Wood from trees in my backyard safe?

Reality · Post by **Reality** » 13 Apr 2003, 07:06

There's some guys doing yard work in my backyard and they uprooted this tree and theres this piece of the root that looks pretty good and i was planning on putting it in this in my soon to be built pond. Would it be alright? It's a really big piece around 4ft i know it weighs like 60 lbs when i tried to pick it up. How would i be able to clean/sanitize it?

Yann · Post by **Yann** » 13 Apr 2003, 10:32

Hi!

Well I would not use this root at all, especially as the tree is only dead now, it will be really poisonous for your tank.
Cheers
Yann

Post by **Silurus** » 13 Apr 2003, 10:37

There are two main problems associated with using this wood for your tank:
a. Drying it. You need to dry the wood really thoroughly befoe you can use it in your tank. Otherwise, sap/resins will seep out into the water and almost cettainly kill your fish.
b. Wrong species. If you're in California, chances are the tree could be an eucalyptus, in which case, forget it, as eucalypts are full of volatile oils that will kill your fish.

Reality · Post by **Reality** » 15 Apr 2003, 22:48

What happens if the wood has been dead for more than 1 year? It was in the neightboors yard so i don't really remember. All i remember was seeing this stump there. So i think it has been dead for a while now. I'm looking at it and the part that was exposed is bone dry.

Post by **Silurus** » 15 Apr 2003, 22:57

I still would not take the chance. Some woods can take years before they are completely dry, and even then, there might be residues that are poisonous.

BK · Post by BK » 15 Apr 2003, 23:20

for a pond i wouldn't worry to much about desanitizing it as un sanitized stuff (bird feces, dead insects, leaves, brances, litter, ect) get in ponds all the time. i would just hose it off real good or powerwash it and carve/cut any real soft or spongy pieces off.

besides other worries posted above your tank would probably be overwhelmed as fungus living in the wood dies and organisms in your tank start decomposing the wood and produces an nitrogenious waste spike. i have used thin pieces of birch and maple after i have boiled it withought any problems but a stump would definatly cause problems. I have heard of people weathering wood in the sun outside off the moist ground or soaking it under water for months to let the decomposition happen before its put in a tank but i don't know how well this would work. you cooould lef it soak in your pond for a while before you add fish to let the easily decomposable parts decompose and test the water to see how things go. if it gets to nasty just take it out and do a big water change before fish are added. Could even help you cycle your pond filter.

all that being said some dense and rot resistant woods (like the mopani commonly sold in LFS) can be used without any problems. I have heard of several people using old mesqite brances, stumps, and roots that were dried for several years before use.

do you have any idea what type of tree it was?