How to prepare driftwood for an aquarium - advice from experienced aquarists

Driftwood in an aquarium is beautiful, natural and fashionable. Say goodbye to plastic castles and sunken ships, the world of aquariums does not stand still and such things are already considered ugly and simply inappropriate. Driftwood, stones, bamboo, everything that can be found in nature in reservoirs, this is natural beauty. At the same time, finding, processing and making natural driftwood for an aquarium is not at all difficult. But you will be amazed at how natural it looks, and it will also be useful for keeping some fish. In this article, we will talk about the benefits of using driftwood in an aquarium and answer the most popular questions.

What types of fish require snags?

Of course, it will be more fun for any fish, and it will be more interesting for the owner to watch their pets if the driftwood becomes part of the interior of the aquarium. But there are certain types of fish that simply need snags.

Thus, various types of catfish use the plaque formed on the surface of driftwood as additional food, and the thinnest upper layers of wood as a source of dietary fiber. These are fish such as panak, Orinoco catfish, ancistrus catfish, and cuckoo catfish.

Many fish, which in natural conditions prefer to spawn in the roots of trees that have fallen into the water, or old snags, are happy to do the same in an artificial environment. This is a large group of fish of the perch family (gourami, glass perch).

Long and narrow fish of the order moray eels and eels will also be grateful to you for a labyrinth of roots or small spreading snags and for reliable shelter.

You should be especially careful when choosing the size of snags if you keep very active or aggressive fish (some types of cichlids, for example), since such pets prefer rocky, stone reservoirs and can harm themselves by injuring themselves during vigorous movement and fights on protruding edges.

How useful is such an accessory?

Underwater driftwood is modern, natural and attractive. Aquarium castles made of plastic, sunken boats, ships are already outdated and unacceptable in the modern aquaworld. Natural beauty is coming into fashion. Moreover, well-prepared driftwood is not just stylish, but also useful:

• the tree stimulates the normal ecosystem of the aquarium - it is an excellent base for the reproduction of favorable bacterial microflora;
• bacteria formed on wood are important for maintaining a healthy microclimate - they convert toxic compounds into safe decomposition products;
• underwater driftwood works to strengthen and improve the immune system of fish;
• wooden pieces submerged in water release tannin compounds, which form a slightly acidic environment, destructive for the proliferation of dangerous viruses and microbes;

• if the aquatic environment in the aquarium is alkaline, the underwater driftwood will adjust the pH level;
• driftwood creates natural shelters for aquarium inhabitants; they also use underwater pieces of wood as a spawning site;
• driftwood is especially necessary for aquariums where axolotls or ancitruses live; neotenic larvae and sticky catfish use it for food, scraping off the outer layers from it (this food additive stimulates the digestive system of aquatic inhabitants).

Withered foliage has the same abilities. The leaves are often introduced into the aquatic environment of the aquarium, creating conditions for the fish that are as close to natural as possible.

Where to get driftwood for an aquarium?

In the nearest forest or not far from your dacha you can find broken or fallen trees with their roots torn out. And in reservoirs there will probably be driftwood - a once drowned tree or bush. Using an ax or saw, separate the piece you like. It is not necessary to adjust it to the size of the aquarium on site. Doing this at home will be much more comfortable.

Additional decor

Driftwood decorated with Java moss and similar plants look very organic. Such a design can create absolutely stunning compositions. You can fix moss to wood using one of the following methods:

1. tying with thread is the most environmentally friendly way; the thread will gradually rot, and the moss will grow to the wood during this time;
2. tying with fishing line is the most reliable way;
3. gluing with glue is, of course, the most convenient, but you need to know the composition and properties of the glue so as not to damage the moss and fish.

How to cook driftwood?

Preparing driftwood is a rather lengthy process.

1. The selected tree is peeled and sanded so that no bark remains. If the wood is not hard enough, then it is calcined in the oven for 6-12 hours at 200+ degrees. This procedure will expel juices, esters and resins.
2. Then the driftwood is soaked in full immersion for 2-3 weeks. If the water becomes colored, it should be changed.
3. Next, the driftwood is boiled, immersing it entirely if possible. If this is not possible, then the tree is lowered first with one end into the container, then with the other. Fruit and coniferous trees are boiled in well-salted water. This procedure lasts about 6 hours.
4. The next step is to soak the driftwood again for 2-3 weeks with frequent water changes.

Steps 3-4 are repeated until the tree stops releasing substances into the water and is completely submerged. In this way, a maximum of resins and esters are removed from the product, the wood loses its buoyancy and acquires very beautiful shades.

Completely porous and floating forms (for example, you are drowning aspen) must be drilled from below and several heavy bolts screwed into the tree. Or screw a piece of driftwood onto a plastic platform, for example from org. glass, and press the platform with stones.

