Driftwood Types...

[Kaluden]

What types of wood are good to use in aquarium? My dad lives in oregon and I have him looking for me around the rivers and such, since I am looking for a root style, out there, now is the time of year for this since its just past snow thaw (meaning high rivers and uprooted tree's laying along banks once it goes down). The question is, what type is ok for me to use?

Some of the typical out there is going to be evergreen, I am guessing thats no good due to pitch and such. But what kind of hardwood is ok after boiling, pressure washing and sun drying?

 

[GuiltyPleasures]

I live on the southern oregon coast and I have picked up lot's of driftwood from the beaches here and used them in my tanks without any problems at all. I just wash them good in hot water and scrap off any loose particals and it's been fine. You will have to use something to weight it down until it's water logged enough to sink on it's own. I normally just put rocks on mine to hold them down (I also get my large rocks and stones from the beaches here)
Hope this helps
Rene

 

[Notophthalmus]

Some conifers are OK; I know red cedar (Juniperus) and baldcypress (Taxodium) are fine in tanks, while pine and spruce are not. I don't know about redwood or fir, or some of the other conifers you have up in the northwest.

As far as hardwoods, I've used oak, maple, ironwood, and assorted unidentifiable woods with no problems. If the wood has dried enough that it no longer has any sap in it, than it's probably safe; look for the gray, bone-like pieces.

 

[Star_Rider]

'Pine' covers a very large number of trees(species).

and it gets a bad rap for not being safe. 'softwood' more prone to rotting is just not always true. it depends on the species.
chances are that if the wood has been submerged for a long period of time the wood has leached out most of the resins.
btw Red Cedar on the west coast is most likely wester Red Cedar (Thuja)
Juniperous is typically the Juniper tree species.
Juniperous in regard to easter Red cedar is not a true Cedar it is actually a Juniper.

all are Pinales
some are safe for aquariums. some species more resistant to rot than others.
redwood and Giant Sequoia are also woods more resistant.(pines/pinaceae)