DIY driftwood

[FriendlyLoach]

Hey all,

I am so happy, I just joined. I have a 700 gallon goldfish pond and was wanting to add driftwood. I have some manzanita plants near my house. I have collected a few 6ft long dead pieces. I was just worried about disease coming into the pond. I would have boiled it but I don't have that big a pot. 😄 The wood has been dead and dry for at least a year and so I am not sure I need to treat it. I was just wondering if you think it is dangerous, and if so, any ideas on how to treat it. 

Thank You! P.S. (Cory, I am a big fan. I listen to your podcasts when I do dishes and weed wack.)

-A fish nerd

[Ben Ellison]

I also wonder about diy driftwood. I'll be following  this thread. 

[Streetwise]

I would just go for it if your ecosystem is good. Do you also have plants, snails, perhaps shrimp, perhaps bottom-feeders?

Edited September 19, 2020 by Streetwise

[FriendlyLoach]

Thank you, yeah so I have 2 water lilies, water hyacinths, and lots of more plants, 2 dojo loaches, and pest snails but I don't know if they are still there because of the loaches. I would say that the ecosystem is pretty good. I mean it handles a bunch of decaying leaves with a small diy solar filter. I am just worried that there could be something in the wood that is maybe dormant or something that will grow and hurt the fish.

[C Savidge]

I think that it's fine if it has been dry for so long. I think the only way to get into trouble with drift wood is if you pull it from a body of water and drop it in your tank. To be clear, this is my experience and logic, not fact. 

If you have enough sun this late in the year then you could get it wet, then wrap it in black plastic and put it out in the sun. It wouldn't boil of course but it might pasturize it. 

[Taylor Blake]

Lol I like the thumbnail. I would say go for it if you can soak the wood first for a bit of time to get it to sink. If you are scared of being able to lift it once waterlogged I would just weigh it down with something that sinks like rocks.