If your driftwood has already been in an aquarium, but spent a long time on land, then it is enough to simply soak it for a few days so that all the air leaves the structure of the tree and it loses its buoyancy.

Well-prepared driftwood will serve you for 2 years or more, it all depends on the type of wood. You can decorate driftwood with moss, bucephalus, anubis and other plants that tend to grow to their base. Initially, the plants are secured with fishing line or even super glue.

Looking for a suitable tree

If desired, the aquarist can find a good and beautiful branch directly on the street or in the forest. Also, some valuable species are sold in pet stores (for example, mangrove). They are brought there from other countries, so the buyer will not be able to find an analogue on his own.

First, you should start with what cannot (!) be used for an aquarium:

• A tree that is already partially rotten or rotten inside;
• Young branches, only cut (that is, you cannot go out into the yard, cut down part of the tree and throw it into the aquarium). It is important that they dry completely, and this takes a lot of time;
• Rocks containing large amounts of resins. For example, these are coniferous trees (pine, spruce, fir, cedar, larch).

There are a lot of suitable trees. The ideal option is considered to be driftwood. That is, these are sunken branches that have lain at the bottom for quite a long time. For many aquarists, it is considered a real success if they find willow roots that have been in the river for a considerable period. They look interesting because they are tightly intertwined, but they sink easily and do not decompose easily.

You can search for driftwood directly in bodies of water, on the shore. But it is important that there is a flow there, and that the water itself is clean, not polluted by various enterprises. Otherwise, all sorts of dangerous substances will certainly be absorbed into the tree and then poison all the inhabitants of the aquarium. If there are no rivers nearby, then you can look in the nearest planting or private sector. Probably, a tree was in the way of someone in the yard; it was cut down and has been lying there for a long time.

As for the species, fruit or deciduous trees would be an excellent option. For example, these are apple, apricot, cherry, pear, walnut, beech, maple, ash, grape, acacia, etc.

Place the driftwood in the aquarium

How to make a driftwood for an aquarium a real work of art? It is necessary to give preference to branchy or textured pieces of wood. If possible, put it in several different positions and see how it looks better. There is no single advice on how to place driftwood in an aquarium.

It happens that even a carefully boiled tree still floats. Most often, increased buoyancy is associated with the large size of driftwood for an aquarium. The easiest way to keep it in place is to tie it with fishing lines to two stones at the beginning and end. It’s better to dig it in on one side so that it doesn’t look artificially placed. Under no circumstances should the piece of driftwood rest against the glass at both ends, since, when it swells, it can squeeze out the wall. It is not recommended to use suction cups for this, as they quickly come off, and the floating snag can cause injury to the fish.

Main problems

• Raid. Plaque formation on fresh snags will not cause much harm. Catfish will happily eat it. If there are no catfish, then rinse the tree under running water. If plaque has formed on an old piece of driftwood, you must immediately get rid of it.
• Darkening of the water. This phenomenon means that the driftwood was not completely dried. It is necessary to remove it from the fish house and send it to dry.
• Darkening. Color loss is a natural process, so no special measures are required.
• Greening of driftwood. Green color means that the driftwood is covered with algae, just like stones and walls. To reverse the process, reduce the length of daylight hours and the amount of lighting, and remove the greenery from the tree.

You can decorate the snag with Javanese moss, which looks amazing on branchy snags. To secure it to a tree, you can use one of three methods:

1. Wrap with thread;
2. Secure with fishing line;
3. Glue it with glue.

The first method is considered the most humane in relation to mosses and fish. Over time, the thread will rot, but the moss will already have time to attach to the tree. You can glue it if you are not afraid of water toxicity.

Common Questions

Finally, we decided to collect all the frequently asked questions regarding the design of an aquatic environment with driftwood. Knowing the answers to them will make the task easier and turn the decorating process into a fun and exciting experience.

The driftwood colors the water. What to do?

• In principle, there is no need to do anything, because this is a completely normal situation. The aquatic environment takes on a brownish color due to tannins released by submerged wood. A similar effect is observed when placing leaves in water. Tannins do not harm aquarium inhabitants; on the contrary, they improve the water.

• But, if you want to achieve perfect transparency, the water can be purified. For example, by adding activated carbon to the filter (not pharmacy, but specialized, the one offered in pet stores). Or change the water more often.

A whitish coating appeared on the snag. Is it dangerous?

• The culprit of this problem is poor-quality preliminary preparation of the tree. If a white coating appears on the tree, observe the behavior of the fish.

• If the habits of the aquarium world have not changed, there is no need to do anything - catfish successfully cope with the plaque. Otherwise, the decor will have to be removed and the water replaced.

