[FewestKitten896]

So I found this piece of wood walking through the trees by a creek today. I choose it because it had no bark and was in a pile that was created when the water was high. I broke the piece in half and can faintly smell cedar. I have been reading a lot and some say it is safe and some say it is not. I don't know....there is termite damage that may show some age in terms of its ability to repel insects.

Pretty much I am cheap and not going to pay $10-20 for a piece of wood.

The limb was large and this is where I broke it off.

The entire piece.

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[FewestKitten896]

Well it looks like I will be back in the woods tomorrow. I should have a little more time to look around tomorrow. One more question, I have never really messed around with wood in water (this is my first tank), but does most wood soften when water logged or will most harder woods stay relatively hard when water logged.

 

[FewestKitten896]

Yeah been trying to break the piece small enough to soak but may look for some oak tomorrow evening

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[FewestKitten896]

Well after doing some soaking in hot water, cleaning, more soaking for 24 hours, it sinks. and it is definitely some hard wood though.

I have it in a cooler right now with steaming water with the lid closed. If it doesn't leak tannins over night, would be good to throw in the tank right away? The water it was in overnight last night, didn't have any oily substance on the top at all or does it take longer for this stuff to leach out? We have had a couple good amounts of snow recently so it has been pretty well soaked and then dried out and soaked and dried out again and now I soaked it last night.

Thanks for the help everyone.

 

[FewestKitten896]

tannins are not harmful in the tank or to fish but my not look nice as it turns the water a brown colour, but I would soak it for another day or so just to be on the safe side. I would also scrub it just in case but you should be fine.
good luck...

Ok, I think I will go ahead and put it in there tonight. I scrubbed on it pretty good last night with a toothbrush and some sandpaper and this morning it barely leached any tannins.