# UK wood preparation



## Iain Sutherland (20 Mar 2012)

Following on from an older thread about UK wood i have now collected some that is suitable for my nano, in fact it has already inspired a new scape in my large tank   

So just wondering if there is any prep that needs to be done to the wood... peel of the bark etc...???


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## John S (20 Mar 2012)

I recently used some Oak. I couldn't find a propper process but did the following based on various bits I picked up across different sites.

1. Stripped the bark off.
2. Washed, then baked the wood for about 45 mins.
3. Soaked as normal for 5 to 10 days to let the tanins out

It's been in the tank about 6 weeks now with no issues.


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## Aqua sobriquet (20 Mar 2012)

What sort of temperature was it baked at?


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## Iain Sutherland (20 Mar 2012)

Thanks dave, ive given it a wash and put it in the tank now, couldnt remove bark as small twiggy bit... time will tell.


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## John S (20 Mar 2012)

Aqua sobriquet said:
			
		

> What sort of temperature was it baked at?



About 120 degrees I think, not sure what gas mark that is 



			
				easerthegeezer said:
			
		

> Thanks dave, ive given it a wash and put it in the tank now, couldnt remove bark as small twiggy bit... time will tell.



Some people do leave the bark on. I took mine off as it was eay to remove.


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## michj (31 Mar 2012)

how would this work with willow?
i have some which is or has been well dried outside for over a year , but i also have some which is more recently cut and will no doubt continue to grow once placed in the tank and i wondered if this would still be safe to use?

i had thought about using the willow for sometime as there are pieces that i have grown into different twisted and looping shapes that i thought that may look effective in future set ups.

any ideas?


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## dw1305 (31 Mar 2012)

Hi all,


> but i also have some which is more recently cut and will no doubt continue to grow once placed in the tank and i wondered if this would still be safe to use?


 Yes it is fine, and grows really good roots. I think you may have trouble sinking the dead willow however, as it is very soft and light. 


> as there are pieces that i have grown into different twisted and looping shapes that i thought that may look effective in future set ups


Have you thought about _Corylus avellana_ "Contorta"?  I've got one growing in the garden for this reason. The wood is a lot denser than Willow and fish safe.





<http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/plants/plant_finder/plant_pages/225.shtml>

cheers Darrel


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## michj (31 Mar 2012)

dw1305 said:
			
		

> Hi all,
> 
> 
> > but i also have some which is more recently cut and will no doubt continue to grow once placed in the tank and i wondered if this would still be safe to use?
> ...



hi Darrel
yeah i did wonder if the dried stuff would be too light, long soaking maybe?
i have a twisted/contorted willow growing as well, the problem i could see with it is that its predominantly the new growth that shows the contortion and so i would be limited to the thinner twigs (which would have there place though).
mostly i have Salix Alba which is quick growing and also allows me to bend and shape the branches as they grow intertwining them knotting and splitting and then cut them once i have achieved the look/shape im after, its a bit of a long winded proccess i guess, but i have been toying with the idea for a while and have some growing on at the moment in the hope that they would be safe to use in the tank.
i also have a few colour varieties which may make it more interesting.


thanks


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## dw1305 (1 Apr 2012)

Hi all,
I used to have a corkscrew willow as well (_Salix matsudana_ "Tortuosa"), but it is only the new shoots that are twisted, and it is a horrible plant. The Corkscrew Hazel is much better plant all round, and the dead wood will definitely sink (I'm not sure the Willow will).


> mostly i have Salix Alba which is quick growing and also allows me to bend and shape the branches as they grow intertwining them knotting and splitting and then cut them once i have achieved the look/shape im after, its a bit of a long winded proccess i guess, but i have been toying with the idea for a while and have some growing on at the moment in the hope that they would be safe to use in the tank. i also have a few colour varieties which may make it more interesting.


_Salix alba_ should work quite well, and as you say does come in different colours, _Salix alba _var. vitellina 'Britzensis' or S. "chermensina" is a brilliant red. The most flexible Willows should be Osiers like _Salix viminalis, S. purpurea & S. daphnoides _, some of these have really nice dark bark, _S. daphnoides_ is purple.

cheers Darrel


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## Aqua sobriquet (1 Apr 2012)

I was under the impression that the bark should be stripped off before it's placed in the tank. If there are any nasty compounds in wood aren't they normally in the bark?  :?


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## dw1305 (2 Apr 2012)

Hi all,


> I was under the impression that the bark should be stripped off before it's placed in the tank. If there are any nasty compounds in wood aren't they normally in the bark?


 Yes and yes, I think. This is why Oak bark is full of tannins etc. Having said that I wouldn't worry about putting thin twigs like Beech, Lime, Birch, Hazel, Apple into the tank with the bark on, and if the Willow twigs are growing it is definitely irrelevant.  

I'd be more wary of anything that might be toxic like Horse Chestnut, Walnut or Laburnum, or have a big effect on water chemistry like Oak or Alder bark (unless I wanted to add tannins and organic acids). 

I'm not convinced by the argument that small amounts of green wood will pollute your water badly, the wood itself is all dead, and the sap in the xylem is 99% water. There will be a small addition of sugars from the sap in the phloem, and from the cells of the cambial layer, but it is going to be pretty minor compared to the whole BOD.

cheers Darrel


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## Aqua sobriquet (2 Apr 2012)

Thanks, thats worth knowing about the Horse Chestnut etc. It would be very useful to have a list of what's good and what's not.


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## michj (2 Apr 2012)

Aqua sobriquet said:
			
		

> Thanks, thats worth knowing about the Horse Chestnut etc. It would be very useful to have a list of what's good and what's not.



that would benefit alot of people, i know that ive read some quite conflicting information (not unusual i know) on the net so to have a good point of reference would be a big help.

do the tannin levels in some of our native trees exceed that found in mopani/bog wood?


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## dw1305 (2 Apr 2012)

Hi all,


> do the tannin levels in some of our native trees exceed that found in mopani/bog wood?


 Probably not real bog wood, because that has been under the peat for hundreds (and more usually thousands) of years, and will be pretty fully saturated with tannins.  I would expect both Oak and Alder to have a lot  more tannins than Mopani, probably mostly in the bark, some details here. <http://www.braintan.com/barktan/2tannins.htm>. 

cheers Darrel


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