My snag does not sink, but floats. What to do?

When a piece of driftwood stubbornly refuses to sink, this indicates the presence of oxygen in the wood. This happens when novice aquarists, after boiling a tree, take it out of the water and keep it in the air for a long time.

In this situation, the snag can be additionally secured with handy devices at the bottom of the container. Or take it out and repeat the boiling (soaking).

After placing the snag, the water began to smell of hydrogen sulfide. How to get rid of the smell?

This situation occurs due to the wood not being completely dried and indicates that the aquarium wood has begun to rot. The snag must be removed, allowed to dry completely, and then returned to its place.

Woody parts, beautiful dry shoots, branches - all this becomes an excellent raw material for the manufacture of decorative driftwood. Properly prepared and beautifully placed, such water accessories add aesthetics to the underwater world and give it originality.

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Purpose and benefit to residents

Recreating natural beauty is not the only purpose for which driftwood is placed in an aquarium. Wood after full processing not only decorates the pond, but also supports the biotope. By immersing branches and roots in water, aquarists take care of the health of their pets.

Pros of having wood fragments inside the aquarium:

• water hardness decreases, acidity increases;
• increases the surface area where beneficial nitrifying bacteria multiply, which neutralize toxic ammonia;
• feeding for catfish is provided - surface fibers and mucous coating on the tree;
• the water is saturated with tannins, which slow down the development of microbes;
• Shelters are created in which fish play, rest, and hide during spawning.

The piece of wood can be placed in the foreground or hidden among the plants. Wood cuts and branches sometimes serve to support terraces. Moss is often laid out on the tops, which adds aesthetics and softness to the display.

On a note! Even after prolonged soaking, driftwood turns the water brownish. This should be taken into account when planning your aquarium design. If the style implies bluish, transparent water, you should abandon wood decor.

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Driftwood for decorating an aquarium.

One of the natural materials for decoding home ponds is wood. Driftwood of bizarre shapes, dark and light, with a visible fiber pattern, has long been used to decorate aquariums. In aquariums with live plants, driftwood looks very natural. Such an aquarium most closely resembles a piece of living nature. Many fish require driftwood as shelter. Almost all sucker catfish from the order Loricaridae need driftwood as food; by polishing them, the catfish receive wood cellulose, which helps the stomach in digesting fiber from plant foods. Driftwood releases tannins into the water, called tonins, and they have a very positive effect on the health of fish that are accustomed to living in an acidic environment. Snags are the cheapest way to decorate an aquarium and, at the same time, allocate space for fish. To simulate a tropical forest biotope, driftwood, coconut shells and pieces of bark are well suited.

Tree fragments are popular in the aquarium hobby for several reasons: 1). In addition to the benefits mentioned above for the fish, they look natural in the underwater landscape you create. 2). They are lighter than stones, and if a wooden structure collapses, there is less risk for pets and the glass walls of the aquarium. 3). Many species of fish, including cichlids and catfish, find shelter in the tangle of driftwood. Driftwood is often used as decorative elements, but they play a more important role as shelters for fish. 4). They not only help create hiding places for fish, but also hide elements of the technical equipment of the aquarium. 5). Many aquarists keep catfish from the Loricariidae family, and softened wood is the best menu for these fish. Loricaria catfish require the presence of natural rotting wood in the aquarium for the stable functioning of their digestive tract. 6). Various aquarium plants (anubias, Thai fern), which require a substrate to secure their roots, cling well to snags. Java moss can also be added to driftwood. 7). Using driftwood, you can form terraces by placing the soil in ledges.

What is driftwood anyway? These can be tree rhizomes, a stump of a trunk, bark, a stump or a knotted club. However, this does not mean that any piece of wood found in the wild is suitable for an aquarium, even if you found it in a river or stream. An aquarium does not have the advantage of constantly renewing water, which dissolves and washes away all the toxic organic substances released by decaying wood. In addition, wood contains natural acids that can cause a noticeable decrease in pH value. The tree used must be dead and free of vital sap. Simply broken branches and twigs from a living tree are not suitable as decoration in an aquarium, even if they are thoroughly boiled, they will still rot in the aquarium, since the air in them does not completely escape. Wood containing “live” juices will require more serious and lengthy preparation. It is not recommended to take a tree with rotten wood and rotten roots. However, if the driftwood you like has softened in places, the rotten places can simply be removed. For the same reason, coniferous and resinous species should not be used. The bark of the Portuguese cork oak (sold in flower shops) should not be immersed in the aquarium; it releases a complex of chemicals into the water, including humic acids in high concentrations. Wood with rot and mold, as well as from muddy places and water bodies contaminated with industrial and agricultural waste, as well as coniferous tree species, should not be used.

