Hi there everyone,
I know that beech wood is safe to use in aquariums.
However, as with the bog wood I use in my tanks, it will be soaked for a time first, then either boiled, or for the bigger pieces, have boiling water poured over them.
I was just wondering if it is safe to leave the bark on or not, and also if anyone has used any large pieces of bark as a backing to a tank.
I appreciate that this would degrade, but I think it would take a heck of a long time.
Your thoughts as always are greatly appreciated
Cheers
Stu
Beech Wood
-
Silurus
- Posts: 12460
- Joined: 31 Dec 2002, 11:35
- I've donated: $12.00!
- My articles: 55
- My images: 896
- My catfish: 1
- My cats species list: 90 (i:1, k:0)
- Spotted: 428
- Location 1: Singapore
- Location 2: Moderator Emeritus
Actually, sap is most concentrated within the living tissue (the wood). Bark is just dead tissue.
But it's still not a good idea to put bark in the tank. Because bark is the first line of defense for the plant's immune system and is consequently full of pathogens (not that they will infect your fishes, but one still shouldn't take chances).
But it's still not a good idea to put bark in the tank. Because bark is the first line of defense for the plant's immune system and is consequently full of pathogens (not that they will infect your fishes, but one still shouldn't take chances).
-
Sid Guppy
- Posts: 757
- Joined: 31 Dec 2002, 15:36
- Location 1: Brabant, the Netherlands
- Interests: Catfish, Tanganyikan fish, Rock'n'roll, Fantasy
I would be cautious too....
Just a few brown dried beechleaves can get a mediumsized tank nicely light-brown and drop the pH just a bit. They're excellent for triggering fish like Characins, Killi's,Knifefishes or Hoplo's into spawning behaviour, and they make a great "leaflitter" substrate for fish like Chaca, Bunocephalus, Trichomycterids, Auchenipterids, mediumsmall Dorads like Ablydoras hancocki etc.
Beechleaves contain all kinds of acidic stuff, and I think that's also why they break down very slowly (if they break down fast, they would be worthless for this; only rapidly accumulate nutrients in the water). For the same reasons Oakleaves can be used too, but beech is better. (lasts longer).
You can see the evidence of this in a Beechforest: no undergrowth! The very slowly breakdown and the acidification of the soil doesn't lead to a rich, humus-substrate, so few plants like to grow in a beechforest. Exactly the same happens in a pine-forest.
But the volume of tissue from a handfull of leaves is thousands of times smaller than a branch or a root.....
Just a few brown dried beechleaves can get a mediumsized tank nicely light-brown and drop the pH just a bit. They're excellent for triggering fish like Characins, Killi's,Knifefishes or Hoplo's into spawning behaviour, and they make a great "leaflitter" substrate for fish like Chaca, Bunocephalus, Trichomycterids, Auchenipterids, mediumsmall Dorads like Ablydoras hancocki etc.
Beechleaves contain all kinds of acidic stuff, and I think that's also why they break down very slowly (if they break down fast, they would be worthless for this; only rapidly accumulate nutrients in the water). For the same reasons Oakleaves can be used too, but beech is better. (lasts longer).
You can see the evidence of this in a Beechforest: no undergrowth! The very slowly breakdown and the acidification of the soil doesn't lead to a rich, humus-substrate, so few plants like to grow in a beechforest. Exactly the same happens in a pine-forest.
But the volume of tissue from a handfull of leaves is thousands of times smaller than a branch or a root.....
Plan B should not automatically be twice as much explosives as Plan A
-
clothahump
- Posts: 441
- Joined: 30 Dec 2002, 17:24
- Location 1: Deepest Darkest Dorset UK
- Contact:
If you collect the small branches from the Beech they will be OK.
Collect them when the tree is dormant, strip the bark and leave to dry, you do not want damp at this stage,cut off the really small branches so you are left with pieces 20mm and above, they need to be in the dry and not touching anything else so the air flows all around the pieces.
When completely dry they are ready to use, they will float at first but will be usable in the aquarium for about 2-3 years before they need replacing.
Collect them when the tree is dormant, strip the bark and leave to dry, you do not want damp at this stage,cut off the really small branches so you are left with pieces 20mm and above, they need to be in the dry and not touching anything else so the air flows all around the pieces.
When completely dry they are ready to use, they will float at first but will be usable in the aquarium for about 2-3 years before they need replacing.