Redecorating Drift Wood?

[Hugsy]

So I'm planning on redoing my White's tank in the near future. And I was thinking about going and looking for some drift wood to use in it. I seem to remember reading when I first got my frogs about a certain way for cleaning it. Can anyone point me in the direction of some good pages on using drift wood?

[DonLisk]

You would want to bake it at 200 degree Fahrenheit for one hour.

Here is a link to some good information on wood type and preparing it.
Caudata Culture Articles - Wood in Vivaria

[Hugsy]

Thank so much! So I boil then bake according to that link. Off to the beach in search of drift wood.

[Griffin]

i wish i could go out and get me some free driftwood,i live in the desert

[Heatheranne]

I can get you some drift wood. I live near lake Erie. Would you like some?

[SludgeMunkey]

Heather, I was born an raised an Eireite. I highly, highly recommend AGAINST using anything from Lake Erie. 99% of the drift wood there is toxic at some level in an aquarium. Lake Erie was hideously polluted for years (as recent as 15 years ago) with extremely high levels of PCBs and other , nastier stuff. Your problems with this are multiple in that Presque Isle is a natural collector of pollutants brought in by the currents and concentrated. They constantly dredge the channels to keep the harbor open thus stirring up awful stuff that was buried years ago. Additionally, with all the wet weather you folks have been having, there are high levels of fecal coliform and other raw sewage overflow byproducts. The final issue I will mention is the serious risk of farm run-off, especially due to the vineyards in North East.

[Griffin]

now right now but later down the road when i convert my 46gal bow fish tank into a viv.thanks heatheranne

[Heatheranne]

Eugh!!! Thanks for the info before I put any in my tank. And glad I didn't send any then either.

[Heatheranne]

Sludge Munkey,

So you used to live here. Interesting. I've lived here, Washington state, and 29 Palms, California in the past. My ex was in the military. And now home again to Erie for the last 13 +/- years.

Where do you reside now?


Griffin,
Sorry I couldn't help. Good thing our friend read this before I sent any! I did not know the wood here would be contaminated. I'd have been devastated if I hurt your babies! Good luck in your search!

[SludgeMunkey]

I bounce around every five years or so. Like Johnny Cash said, "I've been everywhere, man."

No sweat on the driftwood. It really is a big risk no matter the source (exception is the manufactured stuff sold at pet stores- it's not really drift wood, but sandblasted to look like it is!).

Driftwood spends a lot of time in the water, much of it due to being buried/embedded in the mud. The Great Lakes are in particular is risky due to the heavy industry that has been there for the last 100 years or so.

[Heatheranne]

Perhaps then fake is the way to go.

[Hugsy]

Someone has picked the beach clean. That is the first time I have ever gone to the beach and not seen any drift wood.

[SludgeMunkey]

Personally, I prefer to use Silver Maple, and its close relatives. The wood, branches, bark and leaves are all very common, easy to work with, and most importantly FREE every time there is a storm. (In fact, I actually got in trouble with the city this past week as I patrol the neighborhoods with my chainsaw and wheelbarrow "helping" my neighbors clean up their storm fall. Turns out I got a bit too much wood this time around so my vivaria are all getting makeovers AND my fire pit is a party every night...) I really like silver maple as it seems to really attract attractive lichens and mosses on the bark. These die when the wood is boiled and baked, but they end up getting well preserved by the process and look great in a viv.