What can be used in an aquarium.

The roots of trees that have lain for many years in flowing water bodies are best suited. The best driftwood from willows and sedge growing along the banks, roots and branches of willow or willow, as well as hardwood walnut and pear trees. The most persistent are willow and sedge driftwood, which have lain in a river or lake for a long time. Aquarists consider it a success to find the root part of a willow that has lain in water for a long time; it sinks well and, most likely, will not be subject to decomposition, and its roots are intricately intertwined. The best place to collect driftwood is the banks of natural reservoirs. It is desirable that the reservoir be flowing and not polluted by sewage.

Suitable roots and branches of the following tree species: alder, willow, beech, ash, maple, alder, elm, juniper, willow, birch, acacia, olive tree or other deciduous trees. Bog oak, bamboo not treated with preservatives, driftwood from rivers, completely bleached with water, and only solid pieces of wood, coconut shells, grapevine roots, and reed stems are well suited. A controversial issue is the use of eucalyptus, since, despite its pleasant color and intricate curves, it contains resin and essential oils.

Today, relatively new, and therefore less known, types of wood are imported. In addition, the market offers a wide variety of products of unknown origin, including those made of mahogany. If you prefer driftwood from tropical woods, then on sale you can find fragments of heavy opuwa and mopani wood, marsh tar and mahogany (mahogany). Red mangrove roots can be seen on sale even more often. Mopani is often sold under the guise of mangrove. It is easy to distinguish mopani from mangrove due to the uniform brown color of mangrove wood. Mopani is almost always painted in two colors: the outside is light yellow and the core is dark brown; the driftwood does not have sharp corners. Over time, mopani acquires a more uniform dark color. Many types of this wood are so heavy that they do not need to be soaked with water at all. They immediately go to the bottom and even at the very beginning do not float to the surface. However, they also need to be properly cleaned and, if possible, soaked: they release too many humic substances, which in high concentrations overly burden the aquarium water. Having brought driftwood from the pet store, it is advisable to rinse it thoroughly under the tap, water and a stiff brush. To minimize staining, it is advisable to boil any driftwood in a saline solution for 5-6 hours and then, preferably, boil it for 4 hours in plain water. Mapani quickly stops releasing toxins and coloring the water, but Mangrove snags can do this throughout the year.

• Archa (Caucasus) hollow tree. Very beautiful, but not durable; in water it almost disappears within a year! The suckers eat up very quickly - almost the thickness of a paper sheet. Plus the structure is destroyed, because of this there is a constant suspension in the water! Plants do not take root well on it due to the fine dust from the wood itself.

• Bamboo can be purchased at flower and gardening stores. Make sure it has not been treated with preservatives or other chemicals. In gardening, bamboo sticks are commonly used as supports for peas or beans and other garden plants. Use only new poles.

• Vine. The vine is covered with layered bark that is easily cleaned with a metal brush, revealing the beauty of the texture. The texture of the vine is knotty and intertwined, has curved shapes accompanied by depressions, crevices and knobby growths. The color of the vine texture is reddish brown. Sprawling branches of the vine with bends and interweavings, turned down, will create the appearance of burgundy-colored roots descending into the water above a stone grotto. The thickness of the main branch from the base is 30-50 mm, height from 60 cm to 100 cm, with shoots from 20 to 40 cm. Subject to pre-treatment for placement in an aquarium. The vine is a favorite delicacy of the chainwhiskers, and will most likely be eaten entirely.

• Oak , gorgeous if you can find driftwood. Among them, we must first mention the swamp oak, whose wood makes very interesting crafts. Almost ready for consumption, it is boiled for a day and added to the aquarium. They strongly color the water brown and release tannins. It stays in water for a long time and looks beautiful.

• Snag is waste from peat mining, mostly root wood that has lain in the bog for up to a thousand years. Once upon a time, snag was the only type of wood that was used in aquarium keeping. Dried snag is light and difficult to absorb water when soaked.

• Mangrove . Mangrove driftwood is most often obtained from the lignified roots of these plants, which in their natural homeland grow very close to the sea, if not directly in sea water. Such roots or products made from them need to be soaked in water for a long time. Salt must first come out of them, and tannic acids in large quantities. It takes a very long time to boil. Colors the water. Looks very nice in an aquarium. It lasts a long time, even with a large number of suckers. Beautifully decorated with moss. Mopani is often sold under the guise of mangrove. It is easy to distinguish mopani from mangrove due to the uniform brown color of mangrove wood. Mopani is almost always painted in two colors: the outside is light yellow and the core is dark brown; the driftwood does not have sharp corners.

