# Driftwood Scavenging



## Xenon (Nov 15, 2002)

I went down to the Potomac River this weekend to scavenge for some driftwood to use in my upcoming p tanks. I found the following 3 pieces. Sorry for the blurry pics, I had to take them with my phone as my regular digi is out of commission. You can see there is one large "stump" type section and 2 roots. I am planning on using 2 pieces of slate to screw these down and make an elaborate driftwood display.


----------



## Xenon (Nov 15, 2002)

The stump:


----------



## piranha45 (Apr 8, 2003)

nice, how long did it take you to find them?


----------



## phensway (Apr 7, 2003)

ever since i joined this site and saw all of the driftwood in these unreal aquariums, i decided to buy some myself............ i love the natural look and will never go back to chincy ornaments........... xenon you should see the piece i just got!!!!!!! its making my water really tinted, so i am wondering if that is a bad thing?? ill try and get a pic............ but i like those ones you got


----------



## Xenon (Nov 15, 2002)

It took me 5 minutes to find these....driftwood fills the banks of the potomac river. Post your driftwood pics in this thread.


----------



## Judazzz (Jan 13, 2003)

Very nice pieces, X! I really like the root-like ones!
They also seem pretty clean and dried up to me: I guess there's not that much work on them...


----------



## RhomZilla (Feb 12, 2003)

Nice piece of wood, Mike. But honestly to tell you the truth, riverbed wood set for your tanks are not advisable. I had the experience in killing 5 cichlids within 2 days after putting in pieces of badass driftwood from a river from Yellow Stone Nat. Park.

Ive been told most driftwood from LFS are treated before selling out. And even those aren't clean enough to put in your tank after buying. Dead and dying wood found along riverbads tend to have more bacteria and other harmful things


----------



## Xenon (Nov 15, 2002)

Wont Sir Nates method of preparing it steralize the bacteria???


----------



## thePACK (Jan 3, 2003)

Xenon said:


> Wont Sir Nates method of preparing it steralize the bacteria???


 yeah it should..just clean properly....


----------



## Raptor (Jan 3, 2003)

I found all these uo north in lake michigan. I have a bunch more waiting to be treated.
My Webpage
Thi one i screwed a few root pieces together.
My Webpage
You can get a very big pot at restauraunt supply store cheap. I bought one 2 food round by 3 foot deep.


----------



## RhomZilla (Feb 12, 2003)

Xenon said:


> Wont Sir Nates method of preparing it steralize the bacteria???


 Sir Nates methods are great!! But if your gonna get it from riverbeds and untreated, I suggest going through the method 3x just to be on the safe side..


----------



## Xenon (Nov 15, 2002)

I will do Sire Nates method and document the results to post here. I will test it out in the 55g with some community fish to test it. I will let everyone know the results.


----------



## Death in #'s (Apr 29, 2003)

queens really sucks we have no place to look for drift wood we just have to pay rediculous pricies


----------



## scrapedogg (Apr 28, 2003)

Is it someone on here who sells all of the driftwood on ebay? That stuff always seems to sell, and for pretty high prices. Just wondering who it is, and if they go through the proper preparation method. I just bought some on ebay, and I'm probably gonna go through nate's method before I put it in my tank, just wondering if anyone else has ever bought any and had bad luck with it?


----------



## Atlanta Braves Baby! (Mar 12, 2003)

Xenon said:


> I will do Sire Nates method and document the results to post here. I will test it out in the 55g with some community fish to test it. I will let everyone know the results.


 I did Sir Nats method and it worked great! No problems at all.


----------



## Sir Nathan XXI (Jan 29, 2003)

yes I tested wood with a tub and feeders first the last time I did it for safe measure. You actually should do it with store bought as well, Ihave heard of fish kills from store bought brand name driftwood, remember in all actuality it all comes from rivers and lakes at one point


----------



## Outie (Feb 19, 2003)

Nice driftwood pics. How about a driftwood of the month contest?


----------



## Sir Nathan XXI (Jan 29, 2003)

darn it, I will have to make a requirement for use of my instructions

*if your driftwood looks better than mine you must give it to ME!


