# safe wood for tank?



## yorchi5m (Oct 1, 2015)

Im not sure if Im posting on the right place, I need a small piece of wood to simulate a tree, I got one that works in a pet store, I believe its grape vine, nit quite sure, I was told from a fish store owner that that was gonna kill my fish in my tank, any advice on wood?


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## Raymond S. (Dec 29, 2012)

The sap in Cedar wood contains a chemical that kills bugs. Pine sap is an ingredient in
Turpentine. I believe that I read on here that grape wood rots quicker than hard woods 
will rot. What does that mean? In two years instead of eight years?
Main point is that I have not heard of any real reason to not use grape wood in a tank.
I have been on the forum for an hr or more almost every day for the last three years almost. This does not guarantee that there is not a reason. I'm just stating that I haven't heard of one even being on here that much.


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## Argus (May 22, 2013)

Here is a thread about it: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/8-general-planted-tank-discussion/75554-grapewood-aquarium-experiences.html


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## VelcroWY (Jun 9, 2015)

I think the old rule says is best: "The softer the wood, the worse it is." You can use almost any wood, but the question becomes: "How long?"


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## g4search (Aug 10, 2014)

yorchi5m, 

you asked for SAFE wood for tank? The short answer is: ANY wood is safe as long as you remove the bark! There is no wood that is inherently toxic, that is, it does not effect fish.

However, any wood can bring problems to the aquatic environment, because it is a good food source for aquatic fungi, which will degrade the wood quickly. The softer the wood, the better and faster it will be "decomposed" by the fungus. Really hard wood can last 10-20 years, depending on how big the piece is.


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## yorchi5m (Oct 1, 2015)

thanks for your response guys, I got a piece of grape wood I want to use for my tank to make it look like a tree, I stop at a local fish store and the owner told me that that wood was toxic for the fish, he recommended me to put it on a bucket with a feeder fish and see if is toxic or not


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## GraphicGr8s (Apr 4, 2011)

g4search said:


> yorchi5m,
> 
> you asked for SAFE wood for tank? The short answer is: ANY wood is safe as long as you remove the bark! There is no wood that is inherently toxic, that is, it does not effect fish.
> 
> However, any wood can bring problems to the aquatic environment, because it is a good food source for aquatic fungi, which will degrade the wood quickly. The softer the wood, the better and faster it will be "decomposed" by the fungus. Really hard wood can last 10-20 years, depending on how big the piece is.


I doubt Oleander would be safe.


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## sohankpatel (Jul 10, 2015)

Any malasian or mopani driftwood is OK


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## Kubla (Jan 5, 2014)

> ANY wood is safe as long as you remove the bark! There is no wood that is inherently toxic, that is, it does not effect fish.



I think that is flat out wrong and a pretty dangerous thing to be putting out here! There are quite a few hardwoods that can make you extremely sick if you cut them without the proper mask/respirator. These are cured, dried woods. I can't imagine that a wood like that is safe to put in an aquarium

It's been recongnized for over 2000 years that woods can be toxic.



> “Not to omit any one of them, the yew is similar to these other trees in general appearance . . . It is an ascertained fact that travellers’ vessels, made in Gaul of this wood, for the purpose of holding wine, have caused the death of those who used them.”
> 
> –Pliny the Elder, from Naturalis Historia, ca. 77 AD



Most woods are not inherently toxic, but can cause mild to severe allergic reactions, but there are a few that contain direct toxins, like yew.


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## Ashraf (Oct 7, 2014)

NO WONDER THAT'S WHAT VOLDEMORT'S WAND WAS MADE OF


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