Hello,
I have had my fish tank set up for a while now and I have been wanting to get a nice piece of driftwood for a centerpiece. The other day my little boy and I were going for a walk up the creek at the park and came across a big beautiful piece of driftwood that would make a excellent centerpiece for the tank. I have been told not to put things like that that you find into your tank. My question is, is there something I could do to the piece of wood that would enable me to use it or should I just break down and buy something? All opinions would be greatly appreciated

hey, there.
You cannot use just any wood you find, for most kinds of wood will rot and degenerate when exposed to water for a long period.
Plus you have to watch out that the wood may contain toxins that may leak into your tank.
I think your best option is just to invest a couple of bucks and buy a nice piece you like at a LFS.
That way you'll be sure it's aquarium-safe.
Using "wild- caught- wood" is not worth the risk.
I catch your drift, when it comes to a centre-piece of wood in your tank.
I got this piece on a secondhand site, and bought it for 25 Euros in my hometown.

x2

i just bought a bit off ebay from a seller called "somethingwoody09" he's in australia reasonably priced and they have washed it and everything for you, the only thing im gunna do is boil it.

Thanks for the advice guys. Time for me shop around.

I found this piece on ebay that looks quite good.

www.ebay.co.uk

This piece is particularly versatile, if you read the blurb at the bottom you will see that it can be used in either a fish tank OR an aquarium

Do you know what kind of wood it is? Woods like pine, oak, and yew are good pieces for an aquarium. There are certain kinds that you really shouldn't keep in your tank as they can leach massive amounts of tannins into your water and it's a nightmare to keep it kosher. (There is some debate on the health benefits of tannins, but it will turn your water brown regardless.) And then there are parasites and all sorts of things to think about if it came from a creek. I'd boil the hell out of it before I stuck it in my tank. And after that, I'd leave it soaking for several weeks afterward.

My son found a really cool burl, from an "I have no idea" tree, I boiled it for an hour, then soaked it in a tub for 3 months; changing the water once a week before I stuck it in my tank. I've seen no side effects from it.

I've also heard that you can leave it out to dry, then coat it with polyurethane before sticking it in your tank. Dunno how well it will stay at the bottom....but at least you know it's not going to leach anything into the water. lol

It's of course a toss up. You might get lucky, then again you might not. So if you're NOT willing to take that chance (as most of us aren't), then buying from the LFS, or a reputable dealer is definitely your best bet.