and dropping a line!
Thank you, you answered several of the questions I had been pondering.
Why of course! Thanks for tuning in! Cheers
Super good info. Thanks! First time coming across your channel, your community tank there looks awesome! What are the fish that look like neon tetras but have fancy fins, and fhe ones that look like neons without the red stripe?
Thanks for this list! I just emailed you regarding rosewood roots and then found this. Glad I found out it’s not safe.
This the best video on this subject that I have found! Watched it a few times. Love your channel! Thank you so much!
Thanks :) there are 900 other videos to watch, if you like the channel haha. I really appreciate the words of encouragement. Thank you.
Your videos are always so informative really appreciate them. You look all healed up and doing a lot better!
I'm feeling much better, thank you! Lupus is a disease that has flares and remission... so hopefully I'll be okay for a bit
Thanks for all the very useful information just wanted to say your tanks are absolutely beautiful haven’t seen fishtanks quite like yours before.
Thank you kindly :) I just love natural looking jungle tanks :)
Thanks for this video🤙 I live in Maui so I appreciate you mentioning some pacific woods to avoid.
100% Glad it was of use to you :)
Just turned my alerts on. Thanks for the reminder and the great video!
Oh right on! I appreciate it 🙏 thank you kindly
Thank you so much for this!! We have a lot of great driftwood Around the Lake Cumberland area here I've collected several pieces and I've thrown them into an old swimming pool outside until spring. Thanks for the great information on making sure the pieces I found are safe!! Always great advice and education from you and from other commenters!! I appreciate you Alex and everyone!! Have a wonderful and blessed day! 🙏💕🥰🌿🐟🌿
Oh exciting! That should leave you with some cool wood choices out there! The forests are so diverse and beautiful ! 😍 have a great Sunday Mary Paige. Hugs
I don't think you had a moment where information wasn't coming out your mouth! Information machine! Subbed, liked, bells on! Stay safe!
Haha right on, welcome to full time fishnerdia. Thanks
Thanks again 🐠 beautiful tanks. Alex 🤓🎸
Thanks, Alex. I've been wanting more information on this! 😁
Oh great. Please feel free to suggest any topics and I'm happy to cover them..or research it at least
@@Fishtory Thanks again! That’s awesome! I bet I will come up with some.
This is great, Alex. Thank you so much. I’ve saved this in my info for my largest tank (180g) that I’m about to set up. I appreciate your sharing this knowledge. You’re the best! Thanks again!
Hey no problem! I was curious to look up the Toxic Wood list also. I just research and share it while I remember it...ask me in a year and I may not know lol. So the channel is a nice outlet or "journal" of my thoughts or questions being answered for my own selfish reasons....and I'm happy others are also wondering the same things too!
Let me know when your new tank is all set up! That sounds awesome. Cheers Bunny!
This video was very helpful! Thank you 😊
I'm so happy to hear it. Cheers
I got a $40 piece of wood from the fish shop and talked them down because it had some burn marks, then came home and burnt it more. Hahaha, I bought it because it was half burnt, but wanted a more all-over bush fire-looking dead tree-type thing. It is red hardwood eucalyptus. I know it's safe as I've used that type of wood before that I have collected. Most hardwood is alright except for a few, at least Aussie natives. Also, apple tree wood is great as well. Rule of thumb, the older looking the wood the better. I have some big huge pieces I collected at the beach here. Will soak and rinse thoroughly. There are fewer that are unsafe here in Australia. Eucalyptus sounds dangerous, but only new wood, not old wood without sap. BTW never had a problem with burnt surface wood. That is why I burn it and make sure it doesn't go to deep into the wood and I scrub the be-jj out of it and take off any loose carbonated wood, just leaving edges of the dark carbon wood. It gives a spooky effect.
Hahaha awesome!
I was thinking about drilling a hole in the center and burning out the center of a big piece I found to hollow it out. Would think a natural burn would make it better, but not sure...
I live in Australia. I have a Eucalyptus branch that I left out in the sun over the summer. What do you scrub your wood with?
Great video! Super informative 👌
Thanks!
