Using Wood From River Birch Or Georgia Oak? Or The Oak Leaves?

[This isn't technically a driftwood question, but more like un-drifted wood.] Am planning to set up a planted, 15 gallon aquarium. Have not totally decided what look I'm going for but was interested in using some material from my property instead of buying everything. We have a few river birch and Georgia oak trees. The birches drop a lot of dry twigs, branches and small limbs. Using those appeals to me because It is so easy to get the bark off. One of the Georgia oaks fell during a large storm last year. Many of the branches are still attached & not touching the ground. Those are dead but not rotten & some, I think, would look good in an aquascape. With proper preparation, would any of those be safe to use in my aquarium?

Could I safely add the oak leaves to help simulate a pond or creek bottom?

PS What about a piece or two of granite? Am not sure how much that would effect water parameters or not. (All the info on water parameters is making my head swim.)

 

I wouldn't recommend adding wood or leaves from the outdoors if you are unsure if the area is treated with pesticides, because it is irreversible once thewood has been chemically treated, it's far too porous to rid it of pesticides that may have gotten inside.

Granite, however, is safe for use in aquariums, but you can always test any questionable rocks for fizzing by putting them into a bit of vinegar.

 

I don't think you are going to get wood from indoors unless you are going to rob an arboretum .

 

[This isn't technically a driftwood question, but more like un-drifted wood.] Am planning to set up a planted, 15 gallon aquarium. Have not totally decided what look I'm going for but was interested in using some material from my property instead of buying everything. We have a few river birch and Georgia oak trees. The birches drop a lot of dry twigs, branches and small limbs. Using those appeals to me because It is so easy to get the bark off. One of the Georgia oaks fell during a large storm last year. Many of the branches are still attached & not touching the ground. Those are dead but not rotten & some, I think, would look good in an aquascape. With proper preparation, would any of those be safe to use in my aquarium?

Could I safely add the oak leaves to help simulate a pond or creek bottom?

PS What about a piece or two of granite? Am not sure how much that would effect water parameters or not. (All the info on water parameters is making my head swim.)

Hi
I have very successfully added lots of wood to my aquariums from my back yard. I have sycamores. If you are worried about pathogens you can boil the wood for a little to kill off stuff. I personally just give it a good scrubbing and put it in. Same with leaves. I collect mine from our oak and sycamore trees. I usually have to weight them down for a day or two until they get water logged. I just rinse them off to remove any stray dirt!!

 

All Oaks, I believe, and Birch are safe to use, branches and leaves.

 

Ah, this is good news. I couldn't find any reports of problems online, with the exception of bark or rotting wood, and some sites actually sell live oak leaves for aquarium use. Still wanted to ask aquarium folks for potential known problems.

Fanatic, your warning is valid and appreciated. Thankfully, these are trees on acreage we've owned for decades. Most of the hardwoods sprouted after we purchased the property. Those only grew up after my horse and goats had cleared away the kudzu for us.

Boiling sounds like a good idea. Can do that outside. You should have seen the boyfriend's face when I told him the pile of twigs and branches in the basement were destined to be "sterilized" in the oven. God bless that man's tolerant soul. I don't cook much for us. So rather than cooking fish, I cook for fish.