# Blueberry Branch As Driftwood?



## Teebo (Jul 15, 2015)

*I have blueberry shrubs that line a lot of the bodies of water where I live, and I noticed a dead branch this year that was all gnarly and twisted so I went back and cut it. 

If I break the tips off and use the main stem(s) is this wood safe to submerge? *


















*This is a branch that has been naturally debarked, the wood is hard and looks like driftwood! *










*Can I brush down the bark and sink it or will it need to be boiled?*


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## Kathyy (Feb 22, 2010)

Blueberry is actually a relation of manzanita! Most plant families have some poisonous relation somewhere but doubt blueberry is one of them. It hasn't been in water so zero chance of leeches or hydra or any other aquatic nasties but it could leach tannin. You could boil to reduce tannins in your tank at setup or just do water changes after you set up the tank. Scrubbing is always a good idea, no point in adding loose bits of bark and dirt to the tank.


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## jboone82590 (Jul 4, 2015)

That would look awesome I wouldn't even cut the ends off I would leave it like it is but that's me 

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## BlueMoonFox (Dec 30, 2014)

It looks fantastic. I've been reading up on making driftwood. It looks like a long process unless you constantly boil it for 1-3 days (which is a long process). If you do it please keep us informed. Dead blueberry bushes are much easier to come by in my neck of the woods. I just have to leave the bush in my wife's charge for a while and tada! Dead shrub.


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## Kathyy (Feb 22, 2010)

You just have to scrub dry wood clean and weigh it down at a minimum, so long as the wood is dry it is fine. Green wood is a pain. I have my eye on a terrific mat of roots on a street tree and dream that when the tree is removed the mat comes free and I will alternately soak and dry it for a year to get the bark off and wood dried out. Now that is work! Of course that will never happen, that mat likely has a nice web of roots below and it will have to be destroyed when tree is removed but it sure would look great in my tank........


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## Teebo (Jul 15, 2015)

I will keep everyone posted, unfortunately I do not have room in my 15 Gallon tank for the ends, they may also snap when trying to debark the tips. 



BlueMoonFox said:


> I just have to leave the bush in my wife's charge for a while and tada! Dead shrub.


:icon_lol:


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

That looks like it is already weathered and ready for use. 
Yes, clean off the dust, soak it until it sinks. 

Hint:
Breaking off the little twigs can work just fine, but you might end up getting out the pruning shears for slightly larger pieces. If you figure out what orientation works best, then cut off the ends, make the cut at a bit of an angle, and in a way that is not visible from the front.


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## Teebo (Jul 15, 2015)

My plan was to use the Bonsai method for the cuts, which I will need to make far down where its thick. You use a mini torch and char the cut, then use a wire brush to remove the black char and it leaves a natural looking spot where you made the cut.


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## Argus (May 22, 2013)

I would boil it, if possible. Then soak it and see what it does to the water. If it turns the water dark, change the water and soak some more. Keep doing that until the water stays clear or produces a color you like for your aquarium. Test the water at the final stage to see if it altered the water from fresh.


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## Teebo (Jul 15, 2015)

*I may skip boiling depending what it looks like after being wire brushed, I cut it down for my 15.8 gallon bow-front as I said, and it doesn't look that bad! I had to remove another few inches off the left after I took this picture, now I need to Dremel down the cuts and char them with a torch, then wire brush that off...*


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## KFryman (Sep 4, 2012)

That blueberry bush makes a great piece of driftwood. Almost looks like manzanita wood just blueish. I'm excited to see this in the tank. Any pictures on the charring process or results? I need to do this to my manzanita branch to make it look natural, so any tips would be appreciated! What happened to all the little end pieces?

