Driftwood

There are shipwrecks all thru out the caribbean in shallow waters heres a link with a couple of pics of ships that have been in the caribbean for almost 400 years Shipwreck Excavations

I think the reason we don't see driftwood in saltwatertanks is like what SAW said, its an aesthetics question.

 

I have used driftwood in many freshwater application and have had no problems but we're not talking about freshwater.

That being said, your opinion is as valued as anyone elses' and I'm just trying to offer advice based on what I've read and learned throughout the years about this subject through the mistakes and successes of others. I don't expect anyone to take my word as gospel so if you want to put driftwood in your tank and take your chances, go for it and post your results.

 

Perhaps we can go a different direction and use Artificial Driftwood they are made of Poly-resin and should not affect anything right?

 

That would be correct Chet. Good choice as how that will not impact your tank. Thoug intime it will encrust with coralline like anything else not loving.

 

That was a general statement

 

Yes that wold be fine.. I have data its called experience with using or trying to use driftwood. Yrs ago i had a huge section in a Discus tank It was a piece I found on a island of eastern shore's Of Va. I put it in the freshwater tank and it was fine for good long time. Tank was a display tank in my old LFS. Then in about 1970-71 I started to sell Saltwater fish
and set up a 200 Gal display tank and it ran great for about a yr or more then one-day I had this great Idea add that driftwood. I soaked it and boiled it to kill any bacteria as we in that time did not fully know all about how everything worked .
Well after I set it out to dry air for a few week and then again heated it in a oven for a several hrs to make sure anything in it was dead. with in a few week after adding the driftwood the tank went to hell algae problems Ph and alk would not stay at its normal level and the water just went to hell. Fish got sick and I took that out and went to work on correcting the problems. Never again and I have known a few others to try it also , So if one wants data just add some driftwood and then come tell us your findings .

 

Tangster,
An excellent, specific example.
Personal experiences, recounted and detailed, are the reason that I come here. Thanks!

 

It would turn the water amber color and it will try to make the water more acidic. It releases hummic, and tannic acids, that will mess with the ph. That is why it is used with south american fish. In the ocean it would not make a difference, but the ocean is huge, lol. If it were me I wouldnt do it,

Michael