Awesome video, great info 👍
Thanks Ian! I appreciate it bro
Excellent video. I used sycamore for my tank which I obtained from a fallen tree that exposed many of the roots. So I used the roots which looked fantastic and realistic.
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing what wood you've worked with successfully! Cheers
Interesting as always, Alex … and my ‘lerts ’ are on 🤪💃🏼💃🏼💃🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
Haha I suspected your 'lertz" wuz on! You are so faithful and it means the world that you are interested in what I'm creating here! Cheers
Hey It was great meeting you at AQUARIUM ZEN. Its always cool to connect with people in the hobby close to me. I too collected Dry long dead wood for my tank. Saves soo much money.
Oh right on! Thanks for dropping a line. I hope you're doing well
Thanks Alex,I have a lot of juniper in my tanks, but most of it I've dragged around for over11 years!
Right on! The list of trees to avoid basically applies to their pitch or saw and greenwood in most cases. Very few will kill fish in a way other than tannins/ ph shock.
Also, I collect cedar and Doug fir/pines from the beach too...but fresh it's hazardous to fish
You are my top 5 to get emergency information!
Just found you and enjoy the content. Been trying to get a large piece of driftwood to sink and not float. Have it soaking on a 5 gal bucket of boiling water and like all your info on wood. Also love that you show your beautiful tanks rather than your mug while taling. too many people show us thier faces when we'd rather see thier fish lOl
Thank you kindly, and welcome!
Great video! Thanks bro I've been collecting wood but not sure how to cure.
Just letting sunlight (uv b) rays disinfect/ sunbleach it and that also allows bugs time to crawl out/or die after you've soaked it or poured boiling water over it. Then also bacteria and Fungi break down the aromatic oils and some tannins usually too.
Thank you for this info 👍👍
You know it!
Living in DM, Iowa, I live between 2 rivers and have several lakes and ponds within comfy driving distance. Gonna have to take some of these tips with me when I go to harvest for spring tank setups.
Best of luck to you!
Hello from the other side of Iowa! I’m by the Mississippi so after our flood this year it was so much fun collecting driftwood.
I luck out as this time of the year they open locks and drain down the river. It protects the shorelines, houses etc from ice flows that happen over the course of winter. It makes for a great day to walk the shorelines that are normally not accessible most of the year. It allows me to get up on the banks to the sunbaked seasoned woods as well as collecting various rocks. Not to mention makes for great tines to do youtube videos or lives. Great video to help those looking to collect their own woods. Thanks for sharing.
Totally. I'll have to keep and eye out for your videos from the river!
@@Fishtory I did a few last year and a few years prior so their on my channel. Haven't had much time to get out now, but hopefully soon.
Great video content as always
Thank you
Cool subject mate 🌿
Thanks
👍👍👍👍👍Great video...
Great info. I live in Florida and the idea of collecting wood sounds good but at the same time I would have no idea what is what out there.
I'd learn to identify a few key species (red, white and yellow mangroves, Cyprus, coconut palms, and mulberry maybe?) Then keep an eye our for those as you visit spots
@@FishtoryMulberry tree? I knew the leaves were good for shrimp but wood for aquarium? I have one outside my bedroom window 🪟! It needs pruned really bad so now I think I'm getting excited LOL
Great info ❤️
Thanks Laura
I have a cedar stump that is the perfect proportion for my paludarium. It was water logged for a couple seasons and has sense been sitting in the yard for a few years but I still have some reservations. I'm thinking about coating it in drylok just in case.
That old, should be okay
As usual, love your videos and the information provided. I have two nitpicks in this videos to discuss ( and one is *really* pedantic ;) )
1. - Activated carbon from wood burned in a forest fire. I'd be careful about generalizing wood burned in a forest fires as 'activated carbon'. Carbon, sure, activated, not so much
2. - Manzanita from a high desert (this is the pedantic one :) ). A chaparral slope, or woodlands, but high desert? As a side note, lived most of my young life in the foothills leading to lake tahoe and hated having to hike through this bush. Now older, and living far from there, and being fascinated by aquaria and love being able to decorate my aquariums with safe, local natural resources, I miss that horrid, but beautiful shrub and wish I had access to it! Trying several nice pieces of native common hornbeam now, I'll let you know how that goes!
