I'm fortunate to have my grandparents live on a lake, and while visiting them this past weekend, I was able to do some driftwood collecting.
I collected three nice pieces. Something to remember when collecting anything for the home aquarium is that you don't need a big piece of anything. What seems small in hand may be gargantuan in the aquarium. One root system specimen I collected was twice as big as it needed to be. So, along with the steps to ready the wood for my tanks, I thought I'd share my experience.
You should select pieces from sources that you know are free of pollutants.
Don't pick soft or decayed wood, no matter how good it may look.
Don't choose 'green' or live wood - too much sap.
Basically, pick clean wood that looks like driftwood you'd buy for an arm and a leg at the LFS.
Know the laws where you are collecting. In this case, I was on private land with permission from the land owners.
In my case, I also needed to cut the pieces to size. I used a hacksaw, which took a long time. I think the seasoned wood works against the blade.
Native wood has tannins and other particulates that will leach out into the aquarium. I've read that some people encourage the yellow water look to match their fish's native habitat. After putting my first DIY piece directly into a live tank months ago, I do not recommend it.
Drift wood floats. Hence the name. So, to remove the tannins, and to get it to sink, I soak the pieces in an empty tank or container with full water changes until the water becomes clear and the wood sinks on it's own. Until then, carefully placed rocks will need to hold it down. Some people put rocks in plastic bags to create a harness. This process can take two weeks or so.
I'll update my progress as these pieces make their journey into my aquariums.
*disclaimer: this thread is a sharing of my personal experiences. Don't do anything you're not comfortable doing with your aquariums.
Peace,