• Mopani (Ironwood). Imported (Africa) and domestic from the Caucasus. Wash under the tap, without detergents. If desired, you can scald with boiling water and clean with a brush. Or boil for 2 hours. It lives the longest in the aquarium, has a strong wood structure. The structure of the wood itself is very original, but to create a beautiful decoration from these driftwood, you need several of them, since an individual driftwood is too flat. At first, when it gets into the water, it becomes covered with a white bacterial coating, buy suction cups and they will polish them! Since the wood is very strong and difficult to penetrate even with a nail, it is better to secure any vegetation with rubber bands. It turns the water a tea color, but it does not harm the fish. After six months, with regular water changes, the coloring of the water goes away.

• Bog oak , as its name suggests, is found in swamps and swamps. It represents the remains of ancient trees, preserved for centuries by natural preservatives such as tannins. It is expensive, but it lasts for many years and is a very attractive natural decorative element.

• Alder . The best thing is if you manage to find a snag. Boil it for just a day, but then the aquarium will look beautiful, since the shape of driftwood is always graceful. In an aquarium, unfortunately, it is very quickly eaten by catfish with suckers. The wood structure is excellent. It does not spoil the water, and there is no suspension from the destruction of the wood itself. It acidifies the water in the aquarium.

• Aspen takes 24 hours to boil! Very beautiful rhizomes. Destroys slowly. It stays in the aquarium for a long time without consequences. Decorated with plants.

• Cork is the bark of the cork oak tree Quercus suber. It can be purchased at some pet stores, as well as flower and gardening stores. They color the water very brown.

• Pine . There are snags with hollows, there are twisted ones, there are spread-out forms. A beautiful tree and especially the rhizomes, but it takes a very long time to prepare. It takes a very long time to soak, boil, soak, boil, soak, boil. Oil stains from resin come out slowly and slowly. Easily decorated with plants. The structure is very strong, it stays in the aquarium for a very long time.

• Driftwood , that is, submerged fragments of trees, can be collected on the shore of the sea or a freshwater body of water. Only completely bleached (due to exposure to the elements) and hard pieces of wood should be collected. Immersion in seawater usually removes most of the tannins from the wood. However, driftwood may contain residual salt that is undesirable in a freshwater aquarium.

• Apple tree . Specific tree. But it looks beautiful in an aquarium. At the very base, if you come across an old apple tree and insects have gnawed everything there, then such a trunk has no insides. There's trash there! Remove everything, and you get a wooden pipe that turns into a rhizome. It looks very beautiful and original. The apple tree does not color the water much; on the contrary, at first the water will acquire a golden color (combines beautifully with warm spectral lighting).

• You can also use synthetic driftwood made of ceramic or plastic. Artificial driftwood for aquariums is also sold in pet stores. Some of them are amazingly realistic and literally indistinguishable from real wood. They are expensive, but like stones, they will last you a lifetime.

The driftwood imported from the tropics is actually saturated with salt, which protects the wood from rotting only during transportation. Before placing such a part of the tree in a decorative aquarium, it should be thoroughly soaked in fresh water to remove salt and, at the same time, substances that color the water.

If you are using branded driftwood purchased at a pet store, then just soak it in salted water for at least a week. Salt will kill most possible bacteria and draw out sap and debris from the tree, thereby preserving it. In addition, the tree will fill with water and will not float up. Most woods will stain in water first, so soaking longer won't hurt.

Driftwood shape.

The first aspect to discuss is size. The best choice is a little smaller than you imagine the size you need, since too much snag in the aquarium will ruin the aquatic landscape. Just like too intricate snags also make the rest of the aquarium unattractive. There are several ways to design a snag layout. The first one is to choose a snag that you like, put it in the aquarium and build a layout around it. This path is usually used by beginners. Another way is to first come up with a profile shape and composition, and then look for a snag that would fit there. Something in between - look for a beautiful snag and come up with a composition for it before dragging it into the house.

We go into the forest, to the river to get some driftwood for the aquarium.

To find suitable snags, choose a day in mid- or late summer when the water is low and the roots are exposed. Among the flooded trunk with roots you can find interestingly shaped fragments. Usually the root parts with the most bizarre shapes and plexuses are chosen, and it looks beautiful, and the fish have a place to hide. The best snags are willow snags that have lain in a river or lake for a long time; they are least susceptible to decomposition. You can find such snags on the shore after a flood. Nature is the best guide for a designer. When you are looking for a snag or a stone in the forest or on the shore of a pond, you involuntarily try it on to your old plan, consider whether the item you found will fit. But since materials collected in nature have different shapes and colors, an unexpected discovery can change the entire original plan. Choose driftwood whose branches reach the surface of the water, where fish can hide from rivals. This is very important for labyrinths that need constant access to atmospheric air.