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## Teebo (Jul 15, 2015)

*I removed the end pieces to fit it in my tank. I am experimenting with this process with a different piece of wood, after the ends are cut I use hand tools to snap the cut ends. This is what they look like after I char them, I will update this thread after I brush it all down*


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## Teebo (Jul 15, 2015)

*I worked on one limb today, can you tell which one? The top limb is the one I did and it exposes a redder color, I used a stainless dish scrubby. This is the experimental piece not the first one I showed as you can see I cheated with a zip tie on this one.*


















*The stainless scrubby knocked the charred end down a bit it is starting to look more like just some sort of black underwater mold, I will use something more aggressive on the ends. *


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## Argus (May 22, 2013)

You need a sandblaster.


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## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

Have you found how much color will bleed out? 
I might want to know that before spending more time. We all have different ideas for our tanks but since it is not dry wood, I would expect it to be more than I would want in mine.


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## Teebo (Jul 15, 2015)

Yeah haha a sandblaster would be great, out of the realm. 

I have not submerged it to find out color bleeding yet but this is a dry mostly dead branch so it should be minimal, I will try boiling hot water poured over it to work as much out as I can.


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## Kathyy (Feb 22, 2010)

Soaking the wood for a week should loosen the bark so it can be scraped off. Maybe a pressure washer could take it off at that time rather than hand scraping.


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## Teebo (Jul 15, 2015)

*The bark is relatively flaky and easy to remove, here is some further progress on the original branch posted in this thread:*










*I split the cut ends, charred them and have gone over the entire thing with a stainless scrubby including the charred ends. It left a nice marbled appearance I am very happy with, I rinsed it and will let it dry overnight then give it another round of scrubbing and sink it for a week. After a week I will pull it out and scrub it again and rinse then put it in my tank if the water color permits: * 










*I had to shorten the ends even further just enough to fit my tank, the ends can use more work but I am getting there!* :grin2: *if anyone wants to see this process you will really find this guys videos interesting on YouTube search for "Graham Potter"*


















*UPDATE: I did a second scrub and submerged today, I needed a few bottles to keep it down I hope it does not persist to want to float it is releasing a lot of air bubbles. The wood is not flaky and has a nice marbled red look I am very happy with it so far! I first poured boiling hot water over it then filled the rest with hot water:*


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## BlueMoonFox (Dec 30, 2014)

It's coming along quite nicely. Hope you keep updating.


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## Teebo (Jul 15, 2015)

I actually just checked it today the water darkened slightly just this last day or two so I changed the water today in the tub, I am not sure how long this will take but it has beautiful marbling!


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## Teebo (Jul 15, 2015)

*Okay so bad news, the first water change was fine after a week with minimal water coloration. I almost made it through another week and just within the last day or two the water became cloudy with about the same level of coloration. After a closer look I spotted some white and clear slime buildup on the wood...am I doing something wrong? I pulled it out and rinsed it under hot water removed all the slime and let it dry now I am at a standstill on what to do next? More research on this process....*


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## Kramflowz (Aug 6, 2014)

White slime is a common problem with driftwood when first introduced into a tank. It usually happens with mopani wood. Just manually remove it until it stops showing up. It will eventually subside! Not much else to do besides that. 

Hope this helped!


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

The rolling Rock bottles would make good decor too 

Fungus and mold will grow on the wood because lots of food/sap/nutrients will seep out of the wood.


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## Teebo (Jul 15, 2015)

Thanks! I guess I will just resubmerge it and let it run its course. Is there any additives that can be added to the water to speed up this process?


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

You can add salt to the water to inhibit the growths and any smelly bacteria.


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## Teebo (Jul 15, 2015)

Table salt will due?


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

yup


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## Bushkill (Feb 15, 2012)

Just read though this whole thread with some real interest. Most if not all of the northern tier of Pa. is one big old oak forest............with the understory composed largely of wild blueberries, literally square miles of wild blueberries. The turkey, bear and deer do their level best to keep it all mowed down, but some manage to escape the browsing damage. I have some larger bushes behind some fenced portions of the gardens and this thread really has me itching to walk the perimeter of the fence for suitable pieces! Awesome job! Did you consider a wire wheel on a drill to remove the charring? It would be interesting to see how the branch tips would've held up over time. In my head I can see the the really thin ends starting to decompose at some point.


