Im bored with bogwood... what else can i use?

matpreec · Post by **matpreec** » 25 Nov 2003, 14:20

I would like to re-landscape my tank with some areas of twigs/branches etc collected from the countryside of Kent in SouthEast England (im a bit bored with bogwood). Can anybody tell me the ones i can use? (if any). Or the treatment process to make them safe?

i realise i would need to select not rotten peices and thoroughly clean and wash them and be very sure about the use of pesticides in the area. But i was more worried about the tanins and toxins etc contained within the wood...

coelacanth · Post by **coelacanth** » 25 Nov 2003, 14:53

matpreec wrote:I would like to re-landscape my tank with some areas of twigs/branches etc collected from the countryside of Kent in SouthEast England (im a bit bored with bogwood). Can anybody tell me the ones i can use? (if any). Or the treatment process to make them safe?
i realise i would need to select not rotten peices and thoroughly clean and wash them and be very sure about the use of pesticides in the area. But i was more worried about the tanins and toxins etc contained within the wood...

Fallen Beech branches collected from under the trees are great for use in aquaria. Some other species may also be safe, but I've always used Beech. Don't be tempted to break branches off the tree it's illegal, and very damaging to the tree. Technically it may be doubtfully legal whether you can take even fallen wood, but when you consider the number of branches that end up being playthings for dogs, thrown on bonfires, used a impromptu goalposts etc. etc. I don't think anyone is going to object to one or two being appropriated. If you have any Panaques you may well find that they thoroughly appreciate the addition of some tasty branches, far better than that tough old bogwood!

matpreec · Post by **matpreec** » 25 Nov 2003, 15:06

Coelacanth..... i could kiss you... but thanks a million, as beech was my first choice!! There is no need to worry about the legality of it all as im a registered Landscape Architect and Historic Garden Restoration Officer so im well clued up on where and how i can obtain said wood. thanks again.... any other offers?

coelacanth · Post by **coelacanth** » 25 Nov 2003, 16:42

matpreec wrote: Coelacanth..... i could kiss you... but thanks a million, as beech was my first choice!!

Oak may also be OK, and it might be fun to have a branch in your aquarium from a tree planted by Capability Brown...

matpreec wrote:There is no need to worry about the legality of it all as im a registered Landscape Architect and Historic Garden Restoration Officer so im well clued up on where and how i can obtain said wood. thanks again.... any other offers?

Cool! By restoration ,would you also include conservation? (as in archaeological conservation). Which houses have you done?
I'm trying to think where I've met a Garden Restoration Officer before, may have been at a Museums seminar.

If you find you need to remove any tree roots that have penetrated the sides of a water feature, these can look great as decor, as the structure of the roots is finer and looks more authentic. I wouldn't be too worried about the species if you are able to do this (obviously avoiding Laburnum etc.), I have used Salix sp. with no problems.

Post by **Shane** » 25 Nov 2003, 16:47

Using branches, vice big pieces of driftwood, can make for a very natural looking and attractive aquarium. One of the biggest problems, to my mind, is that we rarely aquascape with driftwood, but rather buy a few pieces and throw them in as decor. Think about the possibilities as far as cutting driftwood pieces or branches in order to fit them exactely where you want them. A very nice biotope would be to collect several fallen branches that have complex twigs. Break or cut the main branch so that the entire thing goes from top to bottom of the aquarium. There are two possible set ups that come to my mind. Make them look like small root systems by having them jut out of the rear tank pane (looks even cooler if you silicone flat rocks to the rear pane first to make it really look like a real riverbank) or have all the branches hanging down into the water like the water has risen up and flooded a tree's branches. Tree branches that have become submerged this way are a great loricariid collecting location. By placing a seine net under the branches and lifting the tree branch out of the water, you will get net full of Farlowella, Hypoptopoma, and Otocinclus. These area are also the sanctuaries of Hypostomus and Panaque nigrolineatus fry.
-Shane

matpreec · Post by **matpreec** » 25 Nov 2003, 16:53

Quercus (Oak) and Salix (willow) eh? thanks again...

Funny you should mention Capability Brown as ive worked on Danson Park in BexleyHeath in Kent (designed by Capability Brown). Worked on Eltham Palace (one of the only surviving Deco gardens in the UK, formerly Edward the 8ths hunting lodge). Working on Red House also in BexleyHeath at the mo... William Morris' first house. Busy busy busy...