The wood must be dead. If you cut off a living root or branch of a tree, you will be punished: the juices of such a plant will poison the fish in the aquarium and spoil the water. Wood that has been worn away by insects is especially valuable, because the fact that it has been infested with larvae and bugs indicates that it is “edible” for catfish as well. Chain-mailed catfish prefer to scrape with their suckers not mangroves and mopani (they are quite tough), but apple, pear, nut or willow trees. Driftwood for an aquarium is taken from withered trees, usually from their root part with the most bizarre shapes and complex interweavings. To decorate an aquarium, tree roots or oddly shaped branches are excellently used; later, you can “pick” a few more holes with a chisel, but it’s best if they are natural. It is best to take dead wood that comes from a body of water. The main thing is that there are not very rotten roots, but better without them at all.

On site, using a saw and an ax, separate the area you need; it should be larger than what is needed for the aquarium. However, if the driftwood you like has softened in places, the rotten places can simply be removed. Using a knife, clean the driftwood from rot, bark and unnecessary parts. Under a layer of black dust there is wood of a beautiful color with an interesting pattern. It is advisable to clean off the bark, however, many aquarists leave it for the delight of chain mailers. When choosing driftwood, give preference to those that are saturated with water and sink. During transportation, the collected driftwood should also not dry out. To avoid this, they are wrapped in plastic film.

At home, you should carefully examine the fragments and decide how they will be installed in the aquarium. In this case, you need to take into account the angle in which they look best, and the presence of branches - supports that help the snag stand. If the original piece is missing a couple of the necessary supports, they can be attached by connecting pieces of wood with a wooden pin and epoxy resin. A dry wood pin will soon swell with moisture and tightly connect the two pieces of wood.

However, first of all, it is necessary to remove excess parts in the snag. This must be done in such a way that no traces of cutting or cutting with a knife are visible. Everything artificial must be carefully hidden. Therefore, it is best to break off thin branches, cut thicker ones on the side opposite to the viewer, and then also bend them. Pick out the cut areas with a knife, making them uneven. The cut at the thick end should also face back or down towards the ground. Having given the driftwood the required shape, the wood is once again thoroughly cleaned of rot (this is best done with a brush with stiff bristles). Use the same tool to rub the cut areas to remove saw marks. After this cleaning, the water-soaked wood is ready for use in the aquarium.

If you don’t want to drag snags from the pond, you can find any tree with dense wood from the orchards (pear, apple, walnut).

Preparing driftwood for an aquarium:

First, there is a processing method for purely decorative purposes. It is not suitable for those who want to provide their catfish with the cellulose they need for digestion. Any driftwood that is given the desired shape is suitable for decorative purposes. If it doesn't sink, you can make it heavier by drilling anywhere and pouring tin into the hole. Then the dry wood is coated 2-3 times with epoxy varnish. They dry it, soak it for a week in a container with replaceable water, and the result is an “eternal” driftwood, it does not rot. And you don’t need to be careful when choosing the type of wood.

Before immersion in the aquarium, the driftwood is processed: the bark is removed, rotten areas are cleaned, and its surface is treated with coarse sandpaper and a stiff brush. The snag should not have sharp edges that could injure the fish, so you need to sand down the sharp knots. Driftwood removed from a natural reservoir must be cleaned of silt, dirt and rot. It must be washed without using any detergents.

Next is boiling in a salt solution. Fill it with water, drown the driftwood completely and sprinkle in non-iodized salt. Sprinkle in such an amount that it does not dissolve at room temperature. Usually use 1 kg per 10 liters of water. And put the container on medium (low) heat, adding a little salt little by little. In other words, the temperature has risen by 20 degrees, the rash and dissolve the salt, it has stopped dissolving, continue heating and adding salt, and so it is necessary to bring it to a boil. The concentration of salt in different sources is recommended differently, but to be sure, as well as to create high osmotic pressure, with the help of which harmful substances are removed from the driftwood, you need to sprinkle salt until it stops dissolving. In such a saturated solution, the driftwood is boiled for two to twelve hours. Water must be constantly added as it boils. Boiling significantly speeds up the process of removing organic matter and water-coloring substances. Some aquarists also add potassium permanganate to the salt, which additionally sterilizes the driftwood and gives it a richer color, from dark brown to red-brown. Is it worth boiling a piece of driftwood if it is already saturated with water and will sink just fine? Driftwood from natural reservoirs is really well saturated with water, but they must be well sterilized.

You can burn the “snag” with a blowtorch until a uniform black layer of charred wood appears on the entire surface, which prevents rotting and gives the “snag” a beautiful dark color. After firing, you need to put the “snag” in water for three to four days. The water should be changed every day, and the “snag” should be wiped with a cloth, removing soot and the upper softer layer of charred wood.