Peace!!
I appreciate it and i agree but i also wanted to elaborate a bit. I was speaking about the manzanita in Eastern Washington near Lake Chelan, specifically at 4,000 feet elevation. But I know that's a pocket and not where it all comes from... there's also big swaths of it in Arizona and New Mexico Desert ridges and sky islands.
As for the carbon...yes your right in that it's not usually activated carbon when a campfire or low intensity fire burns, however here in Washington stage and the PNW we get fires that burn hundreds of thousands of acres. When they burn this hot, it becomes a firestorm with fire devils aka cat 1. tornadoes and the atmospheric oxygen can be pulled to the fire from hundreds of meters away ...in several cases a lack of oxygen and not the smoke or heat has killed woodland firefighters. When things burn that hot and fast, they also burn things under ground and roots can smolder for literally months. This can create the actual conditions for a flameless and extremely low oxygen burn. So you'll find stumps that have been turned to charcoal and not just charr or carbonized wood.
You are amazing and super interesting!
Haha well thanks. That is very kind of you to say. I'm glad you dig what um doing! Cheers my friend!
Good info!
Thanks Ginger! You rock. I hope you're doing well in the year 2022 so far!
Wow! Thank you! Absolutely one of your best and most informative videos!❤️❤️❤️
Thanks...this one was for YOU! :)
Thanks for the great resource Alex. I was wondering where you sourced the harmful list and if it includes things like Ivy where necessary as it's not really a tree. I've just taken the Ivy off the side of the house and have lots of interesting root structures that would look great in a tank but I don't know if it's safe to use.
It is just trees ... the bush and vine list is huuuuge. But i looked up "material safety data sheets" on the various woods one by one...and if its safe to inhale and or ingest, i then searched more to make sure there were no reddit or forum posts about issues...and likewise mentioned where there were issues
Another SUPERB video Alex.
Love the cow skull shaped piece of wood in the tetra tank( or was that just me?) and the tetras are beautiful. I need to go back to one of your earlier vids to get their name again.
👍😁❤🌎🌎🌎
My general rule I use is ,no evergreens.
Is eucalyptus safe do you know?
Tea tree and eucalyptus are safe when they no longer smell or give off oils and froth. Good question
In my area, there aren't very many of those bad varieties dropping limbs in the river. And the river or the lake Michigan lake shore is the only place I collect. It has to be drifting or drifted in water to call it drift wood. I bake it in the sun and after a few weeks I soak it under water with weights.
I had thought about going to a local lake to look for driftwood, but the moment you mentioned no fossil fuels, I reconsidered. The boats and whatnot often leave a barely noticeable slick on the water that accumulates at the shores, and I bet it soaks into everything! I can't imagine that'd be good for my fish. 😅 Thanks for the tips and insights!
Yeah find a small lake or giant ocean to avoid that haha
Thank you Alex 😁👍
Thank YOU
I come back here again and now thing are more clear , thanks for this video… wandering if you have a video talking about soil ? Or beach sand to adapt it to a fresh water aquarium , sorry for the over asking but since I’m watching your videos I find out florida would offer me everything
I have one on substrates that should help! But maybe ill do one on soil specifically. Thanks
@@Fishtory thank youuuuu
Thank you Alex! Grape Wood is bad! I was gifted a lot of it ~ had hoped to use it for plecos. First did some research. Did find mention that the wood contains SUGAR. Had some concerns 🤔 Made a post to one of the groups on Facebook ~ two people said they were using it in their aquariums. Still wasn't convinced. Thank you ~ you I trust! Beautiful wood ~ but, not in my tanks!
Sure thing. I'm reasoning that if it is toxic to humans and mice in tests... it's potentially an issue for fish. But I looked up all the material data sheets for wood workers and exposure reports from poison control for my sources, on top of any info that was just reported a lot on forums or from my own trial and error in soaking tubs with guppies ...such as fresh cedars, choke cherry, black walnut or other woods we know can be an issue first hand. Have a great day!
Thanks for the upload! Very helpful. Do you have any idea about how safe Mountain Laurel from the North East, US is? I know the leaves are poisonous to livestock. I've had a piece drying my basement for about seven years. EDIT: I turned my bell alert on!
