Shadow Posted January 12, 2023 Share Posted January 12, 2023 (edited) When I said hello in the welcome area, I was told you all like pictures. I am currently a lifetime hobbyist and have kept aquariums in my home, both salt and freshwater, most of my life. My grandfather was super big into gathering driftwood off the banks of our brackish watered bays and off the beaches along the Emerald Coast here in Alabama. Over COVID, I started watching a lot of hobby Youtube channels and came across Cory/Dean at Aquarium Co Op, along with several others including MD Tanks/Dan's Fish(Your Friendly Fishmonger lol)/Keeping Fish Simple/Foisy Aquatics/Sydney's Angels(recently)/Kaity's Cichlids and especially my Shrimp Idol, Mark over across the pond. Lately, I have turned my hobby into planted tanks but also beginning to keep/breed shrimp. Once I am moved into my new home, I will photograph and blog my journey of the fish room setup. One of the ways I have made side money over the last couple years to collect everything I need for my venture has been walking the beaches/bays and finding choice pieces of driftwood. The prime pieces usually exit the bay and blow up on our south shores, those include crape myrtle pieces everyone loves so much. Will start with 3 big pieces pre treatment so you all can have some pics. I'll drop more each week when I gather. The one pictured by itself is so unique and cool looking. Excited to see what it will turn out like after I treat it. @Fish Folk here ya go! 😁 Edited January 12, 2023 by Shadow 1 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsfoxtail Posted January 12, 2023 Share Posted January 12, 2023 Oh wow, walking the beach collecting wood? That's the dream! Interested in your treating method! If they're from brackish water originally I'm curious if there's anything special you have to do to make them freshwater safe! Beautiful pieces of wood too, might I add! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Folk Posted January 12, 2023 Share Posted January 12, 2023 Looking good there! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow Posted January 12, 2023 Author Share Posted January 12, 2023 @itsfoxtail Nope. My process is simple. I take it and brush it off with several types of cleaning brushes I have, get in the nooks and crannies to make sure any bugs or other debris is out of the wood. Then I very lightly scrub it with a piece of sandpaper, then it all goes in a tub I have which I fill with distilled water. I let that sit for a week or so to leech what tannins I can out of it while beginning sort of a curing. After that I add a little bleach into each container with distilled water/driftwood and let it all sit for about 15-20 mins. Pull it, dry and its good to go. 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Levi_Aquatics Posted January 12, 2023 Share Posted January 12, 2023 Those pieces look super cool! I too will be interested to see how they turn out after treatment. Thanks for sharing how you clean/ prepare them for your aquariums! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow Posted January 12, 2023 Author Share Posted January 12, 2023 More to come! A big storm blowing in from the North and the ocean is pretty rough...usually washes some good stuff in. Stay tuned! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xXInkedPhoenixX Posted January 12, 2023 Share Posted January 12, 2023 Great stuff! Welcome to the forum! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow Posted January 12, 2023 Author Share Posted January 12, 2023 @xXInkedPhoenixX Cheers! Appreciate it! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardedbillygoat1975 Posted January 12, 2023 Share Posted January 12, 2023 This reminds me of my manzanita hunting in Oregon. Welcome to the forum @Shadow. I hunt driftwood here in the Puget Sound although you have to watch where you’re hunting so you don’t get a fine. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow Posted January 12, 2023 Author Share Posted January 12, 2023 Thanks @Beardedbillygoat1975! Here you don't have to worry about it as much as long as its not on any preservation land area. Besides that, I am good. About to drop some pics of one of the places I go...went by for a bit today but the gulf was super rough and it was blowing about 40 mph I am betting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow Posted January 12, 2023 Author Share Posted January 12, 2023 This is one of the beach fronts on the gulf I like to walk, granted on much nicer days. But this time of year, even though the weather is milder, there are nearly no tourists so I have the beach to myself. I was able to find a nice piece just before I left, one other but it was super water logged and very heavy so I stashed it somewhere for when I grab my cart. 1 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xXInkedPhoenixX Posted January 14, 2023 Share Posted January 14, 2023 Beautiful 🏖 Beach!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsfoxtail Posted January 14, 2023 Share Posted January 14, 2023 Thanks for sharing your method! Ooh, hopefully Mother Nature will bring in a good haul! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow Posted January 15, 2023 Author Share Posted January 15, 2023 Going back out tomorrow or Monday. Lots going on with just closing on my new house, but that is exciting as now I have plenty of room for my aquarium & breeding projects. 😁 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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