Problems With Aquarium Driftwood

Driftwood improves the aesthetic appeal and habitat quality---offering shelter and spawning sites--- of an aquarium. Purchase driftwood at pet stores or collect it along river shores and beaches. However, driftwood brings a variety of problems to the aquarium. While these "problems" may be only minor nuisances and can even prove beneficial for some species like tropical, river-dwelling fishes, they can be equally fatal for other species.

  1. Chemicals

    • Driftwood collected from nature can contain a number of chemicals, any of which could leach into the aquarium water and prove fatal to pet fish. Pet stores supply "clean" driftwood for aquarium use. However, driftwood intended for terrestrial use, like in a reptile vivarium, may contain glues or other chemicals that are not safe for aquatic use.

    Salt

    • Driftwood collected from ocean beaches is certain to contain high concentrations of salt. As a result, beach driftwood is not appropriate for use in a freshwater aquarium. However, beach driftwood can safely be used in brackish or saltwater aquariums after repeated soaking in warm or boiling water.

    Biological Pests

    • Driftwood harbors a wide variety of biological pests that could pose problems in the aquarium habitat. These pests include bacteria, algae, and invertebrates. However, these pests can be neutralized by prolonged soaking in bleach water, boiling, or freezing.

    Tannins

    • As driftwood, leaves and other organic matter begin to decay, they release a brown substance called "tannin" (tannic acid) into the water, giving the water a tea-like color. For some river-dwelling fish species, the brown, tannin-rich water can be beneficial. However, many aquarists consider the tannins an eyesore, and use carbon filtration to remove this contamination.

    pH

    • In addition to leaching tannins into the aquarium, decaying driftwood can lower both the pH of the water and oxygen levels. When driftwood is added to aquariums housing fish species that are sensitive to changes in pH, continual monitoring of pH levels is critical to aquarium health.

    Floating

    • Because driftwood is extremely dry and porous, it often floats on the surface of the water until it becomes waterlogged. Some aquarium experts recommend boiling the driftwood to speed up the soaking process.