I do not know off hand unfortunately. It is not listed in the harmful to humans category once "processed" AKA dried or cured, but I have no data available concerning laurels and fish. Sorry
@@Fishtory That's okay! I really appreciate the reply.
Thanks Alex. I came back to watch this again for the 4th time, maybe? Hahah. Question for you. I am interested in using birch bark, which is clean and was previously sustainably harvested some years ago, from a paper birch tree. I have a 1 cm diameter hose in an aquarium, and was thinking that wrapping it in birch bark could transform it into something really attractive, resembling a birch stick or log.
I know that you recommended debarking. My assumption is that this is because most barks are messy, decompose quickly, and could harbour a lot of insects and rot. The reason for specifically asking about birch bark is that it is a unique bark, in the sense that it is waterproof, does not host pests, and does not decompose easily. We have made canoes out of it in North America, after all :-o.
My intuition tells me that, being waterproof, it is probably relatively inert. My apprehension is that, who knows, maybe it could still leach something? Of course, testing it would be wise. That said, do you have any experience with birch bark or know anything about its safety?
Live on the shores of lake ontario does cold effect the driftwood ..thanks🇨🇦😀
If anything it will detoxify it faster. The freezing and thawing creates ruptures on the cell walls of lignin and cellulose which then leads to the tannins and oils leaching out faster. So if it looks white or sun/water bleached it's likely safe. If it's still red or green at all/has a bunch of bark, it's probably not ready
My plecos love different wood over the years they have eaten pounds of wood. A dried out bush had been my best peace of wood.
Good stuff! I noticed you didnt mention the Pinus genus in the list of bad woods. Im curious about this because I live in Georgia and we have lots of it here. When they die the sap wood rots away relatively quickly, leaving the heart wood behind.
This heart wood can have some spectacular shapes that would look very appealing in an aquarium. My concern is that the heart wood preserves so well because it is jam packed with the resins that used to be harvested to make terpentine before we learned to synthesize it.
After sitting in the elements for some years, the visible surface of the wood seems to lose these resins but if you cut into it youll find that it is still very much present internally.
Do you have any knowledge of how this wood might affect an aquatic ecosystem?
Yeah...so if you have sapwood and or lighterfat knoddules...theyll leech into the water for yeaaaars...but other than those after 6 months to a year under water, most pine becomes safe. But its in that whole evergreen grouping, i just should have made it clearer. Its possible especially if aged in the ocean first, and then washed up on a beach in UV sun light...but i dont ever use windfall evergreens for any aquariums
Hey do you think i can use driftwood i find on the beach here on whidbey island in Coupeville WA? For my 150 gallon native largemouth bass tank? Going fishing for salmon in one hour. And going to be keeping an eye out for stuff for my new tank
Have to agree with using Orange Trees… I have boiled it close to 8 hrs and tannins are still leaking like crazy. I did notice it only leaks with very hot water.
Thanks for the info!
I enjoy your video every time and, I set the notification bell for mine:-) To convert shrimp only tank to cory tank, I bought malaysian driftwood and spider wood and I did gentle boil (medium high/medium heat) for 90 min.I did not change water. I did not full boil the wood to clear water in the pot. Color of water was light british tea color. I put wood after quick rinse and rotating spider wood brunch section during 90 min for spider wood because all did not fit well. I assumed if I did not boil long enough,it would leach more tannin into the tank.The shrimp tank is already got tannin water anyway from cholla wood and almond leaves, and I knew tannin is a good antibacterial property and good one, I did not do full boil or changing water during the wood in the pan. Am I going to be in trouble? If not full bopil, I am not killing bugs or ad bacteria that could kill the fish? Wood is already in the tank..Malaysian wood sank fine but spiderwood floated upside down so weighing the spider wood with malaysian driftwood for now. These spider wood floats very very long time with gentle cooking at medium high heat? I also forgot some wood still would float a while for bigger than pots kind of wood and, After wood cooled, I already glued some plants on it.. I hope this spider wood would sink soon like malaysian driftwood and also I hope both woods I put in would not bring in any unwanted cause to make fish sick because of those were not full boiled but gentle medium high heat for 90 min.. I need to keep close eye on PH a bit too.My water is ph8 so if water got softer, it might work in the cory's favor but..I got Nerite and shrimp in that tank right now and I hope I did not do anything harm to them... The tank itself I put wood in is already cycled. I got wood from Flip aquatics so safer than collecting woods myself I think.