Here's another way to process driftwood. Any wood, both living and dead, is suitable for this, but not coniferous species. After thoroughly washing them from dirt, they are cleaned of bark. Then use a saw and knife to give the desired shape. The workpiece is placed in the oven of an electric or gas stove and calcined at a temperature of 200-250 degrees for 2-3 hours. The processing temperature should not be increased, as the tips of the branches and protruding parts of the snags may become charred and there is a risk of losing the charred bark and small parts. As a result of the operation, the wood almost completely loses moisture, and, what is especially important, complete sterilization of its deep layers is achieved. The surface acquires a beautiful brown color. Further processing is no different from the traditional one: the driftwood is placed in a saturated solution of table salt and boiled for 3-4 hours, then boiled for the same amount in clean water. An even better result is obtained by adding potassium permanganate to the water (one tablespoon per bucket of water), which has bactericidal properties and gives the wood a more intense color.

Next, the wood is freed from salt by boiling in fresh water. Boil driftwood in fresh water twice as long as in salt water. The second stage of boiling can be replaced by soaking in running or frequently changed water, making sure to drown it, pressing it either with a stone or with a spacer. Soak the driftwood for about two weeks or until it sinks. If everything is correct, then the snag sinks on its own, without any tricks or stress. For those who can’t wait to strengthen the driftwood in their aquarium, you don’t have to wait until the tree loses its buoyancy, but strengthen it by resting one end against the aquarium screed. You can make a plate of plexiglass, attach a piece of driftwood to it and put stones and soil on the plate.

The big problem is the search for a large capacity; the larger the snag, the larger the capacity should be. The snag should sink forcibly with the possibility of contact with the surface of 5-6 cm. Less is possible, but you will have to monitor the water, constantly adding it. If you don't have a suitable container for soaking the entire piece of driftwood, cut it into its component parts and process each part separately. After all treatments, connect the individual parts with wooden pins. It is better to make the pins from dry wood: they will swell in water and the connection will be strong. Let me tell you right away that sawing driftwood is not that easy. Many aquarists do not have the opportunity to boil driftwood, especially large ones; it is difficult to choose a suitable vessel for it. It is simply cleaned and immersed in a saturated solution of potassium permanganate (you can use a tablespoon in a bucket of water). But this method does not sterilize the deep layers of wood. Large driftwood can be soaked in a thick plastic bag of the appropriate size. They fill it with water, tie it with a string and put it on the balcony. Then into the bath under a strong stream of shower. And then under the shower, clean all the driftwood with a stiff brush. To avoid clogging the drain in the bathtub, place a fish net on it and press it. This is repeated several times.

Even after such serious preparation, driftwood can stain the water for a long time. Many types of wood suffer from this. All of these materials release tannins into the water, making it more acidic and turning it brown. Even for an aquarium with acidic water this is too much, so new materials of this kind must be thoroughly soaked or kept outside in the rain to “age”. But in an aquarium with regular water changes this should not create a big problem. Both treated and untreated mangroves and mopani also discolor the water, ranging in color from brownish to light amber, and some people like the new hue of the water. This releases the substances tannins and (according to some sources) humic acids into the water, which in low concentrations are harmless to fish and can be easily removed using activated carbon placed in a filter.

As soon as the snag is freed from salt and sinks, you can begin design work. The composition must be unified in meaning or form. It is important not to overload the composition with unnecessary details, because no matter how beautiful the tree roots peeking out from under the plants look, there should not be too many of them. Some grow the corresponding plants over the entire surface of the driftwood, while others only in some places - both are equally impressive. You can decorate the background with driftwood by laying them along the glass. It is not worth covering the wood with varnish, because... many fish scratch the wood and can become poisoned.

Properly prepared driftwood will not cause trouble in the aquarium: the water will not change color, and mold will not appear on the wood. This element of the composition will become a favorite resting place for chain-mailed catfish. They will hang on the snag and scrape off the top, soaked layer of wood. Such diligence of chain-mail catfish allows you to keep the wood clean, the pattern of wood fibers will always be open to your eyes. Over the years, small fish will gnaw even small depressions into which the catfish will hide at the slightest danger.

Sometimes mold fungi can appear on softened wood. If after some time in the aquarium a white coating appears on the driftwood, this means that it was not prepared correctly. Careful observation of the fish will give the answer whether plaque harms them or not. Often, catfish cope well with it, as well as with saprophytic fungi, which are almost always found on driftwood in an aquarium, but they are noticeable only where living wood is immersed in water, there is no one to scrape the driftwood, or it sticks out of the water. The fungus disappears after some time without your intervention.

