driftwood...which timbers suitable??

[jim from sydney]

relating to driftwood.....can any dead piece of a tree branch after is has been cleaned, be used for driftwood in a discus tank, or only certain species of timber????

[kalebjarrod]

Jim,

alot of the eucalyptus spp. contain a oil which is designed to be harmful to other animals, hence the reason only kolas specially designed gut can digest euc leaves

the family is myrtaceae (Euc's, banksia etc ) and it holds a miriad of native spp, i would also steer clear of any Fabaceae sub family mimosodieae (wattles, acacia spp.)

these also hold esentail oils

BUT

if you are confident that the wood is old enough, both are fine to use

although i personally boil these types of wood first

your best bet is Mangrove, this is a protected spp. so don't go cutting it from the gnd but you can normal find some nice specimums floating along water ways next to bike tracks and local parks

don't go to natonial parks and reserves, those guys and gals there will eat you for breakfast if you touch anything in there park!

[DR.V]

Hmm some type of wood will float ....

[jim from sydney]

thanks Ryan...will try the mangroves...do i still need to boil to get rid of any nasties???....Jim

[kalebjarrod]

depends how big it is

bleach is also good

and a heavy dose of salt

i boil as it makes the wood absorb water quicker and sink better as well as killing the nasties

[jim from sydney]

Hmm some type of wood will float ....

i wil tie it down with a stone or similar if needed

[Littlefish]

I'd definitely boil. Some of the stuff oozing into our mangrove systems would kill a brown dog, let alone discus.

A 44 gallon drum with a fire under it is good for big pieces, but I guess that would depend on where you live. Not real good in apartments.

Fred

[Mattzilla]

DEFINATELY BOIL!!!!

and boil for a long time in slightly salted water

[wyldchyld01]

yeah i just wander around the paddocks a bit and find wood that i can use, boiled, salted heavily and left in the sun for a week (sometimes more depending on tannins so i sometimes have to change water and salt etc) reboil to remove any algae that may have colonised and then bam, into the tanks, but i do use only really dried pieces, nothing still green at all

brenton

[kalebjarrod]

yeah green wood is simple no good!