----------



## nitrofish (Jan 14, 2003)

scrapedogg said:


> Is it someone on here who sells all of the driftwood on ebay? That stuff always seems to sell, and for pretty high prices. Just wondering who it is, and if they go through the proper preparation method. I just bought some on ebay, and I'm probably gonna go through nate's method before I put it in my tank, just wondering if anyone else has ever bought any and had bad luck with it?


 ebay drift wood right here.-------->


----------



## piranha45 (Apr 8, 2003)

that is an awesome piranha


----------



## Xenon (Nov 15, 2002)

Tank of the Month!


----------



## RhomZilla (Feb 12, 2003)

Water perimeter and balance of the month!!! Or even best looking gravel set-up!!!


----------



## scarfish (Apr 5, 2003)

I found some tight-ass driftwood along my Maumee River and used Nate's treatment. It's been in my red tank for nearly a month now and i've only had positive results. Although I'm going to have to get a pleco and hope my reds don't destroy it, because there is a little moss/algae growing on my wood. hehe.


----------



## RedShoal (May 3, 2003)

I brought driftwood from ebay. Most are not treated for aquariums. But I am happy with my purchases.

BTW, how to you anchor your driftwood?


----------



## largemouth (Apr 20, 2003)

scarfish, I don't think a pleco will do it. Try going to the doctor









I have bought a couple pieces of wood off of ebay, and haven't had a problem. I also just found a burnt stump and root section of a tree in the woods. I spent a few days carving, and sanding, trying to remove the charred sections, and it came out real nice. I will take some pics of it once I have my caribe in the tank.


----------



## nitrofish (Jan 14, 2003)

RedShoal said:


> I brought driftwood from ebay. Most are not treated for aquariums. But I am happy with my purchases.
> 
> BTW, how to you anchor your driftwood?


 this driftwood wasn't treated either, but I trimmed it on the bottom (makes a good clean surface to attach a base to) and bleached it and soaked it repeatedly. then I attached it to a piece of marble tile with stainless steel screws from home depo.


----------



## Sir Nathan XXI (Jan 29, 2003)

RedShoal said:


> BTW, how to you anchor your driftwood?


 a thick piece of slate, drill a hole through it and use a stainless screw to attach it to the wood


----------



## RhomZilla (Feb 12, 2003)

You can also buy slates at hardware stores such as HomeDepot. Another next to great alternative is using sheets of plexi galss. They're practically cheap and have them predrilled.


----------



## Croz (Jan 29, 2003)

nitro thats a kickass pice of drift. i bought my 2 from my LFS they were not to badly priced.


----------



## nitrofish (Jan 14, 2003)

Croz said:


> nitro thats a kickass pice of drift. i bought my 2 from my LFS they were not to badly priced.


 I can't belive it only costed $17 dollars. I wish I could find a smaller version of that for my 125 gallon tank.


----------



## BADBOYCONVICT (Jul 2, 2003)

what is SIRE NATES method anyway, sorry im new to this conversation. thanks

JOHN
[email protected].com


----------



## TimmyTeam (Jun 20, 2003)

uhhh i forget


----------



## TimmyTeam (Jun 20, 2003)

ok collect ur wood take off and bark or debris sock in hot water with blech fer 12 hours repeat that step the rinse just in normal hot water the drill a hole thru slate then use a WOODEN screw that is a lil bigger then the hole and bingo (oh yea when u are soakung u will need a weight to hold the wood down)


----------



## TimmyTeam (Jun 20, 2003)

u can also use a stainless steel screw


----------



## ttldnial (May 14, 2003)

If your tank is empty, and your NOT going to use an undergravel filter, do yourself a favor-
Silicone your driftwood in your tank.

-ttldnial


----------



## BADBOYCONVICT (Jul 2, 2003)

i kinda dont like tha sound of boile wood in BLEACH then putting it into my tank! but i will do all the steps Except the BLEACHING. Sorry guy's i just cant see how that can be good for the fish's water.

let ya's know how i make out.

thanks alot

john
[email protected]


----------



## EMJAY (Feb 27, 2003)

is it legal to take driftwood from lakes/ponds and such?


----------



## BADBOYCONVICT (Jul 2, 2003)

never thought of that. Good question? but then again, who cares. If you cant find any near a lake or river, take a little walk in the woods, maybe you can find a nice dead tree, with some good shape and use that! thats what im going to do, im not really near any lake's or rivers here in philly! lol

John
[email protected]


----------