Decorations made of bamboo, reeds or reeds.

Since we are talking about the use of wood in an aquarium, bamboo cannot be overlooked. It should be prepared in the same way as other wood. Wood, bamboo and reed stems are boiled for 3-4 hours in a strong salt solution (in a stainless steel or enamel bowl), it is useful to add a few tablespoons of baking soda. Then dry and cook again for 3-4 hours in saline solution. You need to add enough salt so that after strong stirring it remains at the bottom, dissolving only when the water is heated. There is no need to add other antiseptics and disinfectants to the water - sterility is achieved without it. After the wood has been boiled, it must be washed in running or frequently changed water for 7-10 days. After this, the ends are thickly coated with liquid glass, and after complete hardening, they are placed in the oven for 1-2 hours. Anyone who would like to use tubes of bamboo, reeds, or reeds to decorate their aquarium must certainly disinfect them with hydrogen peroxide or potassium permanganate, and then, after washing and drying, dip at least their open ends into molten polyethylene in order to give them strength. To prevent the stems from spoiling in water, their ends are first dipped in liquid glass. However, there is no guarantee that after a more or less long stay in the aquarium, the bamboo will not begin to rot. This depends both on its quality and on the thoroughness of preparation.

Bamboo stems, well known to everyone from old fishing rods, have an expressive texture and a pleasant light color. For greater effect, it is advisable to use different diameters of bamboo. From these parts of the plant, something like reed thickets are arranged in the reservoir, which are visible from under the water. The tubes must be distributed in the water in irregular groups, as is usually the case in nature. To do this, the stems are divided into segments so that, when installed in the aquarium, they penetrate the surface of the water. How to secure bamboo stems in the desired position? The first thing that comes to mind is to take a sheet of plastic and attach pieces of stems to it using screws at a certain angle. The screws will have to be covered with epoxy or silicone glue (both of them do not attach well to wood and plastic). You also cannot do without waterproofing, since even stainless screws will corrode. Therefore, it is easier to mount the stems on a piece of silicate glass using silicone glue and wooden pins. To do this, first of all, cut the necessary pieces of bamboo and think about how they will be placed on the base. Then glue thin wooden pins in the right places and leave the glue to cure completely. The next day, attach the bamboo pieces to the rods. If everything was done carefully, the fastening, even after getting wet, is quite strong. Bamboo stems can also be supported on a wooden board with holes.

In order for the composition of bamboo segments to be strong and the stems to constantly maintain a certain slope, you can fasten them in a similar way in the upper part. This entire structure is installed on the glass bottom of the aquarium, and gravel is poured on top of it, hiding the lower sections. You can do it differently: connect the decoration only in the upper part, and lay the supporting glass plate on the internal ribs of the reservoir. The bamboo stems are not fastened at the bottom, which helps to change their inclination. The length of the segments in this case should be such that the lower cut is hidden in the thickness of the soil. The only thing that should always be avoided when placing is a position in which both ends of the stem are firmly clamped between opposite walls of the aquarium, for example between the bottom and the top tie. Bamboo swells slightly in water, but this effect is still inherent in it, and under the worst circumstances, the stem can destroy the glass.

Another important note: before assembling the entire bamboo decoration, try to ensure that there is no air left inside the hollow stems. To do this, either drill through the stem partitions along the axis with a long drill, or in places hidden from the eye of the observer, make small holes in each section of the stem through which air will escape. It is safer to make two holes: one immediately under the partition, and the second below, since air may not escape through one small hole. To prevent bamboo from polluting the water with dyes, first soak it in water for at least a week and make sure that it stops secreting juice. Unfortunately, such stems sooner or later begin to rot, especially at the point of contact with air. But after a few years the scenery can be changed.

Artificial driftwood and stones.

Nowadays you can find artificial driftwood and stones made of plastic or ceramics on sale. The advantage of such decorative elements is that they are not massive, do not rot, and their size and shape can be selected in accordance with the size of the reservoir. The negative side of any fake is that carelessly made copies of natural objects can be distinguished by unnatural coloring or irregular patterns. If you decide to use artificial driftwood and stones, then give preference to high-quality products that well imitate the texture and color of natural materials.

Source:

https://aquaforum.crimea.ua/index.php?showtopic=882

Moss decoration

An additional decoration in an aquarium with driftwood is moss. The result is a spectacular picture in the form of a real tree covered with moss. The main difficulty is to place the moss on the driftwood and secure it so that it looks natural, as if it is growing. For this, many people use a thin cotton thread. Over time, it disintegrates, but the moss manages to sprout outgrowths - rhizoids. The fishing line is more reliable, it is invisible in the water and holds the moss decoration well.