Ok... Have just bought a whole heap of various sized plastic plants (including a couple of floating water lillies) to add to Bruce's tank (and he actually seem much more relaxed and happier with more plants than he did when there were only a couple; go figure! )now I'm looking for a nice piece of wood.

Went to the pet store on weekend and bought a canister filter (more about that in the appropriate thread) and priced wood while I was there. There were only two pieces that didn't resemble small twigs and both were around the $80 AU ($70 US or 48 EURO approx)which I couldn't justify.

My friend who was with me at the time suggested collecting some from the bush/woodlands near where we live. I'm a bit dubious about this as I am well aware that some plants and therefore their wood can be toxic. Any advice here would be most welcome as would any suggestions what to look for/avoid. Just remember I'm in Australia so some of what may be suggested as far as what to look for may not be found/available here if you're from US or UK etc. Also what sort of prep will the wood need before it goes in the tank?

Am also going to collect some rocks to make Bruce a hidy hole (aka cave) anything I should avoid and again what sort of prep do I need to do before I put them in the tank?

Cheers Kell

I would go for granit, or slate(make sure NO brown streaks, as this maybe iron in the rock) sandstone is common in Auss but i wouldnt use it. not sure on the wood, sorry, i am sure someone will.I treated my rock with milton(baby bottle cleaner in bucket) then washed over and over and left in clean water.

DO NOT PUT NORMAL WOOD IN YOUR TANK

normal wood that you may have found in a forest will start rotting in your tank, just like any sunken boat. The reason wood is so expensive from an aquatic store is because it isn't any old piece of wood that they have found lying around, it's preserved wood that has been submerged or buried in the ground for thousands of years. bog & mopani wood are two common types of wood that are quite safe to put in your tank. However, some types of wood will add a tanning to your water for up to a year so beware of that. it's not bad, in fact I quite like it, it's a very authentic as it makes a tank a little more like what it would look like in the wild.

Rocks in fish shops are expensive, they are usually cheaper to buy in a garden centre or even cheaper to collect your own (check how legal this is). Either way pour some acid on the rock (vinegar is good) and if it fizzes dont use it. The reason for this is the rock will very slowly dissolve in the water and sent the hardness and the PH up and this will give you problems