I think you'll be fine. Just give it some time. I've used spiderwood without soaking/boiling it at all. It sometimes grows clear slime...but it's good fish, snail or shrimp food and totally safe...and goes away in a few weeks at most. Thanks for tuning in my friend. Best of luck
@@Fishtory Thank you. Spider wood is still floating in the tank,malaysian driftwood was sinking from yesterday and I am using the dragon stone and malaysian drift wood to weigh the spiderwood down in the tank for now.So tank look messy now. How long did it take for your spiderwood to sink without any weight over them? I am not sure if it is coincidence or not but I lost 2 cherry shrimps.. I have not had death like this before..I think I check PH later ..it is possible me putting my hands in the tank much more than I normally would have stressed some out and lead to death...
Excellent video! Can walnut wood ever be used in an aquarium?
If it has soaked for like 2 years and then been sun bleached...yes, all wood becomes safe from what I've read. But it does have some nasty toxins (specifically black walnut being the worst)
I just subscribed after watching a few of your vids. I've been collecting and soaking and boiling wood the past few days, not really knowing what I was doing, or if it will be safe, this is exactly what I needed. Your videos are long and a bit boring, not flashy at all, but filled with valuable information for people who want to build, develop and grow a natural system rather than buy a lot of expensive high tech technology, which may or may not be helpful. I'm just getting back into aquariums after a 40 year break, a lot has changed in the industry, so much more available now. I used to have huge Cichlid tanks filled with limestone rocks and fully planted tanks with mixed tropical fish, very little technology available back then. These days I don't have as much room available, so I'm going Nano, to start with anyway. I have a couple of spare rooms I could clear out if I wanted to. Frustratingly waiting for my first tiny 5 liter tank to arrive, shrimp and snails living in a bucket, patiently waiting for their new home.
I wish you the best of luck and im sure the wait will make it all the more rewarding in the end
Whoa! That neon tetra with extra long fins. I've never seen that one. My first thought was "I bet it's called long finned neon tetra" and then I looked it up...
What kind of tetra is that with the long fins? It looks like a neon tetra with long fins. I hit the bell.😊
Great video. It would have been helpful to mention the Trees that are GOOD........
All the ones i didnt say are bad lol. But most people avoid conifers, pines and cedar etc. And jungle species or ironwood, manzaneta, cholla and mopani are all great. Any wood is safe if its been sun bleached and soaked long enough... if it looks white and pale ...
Love the gold ring danio.
They're my favorite danio I think
I was surprised to hear that cherry is on the not use list. My unqualified guess would have been that it would be safe, because cherries are good to eat. 😄 Best to check every tree species first, clearly. Thanks so much for the video.
There are some safe cherry trees but others have toxins in the wood, and some have tannic acid and butyric acids. Enough time and any wood is safe to use, but I didn't want to lead anyone astray and used the cdc and OSHA safety data sheets for wood working and service animals around wood (who would have thought that existed?! lol)
@@Fishtory Wow, there are wood safety data sheets for service animals? I'm learning so much new stuff today. 😃 That does make sense though. Dogs chew on lots of things.
@@Fishtory Interesting. Cherry pits have a chemical which converts to cyanide, so I am guessing that might also be present in the wood to some degree.
I was actually surprised to hear ironwood on the list. That is a common name used for a couple different trees though. I am assuming you were talking about American Hornbeam. If so I am wondering if it might be the same as oak (being that it is in the oak/birch family) in that only new wood might cause an issue. I might try to run a test at some point because it has such an interesting structure (which is why its also called musclewood).
I tend to assume (to some degree and always do a bit more research) that trees growing along the local stream banks are more likely to be aquarium safe. So far I have had luck with American Sycamore (a plane tree technically not the sycamore maple). It tends to have some gnarly root structures and due to the nature of the bark it seems to get that driftwood/sunbleached look a lot. The one wood I frequent a lot while searching streams is rhododendron, which I avoid as I know it is toxic wood to humans so I don't risk it with fish.