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## Teebo (Jul 15, 2015)

I'm sure I could go farther with the ends but, after several soakings the black has dulled down plus I went over them again with a stainless scrubby. I am content with them usually you see black on natural wood underwater anyway and if the ends decompose all the better natural rot, right?


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## Teebo (Jul 15, 2015)

*Okay so here is an update, I have been using table salt in the water along with algaecide, and I added a submarine filter for circulation also because I read carbon removes tannins as well as excess nutrients...now I have a slight whirlpool. I was thinking about adding a few drops of bleach which should work its way out by the time I am ready to use it? The tank it is for is empty and it has an external canister filter with an in-line UV sterilizer...I am thinking the UV could really help I may just cycle this piece of wood in its home (without substrate) the tannins really are not bad.*


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## Maryland Guppy (Dec 6, 2014)

Rolling Rock, a unique american beer.
Great flavor unlike the normal american beers.


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## jlfkona (Jan 1, 2013)

I don't know if this will help but I wouldn't worry about the white fungus/film. On each of my tanks - I get it and it goes away. Many fish like to munch on it even. From the pictures and what you are writing - I would say your ready to go other than if the wood is still floating. 


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

Just change the water when there's too much tannin. No need for UV and such. I wouldn't use algaecide. The wood might absorb the copper or other algaecide that might be harmful to inverts you put in this wood with.


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## Teebo (Jul 15, 2015)

Rolling Rock is very light so I don't get dehydrated when drinking beer, sometimes I thirst for a glass of water after a couple of heavier beers. The wood has become slightly heavier to the point only 1 bottle is needed. 

My tank does not have any fish to eat it, it wont for a while so that is why I am running its course. Also the tank it is going in I do not want any tannins in, it does still float and I may just have to tie it. 

Good point about the algaecide I will stop using it, I figured the UV couldn't hurt since I can not boil it. I think I will continue to cycle it in its final home while I gather the things I need to build that particular tank.


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## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

You are correct that a bit of bleach may help. The slime, etc. are organics of some sort and the chlorine will react with it as well as the wood. The nice thing about bleach is that it WILL react with organics. That also means that it can't coexist with wood for very long. In theory, you could add enough bleach to react and dissolve ALL the wood. But that would be a crazy amount! 
A half cup may turn the wood white while doing the job but that has always returned to normal in my use. 
I have thought at times that bleach might help tannins due to reaction with organics but really can't say if it does. I normally just go with dry wood and try to avoid the question but it might be worth trying a small dose?


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## Teebo (Jul 15, 2015)

If you are sure it will not linger in the wood like algaecide I will try it. Thank you

PS- Will ghost shrimp eat the white slime?? Cherry or Amano maybe?


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## Argus (May 22, 2013)

I'd soak it in plain water for 24 hrs. to get rid of the salt and algaecide before using it. Then Purigen can be used to remove tea color from the aquarium water.


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## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

Teebo said:


> If you are sure it will not linger in the wood like algaecide I will try it. Thank you
> 
> I'm not sure what is in algaecide so can't say there but for the chlorine in the bleach it is definite. Doing a check of chlorine, the web tells me it is a "highly reactive" chemical. It reacts very easy with most any carbon based item. Like in a shed where the pool chlorine is stored and my wife left the lid off, All the metal tools on the wall rusted! Chlorine is a gas by nature and it has to be tricked into staying in the bleach long enough for folks to use it. If you leave the lid off a jug of chlorine, it will soon be worthless. Ever notice the chlorine smell when you get a drink of water? Smell the chlorine around a pool or spa? That's the chlorine leaving!
> So when we use it on something like wood or an empty tank that is scummed over, a couple things will happen. First the chlorine will react with whatever it finds easy like bacteria and dirt, then wood or whatever it finds slower but even if we put too much in and there is still some left, it turns to gas and blows away pretty quick.
> ...


