# Driftwood in NJ?



## sevendust111 (Jul 15, 2014)

I hate the idea of buying driftwood online as I like to see things in person before I buy. I live in central NJ (very close to Rutgers) and am looking for a place to get spiderwood, manazanita, gold vine, or something of that ilk. My two go to LFS stores (Aquaridise and Tropaquarium) have very little. I am putting a cap on this road trip a one-hour radius and NO Philly or NYC. Anyone know of a good place?


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## Geoff-PA (Jun 5, 2016)

Give Absolutely Fish in Clifton a call. I go there from the Poconos to get my fish. I know they have stones and stuff but call and ask about wood.


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## mott (Nov 23, 2006)

Great store^^^^ but you can always check the for sale section here, I bought over 100 pounds of beautiful Seruy stone and the same guy had a ton of spider wood


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## sevendust111 (Jul 15, 2014)

Geoff-PA said:


> Give Absolutely Fish in Clifton a call. I go there from the Poconos to get my fish. I know they have stones and stuff but call and ask about wood.


I have been eyeing up this place for years but have never been. Its about an hour from my house and I have been meaning to go.

Bump:


mott said:


> Great store^^^^ but you can always check the for sale section here, I bought over 100 pounds of beautiful Seruy stone and the same guy had a ton of spider wood


The whole idea is that I want to see the wood in person before I buy. Unless the seller offers free returns.


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## mott (Nov 23, 2006)

Gotcha, usually the seller will put say a soda can and a tape measure in the pics to give you a visual of the item.
I don't know if absolutely fish has spiderwood but I do know they sell regular old driftwood. I've seen spiderwood in petsmart but they charge a lot for not much.


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## sevendust111 (Jul 15, 2014)

mott said:


> Gotcha, usually the seller will put say a soda can and a tape measure in the pics to give you a visual of the item.
> I don't know if absolutely fish has spiderwood but I do know they sell regular old driftwood. I've seen spiderwood in petsmart but they charge a lot for not much.


Yea I have seen pics of the wood next to bottles/cans and such but I am so OCD picky about my driftwood. If one little branch is off, it will ruin the tank for me. I don't even care about spending a few extra bucks to buy from an lfs versus online.


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## Fisshh (Apr 25, 2017)

Beitel aquarium in pearl river has every type of hardscape expensive though ... pet place 2 on rt 59 has some really nice iron wood sunk already he got in last week fish town on rt 17 in jersey has drift wood and a an impressive plant selection and absolutely fish always great selection and on the opposite side a few miles west on rt 46 fish hut has a selection of wood ocean gallery 2 on rt 22 usually has driftwood but I haven't been there in years


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## sevendust111 (Jul 15, 2014)

Fisshh said:


> Beitel aquarium in pearl river has every type of hardscape expensive though ... pet place 2 on rt 59 has some really nice iron wood sunk already he got in last week fish town on rt 17 in jersey has drift wood and a an impressive plant selection and absolutely fish always great selection and on the opposite side a few miles west on rt 46 fish hut has a selection of wood ocean gallery 2 on rt 22 usually has driftwood but I haven't been there in years


Wow...thanks dude. A few of those places are a little too far for me but I didn't even know Ocean Gallery even existed. It's not that far from me too. I am going to check it out one day and another go to both Fish Hut and Absolutely Fish.


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## PhelanVelvel (Apr 11, 2017)

What about 1.) The Hidden Reef and 2.) Fish Factory in Bristol, PA? Two fish stores within 5-10 minutes of each other. I also live in central/south Jersey. (I take the Burlington-Bristol Bridge, so that's a $4 toll on the way into PA, no toll on the way back. Your route will be different if you're coming from the north.) I think The Hidden Reef had driftwood last time I was there, but I don't recall the price. You could always call both shops and ask them if they have any. I just think it's really neat to be able to go to two fish stores in one trip.


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## sevendust111 (Jul 15, 2014)

PhelanVelvel said:


> What about 1.) The Hidden Reef and 2.) Fish Factory in Bristol, PA? Two fish stores within 5-10 minutes of each other. I also live in central/south Jersey. (I take the Burlington-Bristol Bridge, so that's a $4 toll on the way into PA, no toll on the way back. Your route will be different if you're coming from the north.) I think The Hidden Reef had driftwood last time I was there, but I don't recall the price. You could always call both shops and ask them if they have any. I just think it's really neat to be able to go to two fish stores in one trip.


Thanks dude. Bristol is with my range and is on the way to my parents house. They live about an hour from That Fish Place. I used to go when I was younger. Too far now though.


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## Geoff-PA (Jun 5, 2016)

I drove to That Fish Place once from the Poconos. It was cool to visit, but it was definitely a long drive. I'd only do it again if I were really bored haha.


