Real driftwood in an aquarium?

[Luciferkrist]

Okay, I have officially began building my aqueon 210 and need/want some larger driftwood decoration to cover my overflows - but am really not looking to spend 100+ bucks on each one - and I really want the grey/silver look of natural driftwood for my plannedl theme, not the typically more brown or spiderwood-like stuff I find at my LFS.

Has anybody had any luck with 1st - Using aged driftwood in a tank without anything horrific happening. 2nd - had ANY luck actually finding any?

Back when I was younger, driftwood was heavily used in landscaping and yard decorations, but it appears to be well out of fashion. I've tried several landscaping supply places and outdoor decoration businesses with no luck.

I super do not want to have to go hunting along the beaches, as Michigan DNR is pretty touchy about collecting it on public lands, and anything out in nature could potentially house some less desirable hitchhikers!

Edited August 24, 2022 by Luciferkrist

[Biotope Biologist]

I do not have the issue you do as I live on the west coast and driftwood is plentiful. 
 

However, I refuse to buy wood unless it is unique. I gather mine all, wild caught. Boil them or bake them and you can kill most things. Bleach or salt treatment will do the rest. For getting it to be waterlogged I have a large tub outside that I fill with water and put the log in with a bunch of rocks piled on top. Takes a few weeks to truly be waterlogged. Some woods have taken a year+ just depends.

 

Just make sure if you do collect you aren’t disturbing the habitat too much

[Luciferkrist]

On 8/24/2022 at 3:37 PM, Biotope Biologist said:

I do not have the issue you do as I live on the west coast and driftwood is plentiful. 
 

However, I refuse to buy wood unless it is unique. I gather mine all, wild caught. Boil them or bake them and you can kill most things. Bleach or salt treatment will do the rest. For getting it to be waterlogged I have a large tub outside that I fill with water and put the log in with a bunch of rocks piled on top. Takes a few weeks to truly be waterlogged. Some woods have taken a year+ just depends.

 

Just make sure if you do collect you aren’t disturbing the habitat too much

Right now, FINDING it has ben the hard part. 2 weeks of looking. Even the beaches that I can access are regularly 'cleaned' by the parks commission, so nothing large or unique is ever left. It has been exceedingly frustrating.

[modified lung]

On 8/24/2022 at 1:01 PM, Luciferkrist said:

Right now, FINDING it has ben the hard part. 2 weeks of looking. Even the beaches that I can access are regularly 'cleaned' by the parks commission, so nothing large or unique is ever left. It has been exceedingly frustrating.

I like to go on Google maps, search for hiking trails near water and see if I can spot driftwood in the pictures people posted.

Otherwise, try looking around river bends, especially if it's in or flows out from a forest. Or around dams or if there's any place where the water has receded below normal levels.