@@carvedwood1953 hey good thinking! The Rhododendron is my state's flower/plant in WA and yes it has something called (I think) rhodotoxin that is a unique compound to the plants. As for the ironwood, yes- Hornbeam and it did say that only greenwood or freshly fallen wood was most likely to cause nasea, vomiting, hives and muscle cramping.
Some of the trees are simply on that list due to the concentrate of tannins it mentioned in the sources. Enough time and any wood becomes inert. Best of luck and thanks for sharing your experiences with me! People ask constantly haha
@@Fishtory Thanks for putting out great content. Your Aquarium keeping style is right up my alley.
That is awesome your state flower is Rhododendron. Ours is the Mountain Laurel (PA), a related plant that is smaller and not as water loving.
Most of the poison cases concerning Rhododendron are due to people burning and inhaling the toxic smoke, or kids choosing to use it as a marshmallow roasting stick.
Atlantic White Cedar is actually ok to use in your tank in my experience. It doesn't have all the toxic oils that red cedar has, and is great for blackwater tanks
Oh thanks for the info! I have never seen Atlantic cedar actually... but even red cedar or Alaskan cedar works well if it's been water logged for a year or more...just not fresh
Hi Alex. Many thanks for great video. I have one question: why bugs or terrestrial creatures living in the wood are an issue. I assume that by washing the wood I can remove most of them and the rest will die anyway when the wood goes to the water.
Also, i have a nice olive wood. It was really dry when I collected it and then I soaked it around one month in salt water and then around 5 months in freshwater (changing the water every week or two). I wonder if it could be used in aquarium as it is really beautiful. After all this soaking, it does not float anymore, but it still releases some tannins (water gets light tea colour). What do you think?
I also collected some nice beech tree branches, very dry and light. I'm starting them now 🙂
That olive should be safe, most any wood is after over a year of the salt, soak or sun routine hehe. As for bugs... the main issue is some Beatles or flys are able to hunt and kill shrimp or Fry. For big fish it's not an issue, it's just protein 💪 😉
Also important to note regulations in your country or area around removing wood and stones from habitat. Here in Australia it's actually illegal to take because it's an important part of habitats. So unless you're on private property you have to be careful.
🤣🤣🤣
I never heard the Bald Cypress mentioned. I'm assuming it should be great for an aquarium since it grows in and out of the water. Has anyone used this wood before?? I have a 16ft dead cypress that was killed by my goats rubbing their horns on the trunk, they rubbed the cambium layer clean through.
Yep it is fine
I needed this education
Haha well glad you found it then. Thanks for dropping a line!
@@Fishtory I appreciate you and all you do for the hobby Alex keep on keepin on
How do you find out what kind of wood it is if you're not knowledgeable on types of trees?
The activated carbon can work quite fast and loose capacity fast, even minutes. In fact its gets used up so fast in some paint/chemical applications they are NOT OSHA approved, because you really need positive pressure air. IF I recall it follows molecular weight, small molecules ties it up fast but then it does purify. I use it at set-up just in case, maybe sequester lead or mercury PCB, that might be on some rocks in my area. I don’t think I need it and of course on run water over my collected rocks for days.. I live on a river that was mined, water is good but we have sediments. In fact we have hard water, generally the metals are carbonates and not that bad, but if pH drops its gets liberated. Of course, we can hope we get chelation with tannins or poly acids that I can aquavac up. After that I toss it.
Great points.. and both correct
Bro you replied to every one. +100000000000 respect.
I have a question. Is all wood safe or is there wood that will kill my fish? I understand that all wood needs to be cured but is it all safe. I have a ton of orange and grapefruit branches so would they be safe? How long would I have to wait to put orange wood in my tank? Thanks.
Hey I just make sure to spend about 3 hours each day to respond as best I can to everyone. It's about learning as a community and sharing knowledge, experience and compassion here.
