# Finding my own hardscape (NE Scotland)



## DaveWatkin (27 Oct 2020)

Hi guys,

Was just in my LFS and they wanted £6.99 per piece of small spider wood which just seems crazy to me.

Do you have any advice or know of any articles regarding collecting my own materials for hardscape? Looking for local area information on what can and can't be used and some idea of location types to find these things.

Lots of info on treating what has been found but not a lot of info on finding it for a none outdoorsy person like me.

Thanks

Dave


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## dw1305 (27 Oct 2020)

Hi all,


DaveWatkin said:


> Do you have any advice or know of any articles regarding collecting my own materials for hardscape?


I PYO all the dead <"leaves">, wood, cobbles etc I use in the tanks.

Heather (_Calluna vulgaris_) wood is <"good for smaller tanks">. Have a look at <"Now is a good time....."> and <"What type.....">.

If you can find it long dead Douglas Fir (_Pseudotsuga menziesii_) is very rot resistant, and Juniper (_Juniperus communis_) might <"also be an option for you">.

cheers Darrel


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## Wolf6 (27 Oct 2020)

I'm currently trying Rododendron roots (azelea roots, which is what most spiderwood is from what I read) from my own garden in my current setup. Seems to be going well this far  But I had them drying for about a year before use. Not sure how long you'd need to dry stuff you find in the woods now.


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## DaveWatkin (27 Oct 2020)

Thanks for the replies, I like the look of heather, will be grabbing some of that next time I'm out for a walk.


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## dw1305 (27 Oct 2020)

Hi all,


DaveWatkin said:


> I like the look of heather, will be grabbing some of that next time I'm out for a walk.


Where I've been lately (Lake District, Studland, E. Norfolk) there has been a lot of <"dead heather from the 2018 drought">, which should be ideal.

cheers Darrel


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## Tim Harrison (27 Oct 2020)

But beware... Man forced to return pebbles to avoid £1,000 fine
And a little more info on Collecting your own rocks


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## Andrew T (31 Oct 2020)

Talking from my past experience, you’ll be wishing you spent the money at the LFS after hours on end looking for suitable aquarium wood outdoors.
I thought I found great dried up roots on my previous scape from a fallen maple tree the year before; unfortunately I think they contributed to my tank’s demise a couple months in when they started to turn mushy and disintegrate releasing who knows what inside my tank.


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## PARAGUAY (31 Oct 2020)

Personally l think it's a great way to obtain hardscape and you can often find cut oak branches on the woodland floor. Often hawthorn is on the ground l think the rangers are usually IME if you explain what your looking for and why. Similarly l might collect a interesting weathered pebble cobble. Oak and Beech is a great alternative to buying manzanita if on a budget.Struggle to find the unique texture of manzanita but you find interesting pieces. Make sure nothing is fresh it has to have gone naturally dense. Granite sets and walling slate at garden centres . Actually the spiderwood smaller pieces actually not bad putting two or three together or combining with other wood can look good and cheaper than purchasing a large piece


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## Wolf6 (30 Nov 2020)

Does Beech wood release a lot of tannins? We have a few lanes with very old Beech trees that drop a lot of branches around this time of year, if they don't release a lot of tannins i might just go collect some nice looking pieces.


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## dw1305 (30 Nov 2020)

Hi all, 


Wolf6 said:


> Does Beech wood release a lot of tannins?


No it doesn't. You don't get a lot of tannins from the leaves either.

cheers Darrel


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## Wolf6 (30 Nov 2020)

Awesome, guess I know what I'll be doing coming weekend


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