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## jlfkona (Jan 1, 2013)

Any update? I am soaking crab apple right now and am a few weeks behind you. I am curious how it is working for you. 


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## Teebo (Jul 15, 2015)

It is working, I used a cap of bleach in 10-15 gallons and the white slime died off and does not come back for a few weeks. It no longer floats, it has become very heavy and you can hear it weep in air when you pull it up. 

I am just not sure about the white slime coming back over and over for years if I put it in my tank, I need to find something to eat it.


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## jlfkona (Jan 1, 2013)

I never had the white slime come back after the first couple months. It adjusts. 


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## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

I would not expect the white slime to continue for much longer. It would seem likely to me that there is something in the wood or sap (sugar?) that the slime is living on. Once the food runs out the slime is gone. I have had several types of different "slime" of sorts and they do get ugly but then they do leave. Not a permanent eyesore. 

My spin on the cause is pretty close to a guess and getting rid of it is as well. The bleach soak might be the best guess for me but it takes a really long time for the bleach to soak in. Almost as long as it takes wood to dry out? But at the same time while we are waiting for bleach water to soak in, the chlorine is gassing off and leaving. So to be effective if we have to wait long, we need to keep adding more bleach every few days. 

Part of my thinking on this is from watching wood while soaking in an outdoor tub. I add lots of bleach and wait but at times I get busy and don't look again for several days and that's when I find the bleach has gone as there are mosquito larva in the tub! I pour more bleach and it kills the existing larva but if I wait too long like a week, there will be more larva! Now when I soak collected wood, I try to do it inside as I have plenty of mosquitos without running my own hatchery!


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## Teebo (Jul 15, 2015)

*The slime was being killed within a day and staying shriveled for a week, I have added some activated charcoal. *


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## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

Congratulations on being patient! I'm not that good at waiting and would have done "something" about 25 days ago!


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## Teebo (Jul 15, 2015)

*It pays off, it has been 3 months now and here is the result sized to this tank! I really wonder if ghost shrimp will eat it...*


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## jlfkona (Jan 1, 2013)

Looks great!


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## Teebo (Jul 15, 2015)

Thank you, patients paid off!! Now time to let the mind brew on what to do from here :icon_lol:


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## Teebo (Jul 15, 2015)

*I have been letting it stew in the dark / without lights and the white slime is ending its course however I think I have black beard algae? *


















*I can even see the gravel on the bottom becoming fuzzy, I have no fish, plants, lights, but I have a heavy filtration system with UV so I have not really been doing water changes on this. I will test the water to see if it is full of nitrites or nitrates because now that the white slime is being starved something must be feeding the BBA. Should I hit this tank with Excel??*


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## jmeeter (Nov 22, 2015)

Wow, that is pretty peculiar. Where would you have gotten the BBA from? I would rinse the driftwood in hydrogen peroxide and that will take care of the BBA.


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## Chrisinator (Jun 5, 2008)

I'm not 100% sure but I think I am using similar types of driftwood already in my aquariums. 

I found these by my lake house by the water and they seemed dry and put them in the tanks and I've been doing it for a couple years now. I never debark as I let my plecos do the work but just rinse it off for bugs and what not. 

Again, I am not 100% sure if theyre the same branch but they look fairly similar in terms of texture and even the branching type.


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

Yeah, algae are part of aquarium life. 
You can spot treat it with excel or peroxide.

Don't bother turn on the lights if you don't have plants. You'll grow more algae.

Tree roots are cool looking too. I recently went looking for fallen trees. Pine tree roots tend to look good and survived the rooting process fairly well.

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## Teebo (Jul 15, 2015)

*I put it to use in a different tank!!*


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## Teebo (Jul 15, 2015)

Just an update, the vertical use of the driftwood I made here is still going strong! Nerite snails like to munch on it and it has taken on a whole new characteristic of its own. You can view it here in this thread: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/2...7-marineland-contour-5g-tall-challenge-3.html


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## SeaCur (Jan 13, 2015)

I need to find that near me, very cool shapes.


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