The wood is unsafe as long as it is giving off color in the water with most those ones listed as toxic...if it's in the salt water, sun , hot Temps or soaking-for long enough it all becomes safe though... it depends on the specific piece and its density, size, and growing conditions. I'd say 1 year soaking or sitting in the sun is usually plenty
Ok thanks.
Whoops. I've got an old sun bleached stick from an alpine coniferous tree. It didn't occur to me that it might be a risk to the animals. Fun fact: although it was bone dry and seriously sun bleached, after placing it in the aquarium various scuds began to appear. They would have come from eggs left over the wet season, I guess. Super cool. They're all gone now... I guess they were terrestrial and couldn't survive the tank, although there is a segment of the stick exposed from the tank. Maybe they're inside it!
I've got lots of moss growing on it and the snails, shrimp, and corys love to eat the film off of it, so I guess I got lucky.
What is that holly brown plant on the bottom of your tank ?
I know this video has been a while! However im interested in what exactly those catfish are at the ver end of the video. They look like plecos however they're using the water column as cory's would although up in the high of the tank rather than on the substrate??? And they seem to have a yellow tail end of the body? Perhaps its the lighting and they're simply bronze or venezuelan cory's? 🤔🤔🤔
Good eye, theyre baby corydora Venezuelae (aneaus Venezuela blue and orange morph)
I get driftwood from my local river and Soak them. I have so much different Pieces of Wood laying next to my tank. I just collected a very large piece nearly 4ft can't wait to put it in my tank 😅
Score!
Can you use a dead cypress knee? I've been hearing alot of contradictory opinions about cypress.
I usually collect my driftwood from the beach. They soaked for a long period of time in salt and maybe fresh water. They have suffered a lot under the sun and receive a good portion of salt, which will be washed out as I let it soak to no be afloat when I add to my aquariums...
Yeah totally safe :)
Grape wood? As in the (almost) hardwood from grape vines? I've had a somewhat small piece in my tank for almost 2 years. Was in my 20 gallon for a year and a half and is now in my 75 gallon. It's been slowly eaten away by the ramshorns which seem to love it
Its soaked in light oxalic acid, boiled and then baked.
Very cool idea for how to prep the wood! Thanks. And im not sure if it is a true grape wood or like some native berry with "grape" in the name. But i have seen old stock grape vine sold for reptiles and tanks... it seems to work well
Some molds are highly toxic…another reason to avoid it.
Ouch! So there's all this wood we keep finding after the bugs or woodpeckers get to it. Perfect round holes. Covered in them. It's gorgeous. I wanted to find a small one and sterilize it.
Well as long as you soak it long enough its fine...if it's not falling apart (that's just a mess and spikes the acidity)
Hey @thesecrethistorylivinginyouraquarium what is the small suckerfish on bottom left corner at 11:15 mark?
Borneo blue spotted hillstrean loach I believe :)
How’s lighterknot for a paludarium? I’ve been looking everywhere to find out. It’s not in the water just in the land part. But I still worry if it’s possible for it to leach into the soil/water.
I dont know off hand. Id google "material safety data sheet lighterknot" and see if there's any flags on it being harmful to human or animals in contact with it
What are the silver fish with the black spot near the tail fin? I purchased a tank that 2 of these in it, and I don't know what they are.
Reed tetra?
Hi can i ask if Christmas palm tree dead branches is safe for aquarium setup? Love from philippines 🇵🇭
I would assume they are okay once no green Is left... most coconut palms are fine...and I've used the nuts, the pomfroms, leaves, husk and wood as long as it's well dried out or soaking for a year in a lake/the ocean
What tree branch goes first if you must choose from oak, apple or cherry tree? Thanks
Oak
A bit of a silly question, trees that grow near lakes are usually safe to use as driftwood? I saw a tree that kind of yeeted one of its branches and it fell to the lake with part of it still above water. Nevertheless, i understand that branch will have to be soaked to leach most of its tannins and insects. Once it's submerged it won't get sundried though
As long as its broken off from the tree and soaked a good while, it shoukd be fine
Very helpful video. I would like to pick your brain for a second. I live in Arizona so a hard wood that is readily available is mesquite. I have a piece I really like and will boil it and sun bleach. But before I do I would like to ask your opinion on if mesquite wood is tank and shrimp safe
So if it is truly sun bleached and has been soaked a few times or for a few weeks and then dried it should be okay. It IS considered and oily hardwood or aromatic hardwood.... so tannins will be strong and it may potentially have anti bacterial properties.
