An aquarium is not just about the fish. Equally important is the surrounding décor, and using driftwood in a fish tank is common among hobbyists.
Its beguiling shapes and enchanting textures are a boon to the aesthetic appeal of your aquarium.
Along with aquatic plants, driftwood enhances the natural look of your aquarium and makes the underwater environment more diverse.
However, there is just one problem: just how long does driftwood last in an aquarium?
While answering that question, we’ll also look at how to prepare driftwood for aquarium and how to make driftwood last longer.
Let’s get started!
Using Driftwood in a Fish Tank
No one can deny the appeal of a driftwood planted aquarium. Notwithstanding the fact that wood doesn’t grow underwater, driftwood does make it look more natural.
After adding the gravel and aquarium plants, driftwood is a good choice of aquarium décor to get next.
Some even manage to grow plants on their driftwood, achieving an aesthetic look second to none.
Moreover, it provides some hiding spots for your aquatic buddies and offers a stimulating environment. And some fish, such as Plecos, nibble on them for nutrients.
It is mostly safe to use driftwood in a fish tank. It may turn the water yellow or brown though – it is due to tannins getting released from the driftwood.
How Long Does Aquarium Driftwood Last?
Wood, like all organic matter, will eventually decay and disintegrate – nothing much you can do about that.
How long driftwood lasts depends a lot on its type. Dense hardwoods such as Malaysian driftwood and Mopani wood tend to last a lot longer. Driftwood that is sold commercially may be specially treated to last longer underwater.
Generally, driftwood will last about 2-5 years in an aquarium. Properly prepared and cared for, some may even last a decade, as you’d probably hear from many aquarium owners.
Consider that driftwood has spent a great deal of time under the sun, literally, before you started using it in your aquarium. So its expiry date isn’t far off after you submerge it in water.
You can tell that your driftwood is seeing its final days if the outer layer has become soft and flakes of mushy brown stuff are coming off it and falling as debris. You may even experience an unmistakable smell of rot coming from your aquarium.
A commonly asked question from concerned aquarium keepers: can driftwood cause ammonia spike?
Driftwood does NOT release ammonia into your tank, at least not directly. Any ammonia spike you may encounter after introducing driftwood may have probably come from dead microorganisms or even macroorganisms, as wood serves as a habitat for many species.
Even when it’s rotting, driftwood doesn’t release ammonia due to its chemical composition.
How To Prepare Driftwood For an Aquarium.
Properly prepared driftwood will tend to last longer and also not cause any problems for your aquarium.
Two of the most common complaints about people using driftwood in a fish tank are: driftwood not sinking to the bottom and driftwood turning the water yellow or brown.
Looking at the first issue, wood generally floats in water, especially lightweight woods such as spiderwood. Air trapped inside the wood increases its buoyancy, making it difficult to sink. Floating driftwood doesn’t make great aquarium décor.
Secondly, wood releases a compound called tannins, which is not harmful to your fish but can turn the water yellow or brown – a yellow hue to your aquarium can ruin the scenery, so it is not desirable.
The first step to preparing driftwood for an aquarium should always be the removal of the bark – the bark is the part that will rot first, so it makes sense to remove it beforehand. Also, don’t forget to clean the driftwood. You can use the following methods to prepare driftwood for aquarium.
1. Soak the Driftwood in Water
Soaking the driftwood in water allows it to be waterlogged and saturated with water, allowing it to finally sink to the bottom, where you want it to be.
It also helps get the tannins out of driftwood, as they leech into the water when submerged. Remove and replace the water periodically to get rid of the tannins.
You should aim to soak the driftwood for two weeks before you introduce it to your aquarium.
Watch out whether the driftwood is finally sinking or no longer turning the water brown – if those conditions are met then it is ready for your aquarium.
Sometimes the driftwood would never sink; in that case, you may have to use an anchor or tie it down to keep it in place.
2. Boil the Driftwood in Water
If you really cannot wait two weeks to put your driftwood into your aquarium, you can boil it in water to speed up the process.
Boiling makes the driftwood release tannins faster. It also softens it, making it easy to become saturated with water.
Another advantage to boiling is that it sterilizes the driftwood, preventing unwanted fauna from being introduced into your aquarium.
You should boil the driftwood for 1-2 hours to remove tannins and prepare it for your aquarium. You still need to soak it in water afterward – the boiling just speeds up the process.
How To Make Driftwood Last Long
As we’ve seen, you will have to say goodbye to your beautiful driftwood at some point in time. However, there are things you can do to extend its life.
You can do the following things to make your driftwood last longer.
1. Avoid Touching the Driftwood
What you want is for your driftwood to be physically intact, even when it has started to decay.
The outer layer will become mushy and flake off on its own by then, but you will only speed it up if you touch it.
Therefore, make sure to leave your driftwood alone when doing a tank cleanup or a water change. Just be more careful.
2. Do Not Boil the Driftwood
I know that I mentioned boiling is one way to prepare driftwood for aquarium, but it comes at a cost.
Boiling makes the driftwood soft, making it easy to disintegrate physically when it has started to rot.
Thankfully, boiling is not often needed – you can achieve the same effect by soaking the driftwood in hot water. Only thing is it will take a little bit longer to prepare.
3. Use Plastic Driftwood
What looks like driftwood, but isn’t driftwood? Driftwood made of plastic.
You can buy one that is so realistic that you can’t tell the difference. Artificial driftwood will last forever.
Just make sure the plastic doesn’t contain any chemicals that may be harmful to your fish. If you’re buying from an aquarium store, there probably won’t be any, but it’s always good to double-check.
Conclusion
It is hard to resist the allure of using driftwood in a fish tank. However, wood doesn’t last forever, especially when you dip it in water.
I hope you now have a general idea of how long driftwood lasts in an aquarium. It mostly depends on the type of driftwood you use and how you prepare and care for it.
Use the above-mentioned methods to prepare the driftwood and extend its lifespan and the driftwood will be a long-lasting fixture in your aquarium.
Thanks for reading.
Sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driftwood
https://www.petnannystore.com/blogs/beginner-guide-advice/do-you-need-to-boil-driftwood
https://www.felixsmart.com/blogs/aquarium-maintenance/driftwood-in-aquariums-what-you-should-know
