# Anyone know about adding driftwood?



## bettaboytroy (Apr 15, 2012)

I found some nice pieces of driftwood at a garage sale and would like to add a piece to my 20 gallon. I have Red Glass Barbs, Balloon Red-Eye Tetras, 1 Betta, and some Juli Cory's. I'm boiling the piece I chose at least 3 times. My water is very soft and I heard the wood could soften it even more. Also worried that there will still be tannins in the wood and my tank water will become stained. I'm afraid I may upset the balance in the tank and lose fish. What can I do to up the PH? Seashells? Am I over thinking this?


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## bettaboytroy (Apr 15, 2012)

Sorry, I didn't mean how to raise PH I meant adding hardness.


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## Captain Jim Dandy (Oct 30, 2011)

The boiling is very good- be careful you don't make it too soft and damage it. If you can.. put the pieces in a resevoir of some sort maybe for a couple days(submerged). Keep an eye on it to see if it leaks any oils or gasoline,etc. (it was stored somewhere,right?) Recently I bought a beautiful piece of wood over internet, dumbly plunked it into a tank ,and two days later I had crystals all over it I recognized as ph conditioners that precipitate. As far as the wood throwing your ph out of whack-not likely to be very extreme usually. PH test kits are inexpensive and are easy to use, in order to be sure of any severe swings that need to be avoided. I don't see clean wood altering your water hardness at all.


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## Kitty Whiskers (Sep 28, 2009)

Here is some good advice on how to clean up driftwood for use in an aquarium

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/driftwood.php


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## djembekah (Feb 13, 2012)

do you know where they got the drift wood? if it was anywhere but like, a pet store, or a fresh water place, i would not even think of putting it in a fresh water tank.


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## bettaboytroy (Apr 15, 2012)

My understanding was that the people I got it from were well traveled. My guess is they collected it whenever they found it (They had tons). Boiling it was not the greatest experience. Even after 3 extensive boiling sessions the water was still turning brown. The house smelled like a lumber yard. I set the wood outside to let the elements continue to work on it. I noticed areas that appeared to have sap running from them. It certainly smelled like it. Thinking I'll hold off on this idea. For me personally I don't think it's worth the time or worry right now. I'm only 2 years into my hobby and think I have better options at this point. Sorry I didn't reply sooner. I didn't think anyone had answered the post.


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## djembekah (Feb 13, 2012)

yeah i'd skip that particular driftwood in the tanks. maybe it could be a garden decoration? 

pet stores seem to have drift wood usually. i got mine at an lps, specifically for fish tanks.


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