Where I Get My Rocks And Driftwood For Hardscape

So I just figured I'd post a little something for people who are looking for ideas on where to get there rocks and driftwood and whatnot for their aquascaping. If you are lucky enough to live close to a waterfront, or near farming area, chances are you'll be able to come across piles of rocks and wood from where the farmer cleared land to plant more crops. I found a pile right near a main stretch of road not 10 minutes down the road from where I live. All I do is wash the rocks under hot water and scrub with a wire brush to remove any loose debris, and put them in. I've never has any issues with changes in ph or anything. I do the same with the pieces of wood I find. I scrubbed with a wire brush under hot water, I've also used I wire wheel on a grinder, makes the job go by faster. Then I just soak it in a kiddy pool under a brick until it stays submerged on its own. When it does, I rinse it in hot water and gave a quick scrub just before going in and that was it. Took about 4 weeks because it was a big piece to water log but it hasn't leached any tannins. All in all, don't waste your money, find your own rocks and driftwood, and clean them yourself. Pet stores charge an arm and a leg for this stuff. If it's driftwood, just make sure it's a hard wood, and is really dried out. If the bark is either missing, or flakes off really easily, chances are it's probably pretty dried up and good to go. He's a pic of the pile I found near my place.

 

Lucky you

 

Can I be your neighbor????

 

I agree completely, I find rocks and driftwood in rivers and creeks, just take a nice walk and see what you can find.

 

I usually find driftwood when kayaking

 

The impression I had is that you not supposed to take any piece of wood off the road etc. Cause you don't know if it's good for the tank. Am I wrong?

 

My best wood is roots from an old hedge I pulled up. I've never bought a piece of wood, and as long as I avoid softwood (lots of pines around here) all is good.

Rocks come from beaches. Picking them up without checking is a gamble, but a few minutes with a local geology site or with a field guide and you'll know what is inert and what will add minerals. Most rocks are good, but you don't want to take that for granite...

I got some rocks for my new swordtail tank last week by looking for rocks that release minerals. It isn't like there are aquarium rock and driftwood factories in China - it all comes from somewhere.

I have some nice Vallisneria americana plants from kayaking Canadian Shield lakes in August.

 

My only concerns would be any fertilizer or run off that could contaminate wood or rocks that are found.

 

I live in Canada, I'm right off the St. Lawrence river which connects to the great Lakes. Most rocks around here are from our Canadian shield. So far I've been pretty lucky, I just make sure I test them out in a separate tank first to see if anything changes in the water perameters, just to be on the safe side.

 

My only concerns would be any fertilizer or run off that could contaminate wood or rocks that are found.

Boil the heck out of them...lol!

 

So I just figured I'd post a little something for people who are looking for ideas on where to get there rocks and driftwood and whatnot for their aquascaping. If you are lucky enough to live close to a waterfront, or near farming area, chances are you'll be able to come across piles of rocks and wood from where the farmer cleared land to plant more crops. I found a pile right near a main stretch of road not 10 minutes down the road from where I live. All I do is wash the rocks under hot water and scrub with a wire brush to remove any loose debris, and put them in. I've never has any issues with changes in ph or anything. I do the same with the pieces of wood I find. I scrubbed with a wire brush under hot water, I've also used I wire wheel on a grinder, makes the job go by faster. Then I just soak it in a kiddy pool under a brick until it stays submerged on its own. When it does, I rinse it in hot water and gave a quick scrub just before going in and that was it. Took about 4 weeks because it was a big piece to water log but it hasn't leached any tannins. All in all, don't waste your money, find your own rocks and driftwood, and clean them yourself. Pet stores charge an arm and a leg for this stuff. If it's driftwood, just make sure it's a hard wood, and is really dried out. If the bark is either missing, or flakes off really easily, chances are it's probably pretty dried up and good to go. He's a pic of the pile I found near my place.

That pic almost looks like a good aquascape in and of itself...lol!

So I just figured I'd post a little something for people who are looking for ideas on where to get there rocks and driftwood and whatnot for their aquascaping. If you are lucky enough to live close to a waterfront, or near farming area, chances are you'll be able to come across piles of rocks and wood from where the farmer cleared land to plant more crops. I found a pile right near a main stretch of road not 10 minutes down the road from where I live. All I do is wash the rocks under hot water and scrub with a wire brush to remove any loose debris, and put them in. I've never has any issues with changes in ph or anything. I do the same with the pieces of wood I find. I scrubbed with a wire brush under hot water, I've also used I wire wheel on a grinder, makes the job go by faster. Then I just soak it in a kiddy pool under a brick until it stays submerged on its own. When it does, I rinse it in hot water and gave a quick scrub just before going in and that was it. Took about 4 weeks because it was a big piece to water log but it hasn't leached any tannins. All in all, don't waste your money, find your own rocks and driftwood, and clean them yourself. Pet stores charge an arm and a leg for this stuff. If it's driftwood, just make sure it's a hard wood, and is really dried out. If the bark is either missing, or flakes off really easily, chances are it's probably pretty dried up and good to go. He's a pic of the pile I found near my place.

A tank my favorite person created for me out of some locally found drift wood and stones.

 

That pic almost looks like a good aquascape in and of itself...lol!


View attachment 353640


A tank my favorite person created for me out of some locally found drift wood and stones.

Wow nice pic! That's a nice piece. Placement looks great too, looks as though its been there forever, and the rock placement is well done. Rocks have a lot of character to them as well

 

Wow nice pic! That's a nice piece. Placement looks great too, looks as though its been there forever, and the rock placement is well done. Rocks have a lot of character to them as well

Thanks! It has only been up for about two months

 

How do you know which one of these is safe?
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0c/Rock-c.jpg/1280px-Rock-c.jpg