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## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

I don't know the area at all so this may miss in some way but a suggestion might save lots of traffic as well as some money. Looking on Google, I see a lake nearby with lots of trees hanging over the water. 
How about a trek out along the shoreline to see if there are not some fallen limbs that work? 
What we sometimes miss is that the wood we buy in stores is just wood that somebody found and sold to the store. Sometimes there is great value in "sweat equity" ! 
When in new territory (like your area?) I would go to Google maps first to sort out the logical places to look and then do a bit of hiking. I have a small folding saw and daypack that are my standard equipment. Saw, water and lunch plus a few cords to tie anything large to the pack for the trip back and I'm set to go. But first I think about the weather and study the map zoomed in on earth view. If the weather normalyl has the wind blowing from the SW, I look for a place close to the road on the NE as that is where the most driftwood will wind up. The back end of coves is prime territory. If I can see driftwood on the shore on the computer, I expect to find it when on foot but I want it somewhat close to the car, in case I find the really big one!


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## marks_01 (Jan 4, 2017)

South Jersey, about 20 min. from Rutgers-Camden or 60 minutes from Rutgers-NewBrunswick: Aquarium Center in Blackwood, NJ.


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## KrypleBerry (May 23, 2017)

sevendust111 said:


> I hate the idea of buying driftwood online as I like to see things in person before I buy. I live in central NJ (very close to Rutgers) and am looking for a place to get spiderwood, manazanita, gold vine, or something of that ilk. My two go to LFS stores (Aquaridise and Tropaquarium) have very little. I am putting a cap on this road trip a one-hour radius and NO Philly or NYC. Anyone know of a good place?


I got my driftwood from driftwood planet on ebay. Lots of photos from all angles, came super clean and looks beautiful with christmas moss, and various anubias on it now. I wast aware so much is also sold on the forum. Thats awesome.


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## sevendust111 (Jul 15, 2014)

PlantedRich said:


> I don't know the area at all so this may miss in some way but a suggestion might save lots of traffic as well as some money. Looking on Google, I see a lake nearby with lots of trees hanging over the water.
> How about a trek out along the shoreline to see if there are not some fallen limbs that work?
> What we sometimes miss is that the wood we buy in stores is just wood that somebody found and sold to the store. Sometimes there is great value in "sweat equity" !
> When in new territory (like your area?) I would go to Google maps first to sort out the logical places to look and then do a bit of hiking. I have a small folding saw and daypack that are my standard equipment. Saw, water and lunch plus a few cords to tie anything large to the pack for the trip back and I'm set to go. But first I think about the weather and study the map zoomed in on earth view. If the weather normalyl has the wind blowing from the SW, I look for a place close to the road on the NE as that is where the most driftwood will wind up. The back end of coves is prime territory. If I can see driftwood on the shore on the computer, I expect to find it when on foot but I want it somewhat close to the car, in case I find the really big one!


Have you ever been to Jersey haha? I wouldn't put anything from around here in a tank.

Bump:

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marks_01 said:


> South Jersey, about 20 min. from Rutgers-Camden or 60 minutes from Rutgers-NewBrunswick: Aquarium Center in Blackwood, NJ.


Guess it looks like I will do a south Jersey run too. Thanks. I am going to hit up All Aquatics right outside Trenton too.


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## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

Quote: 
Have you ever been to Jersey haha? I wouldn't put anything from around here in a tank.


That's why I do a bleach soak on everything that goes in the tank if it is suspect. We never know where or what stuff has been doing. Even the stuff that we buy is really suspect as I have worked in the backrooms when the bug guys come through and they are not at all precise with where they spray the stuff. If there happens to be a box in the corner, it gets sprayed! 
The advantage of doing a bleach soak is that it does remove those wildcards that may/may not be there. The difference in using bleach at 5% chlorine and using tap water is the dilution so I have no problems with using it just to make sure things that go in are not loaded with extras that I don't want. 
You are quite right to be concerned about what's in the river but then somebody else downstream is almost certain to be drinking that water. We all live downstream from somebody else. 
Another way to think about it might be to ask about Malaysian driftwood and what they do to the water in those areas. 
It makes tilapia fillets a little less appealing!


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## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

Fishtown USA in Ramsey has some great branch wood.


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## Fisshh (Apr 25, 2017)

If your close to pa Rachael O'Leary just got in more hardscape rocks and wood I think her website is msjinked you can get a link from her you tube page


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## sevendust111 (Jul 15, 2014)

Axelrodi202 said:


> Fishtown USA in Ramsey has some great branch wood.


Your the second person to suggest this place. Man...I really want to go but its like an hour and fifteen from my house. I like having to option to return to wood. Typically as long as you don't fill the tank, most places seem willing to allow returns.

Bump:


Fisshh said:


> If your close to pa Rachael O'Leary just got in more hardscape rocks and wood I think her website is msjinked you can get a link from her you tube page


Does she have a storefront? She is based out of York, which is way too far from where I live.


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