I kinda figured willow would be ok (common sense really) as it grows in and around water as does alder and some dogwoods too etc. I know laburnum is poisionous, but thought it was just the seeds? i thought that fruit trees and some conifers may be a problem because of them being prone to bleeding (sap).

Anyhoo, thanks a bunch fella, keep up the good ............ advice

If anyone else has some good ideas or alternatives please get intouch

coelacanth · Post by **coelacanth** » 25 Nov 2003, 17:21

matpreec wrote:Working on Red House also in BexleyHeath at the mo... William Morris' first house.

That would be guaranteed to get my partner going, she's a bit of a William Morris addict (she's a Museum Conservator by profession)

matpreec wrote:I kinda figured willow would be ok (common sense really) as it grows in and around water as does alder and some dogwoods too etc. I know laburnum is poisionous, but thought it was just the seeds? i thought that fruit trees and some conifers may be a problem because of them being prone to bleeding (sap).

Certainly avoid Conifers, not sure about which fruit trees can be problematic. In the case of Laburnum, it's probably better to be safe than sorry.

matpreec · Post by **matpreec** » 25 Nov 2003, 19:12

Well, if shes a Morris addict she would have got very excited in a meeting we had a few weeks ago. One of the researchers brought in photocopies of Morris' and Webb's (his architect) original diaries and day to day accounts - fascinating stuff!

Anyway about the job in hand - wood! i'll avoid laburnum and the fruit trees just to be on the safe side... i'll try and get on to it this weekend. when its finished i'll post some piccies on here so look out for it!

Thanks again coelacanth, i owe you one!

magnum4 · Post by **magnum4** » 26 Nov 2003, 01:40

Have used bark which was from an aquatic shops but i'm sure could be found locally? Used as a back drop its very effective. However it floats and needs to be siliconed to a piece of glass which then has the weight of substrate on top, or it can be wedged into position.

JohnnyOscar · Post by **JohnnyOscar** » 26 Nov 2003, 09:34

Hey matpreec,

it looks like you live a couple of miles away from me

I've been thinking about collecting some beech and oak branches for my panaques. Maybe I'll wait until we've had a coule of decent storms.

At the moment I'm using loads of mopani root. It has fantastic colours (my flash pleco can sometimes be invisible against it). I think I've got about ten pieces of it in my big tank, cunningly arranged to look like a couple of tree roots. The fish LOVE it. In fact, I can usually find six or seven pims and plecos on or under just one of the pieces.

matpreec · Post by **matpreec** » 26 Nov 2003, 22:12

thanks guys

MAGNUM4 - Unfortunately my tank is viewed from 3 sides so some cunning arranging may need to be deployed

JOHNNY OSCAR - As you've read from the others posts i have plenty of access to branches etc so if you want some good pieces ill keep my eye out (as we clear some too). and if you only live down the road...

spiny · Post by **spiny** » 28 Nov 2003, 20:47

I use Oak, and leaves as well in my blackwater tank! No problem, and the fishes are enjoying it! The use of Oak seems to stabilize the ph, even at this low hardness of 1-2!? Peat never make it that stable.. Anyone know something about this?

I change the water 10-20 % weekly (rainwater mostly), and the water is peatfiltered. Any build up of oaksap/etc will never be to strong due to this. The ph is 5,5 and hardness hardly possible to measure.
Of course this low ph works a bit conserving, as do the peat, but Oak is known to rot/decompose very very slowly! I have several Oaks in my garden, and I am "lucky" that one of them grow close to the electric cables going up to the house, and has to be pruned now and then.

The vikingships from the years 850-900 ad, displayed in my hometown Oslo, is made of Oak! I actually worked in that museum for half a year. The ships were found in huge burial mounds dug down in blue-clay, and this clay was covered with peat. The wooden objects found in the oldest ship, the Oseberg ship, were made of several types of wood. Most woodtypes were mostly/nearly decomposed, but not the Oak! The Oakplanks of the hull of the ship are still hard and looking good, but of course a little fragile. But that isn't very strange after more than 1000 years in the soil.

The problem if certain types of wood is starting to decompose in the aquarium, is that the bacteria involved will use a lot of the available oxygen.

Tomorrow I will find a branch, using Shanes great idea, to mount a branch hanging down in the water! Ooops, long reply, I better stop...

Im bored with bogwood... what else can i use?

Im bored with bogwood... what else can i use?

Re: Im bored with bogwood... what else can i use?

bored with bogwood; what else to use?