In acidic water it will leech more chemicals faster, so neutral waters or alkaline/hard water would be better for the rate of decay of the wood. However, if dried a good year like mountain or dessert snag and brush wood, it should be fine, especially of the color is unbleached
Hi Alex, I realize that this is an older video but I am hoping you still see and respond to more recent comments. I am aware--from your channel as well as other sources--that eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana) is not considered a safe wood for aquariums. However, I have two considerations that make me think it may be okay in my particular situation. #1 -- The pieces of juniper that I want to use are incredibly old. We live in an area where eastern red cedar is a fairly dominant species (along with typical species associated with an oak/hickory biome) so dead-falls and uprooted trees are common. These have been naturally cured for decades, until the outer portions of the wood are essentially gone and only the heartwood remains. If you know anything about red cedar, you know that it is considered a naturally rot-resistant species, so finding nothing but heartwood is a good indication of its extreme age. #2 -- The pH in our area is very high. Depending upon where you test, the soil ranges from pH 8 to 9.5, while our creeks and well water generally register around pH 9.5 to 10. That makes me feel that even adding a much fresher piece of wood that is higher in tannins would actually help make the tank pH less alkaline. (Although I only plan to use the well-aged stuff.)
The reason I would like to use this wood is that it is just plain beautiful to look at. The heartwood is a rich purple-red color with a satiny sheen to it. It also twists and curves in ways that are visually very interesting. The other reason is that I am doing a natural tank using only native Ozark species--plants, fish, rocks, etc. The fish are all minnows and shiners that do not exceed 3" (usually more like 1-1/2") and the rocks are the "native" limestone/dolomite and chert that occur in the streams and rivers of my area. (The reason for our alkaline water and soils.) I am setting this up to look like a shallow stream such as would be seen anywhere around this area--with some native terrestrial plants in a elevated area out of the water. Since I always see cedars growing with roots in the water along the streams and ponds here, I assume that the fish and invertebrates who inhabit the area are already accustomed to whatever those living trees leach out into the water. I would think that having aged pieces of root and branches would make it even safer for them.
Anyway, I am curious to know what you think of all this. Obviously, I can use safer woods like ash, aged oak, etc. But given all the factors I have outlined above, I'm thinking cedar may not be such a bad option in this case. Thoughts?
If its old enough its safe. I just dont recomend people who may not understand woods and their cycle of drying and dying... but ultimately all wood is safe if it was waterlogged for years, or sun bleached and or dried for years in a pile or shed.
So ultimately there's some risk, but if you feel its no longer aromatic and leaching...it should be safe
How do you know what I was trying to find on your channel yesterday 😅😅😅
Haha well glad it came up from an email by another viewer 'D.S." hehe
This Info was UBER Useful Thank You Brother !!
You got it, my friend. Thanks for dropping a comment and tuning in!
I dont understand ..... so if i buy driftwood natural from pet smart can i just place it in my 10gallon goldfish ?
or should i boil it?
It is expensive but i dont know how else to get a good reliable wood ( i can get it from lake but i dont know how to process them ) although i think when i get it from lake is safer bc it has been in water for long time
If its from a pet store its almost always safe to use without boiling
What kind of wood should i buy just to start in a gallon that already has goldfish ?
I rather natural woods like hardwood etc
Oak or maple are nice...or spiderwood and manzanita
Hahahaha love the introduction
I boil driftwood in a food safe barrel i bought for $30. I just put it over a fire and fill it with water. I can do a ton at once and not worry about my kitchen.
I used to use a pressure cooker for canning, they sink and they probably loose their good and bad.
Oh about the charcoal or activated carbon... i forgot to mention that it can be used as carbon for plants and bacterial growth for decades to come...so something in the aquarium ecosystem will use it, even if its not "active"
I came across an awesome piece of driftwood perfect for my 55g... I have boiled the piece and realized that it might be cedar. Bummed. Is there a way to treat it to become safe for the tank?
Just soak it 3 months