Best aquarium decor wood according to redditors

https://www.amazon.com/Fluval-Mopani-Driftwood-Small-9-8/dp/B001URR3CA/ref=redir_mobile_desktop?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&ref=yo_pop_mb_yo_pop_mb_pd_t2&th=1

Yeah here you go, hope you won't be disappointed!
https://www.amazon.com/Hamiledyi-Driftwood-Branches-Reptiles-Decoration/dp/B07KXKRMNF/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=Hamiledyi+3+Pcs+Natural+Driftwood+Branches+Reptiles+Aquarium+Fish+Tank+Decoration%2C+Large&qid=1570511910&sr=8-1

Okay given that I can’t see how long the tree is, but working only with what is pictured:

Assuming The person in the image is 6’ (adult average male is ~5’9”), and as tall as the back of my pen as pictured, the tree is about 30’ tall and 40’ long, and assuming approximate cylindricity (obviously imperfect but likely made up for by the actual length of the log), the volume of the log is about 5,183 cubic feet. Cholla driftwood usually has a volume of about 70 cubic in, or 0.041 cubic feet, meaning that this log has the volume of 126414 pieces of cholla, and amazon has 5 pieces for $13 ($2.6 each) here , soooo


$328676, plus the exorbitant cost due to rarity of the item, I’d expect to pay a little under a half of a million dollars for the piece.

Looking mighty awesome.

Not sure how to say this don't want to be a downer but I read stories that betta and other fish got stuck in the openings or cracks of cholla wood and died...


Source:

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/threads/cholla-wood-questions.268802/

http://www.amazon.com/SubstrateSource-Cholla-Wood-Aquarium-Driftwood/product-reviews/B00MYN48J0?filterByStar=one_star

http://www.fishlore.com/fishforum/betta-fish/145701-betta-fish-cholla-wood.html

Equipment:

• Aqueon 13 gallon widescreen tank with hood
  
• Random cheapo LED light bar
  
• Hygger double sponge filter with media compartments (small)
  
• 50W heater
  
• Cobalt Aquatics MJ-400 DIY'd onto the sponge filter
  
• USB air pump with air stone
  
  Plants:
  
  
• 3 pieces of Cholla wood
  
• Nice piece of driftwood found in my LFS
  
• 2x Anubias
  
• 1x Java fern
  
• Lots of christmas moss and java moss glued to the wood and rocks.
  
• Some other plant I forgot the name of (in the back). "Green" something-or-other.
  
  Inhabitants:
  
  
• 5 Glofish Tetras of various colors, 1 Black Skirt Tetra, 1 White Skirt Tetra
  
• Hillstream Loach. A fish store sold it to me as a "dwarf Pleco." Needless to say, I have since found a different store to call LFS.
  
• 4x Amano shrimps. Used to be 5, but one crawled out of the tank last month.
  
• 2x Cherry shrimps. Red one has hiding for a few days. Either molting, or giving me more fry. Tetras ate the last batch, so I re-scaped to give the little shimpies more of a chance.
  
• Mexican Dwarf Crayfish.
  
  I plan to move this set-up to a 20-long tank some time soon to give these guys more room.

Okay, here's what I did!

First, I actually put no work into picking a piece of wood. I ordered one of these and figured that unless it was awful, I could make it work. Too true!

Then I gathered everything else: plain dried sphagnum moss, live mood moss, and stretchy bead cord.

I fidgeted around with the plant and the bare piece of wood to figure out where it would ultimately sit, then once I had a good spot, I laid the roots across the wood in ways that went with the direction they were growing naturally. Some of the roots I threaded through holes in the wood; others I gently pushed into cracks.

I held the plant in place and started to place small amounts of dried moss over the roots, just enough to cover them. Holding all of that with one hand, I cut a length of cord, about 12" long, and wrapped it around the wood, moss, and roots. Just enough to hold it in place, I tied it off at the bottom and trimmed the ends.

From there, I built up moss around the base of the plant, and then incorporated pieces of live mood moss. I used probably three more feet of cord to secure everything down and make sure every piece was secure.

Next came the tray. I bought one of these and filled it with pebbles. Those serve two purposes: first to hold the wood at an angle I like (pile the rocks up where they're needed) and second to keep the wood from touching the bottom of the tray.

To water, I just fill the tray up. Weekly I add a regular amount of fertilizer (instead of weekly weakly) since it has to leech into the wood. Then to keep bacteria or mildew from accumulating, I occasionally add this stuff to the water. This setup has been here since about June, and I've had no bacteria or mold in the water. Have not had to clean the tray out once!

I have two more orchids on mounts (a neofinetia falcata and a "Charles M. Fitch", whatever it's actually called) in the same tray, but one of them is sort of oddly droopy and hasn't really "settled in" yet. The other one looks nice; maybe I'll post a pic in the morning.

This is where I got mine!

https://www.amazon.com/Fluval-Mopani-Driftwood-Small-9-8/dp/B001URR3CA/

and light

https://www.amazon.com/Finnex-StingRAY-Clip-Light-Aquarium/dp/B00LMH10HC/

Here are mode detailed potential benefits of this kind of things, I am using it in shrimp tanks and started adding to bettas too. In depth, why this is lacking in tap water, is described here. Tannins and fulvic acid.

There are many sources: mopani wood releases most tannins I ever seen (boil first, discard first water, this also allows it to get waterlogged and sink). Still don't know if adding a big chunk of it to the betta tank would be not stressful, it will be noticeable change in water color, will try today or tomorrow. Small pieces of this wood are sometimes available in LFS, my last purchase of it for pico tank cost total $2.

Indian almond (catappa) leaves are not even close to intensity of water coloration by tannins, but could be used in small amounts, do not disintegrate fast, and small leaf floating leaf is used by my betta as a cover, to hide under and feel comfortable. The same for alder cones. Some are using Fluval peat pellets for community tanks that need them, saying that less mess than with loose peat powder from garden center.

Kent blackwater liquid in a bottle was unimpressive to me, but this could be personal. Salty Shrimp Black Water powder was more impressive, any concentration could be made, small jar lasts long, only it has to be dissolved before adding to the tank or betta could eat pieces as pellets.

If you would be trying it, watch for water stability if you can afford: pH, KH and TDS, before and after; after each few hours during the first day, to be on the safe side.

https://www.amazon.com/Aquatic-Arts-Natural-Aquarium-Driftwood/dp/B01MYM9WJF/ref=pd_sbs_199_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=M2JQBH5HR2S47HQMSKK1

Amazon is the quickest site I could link for how, another site to try would be aquabid.com, if you have a non corporate lfs you shop at they may be able to order some in for you.

I got mine at my local fish store but this is the same one on amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Bonsai-Driftwood-Handcrafted-Decoration-Environments/dp/B07CPQHR83

I would check out your local fish store maybe call around and ask if any have them so that you can pick one and you're sure of height but if you can't do that you could always get one online too!

Believe it or not, I got it on amazon! It's the "small" size. It sunk straight to the bottom when we got it, but we also boiled it and soaked it off and on for a few days. Our fish and shrimp love it!

https://www.amazon.ca/Fluval-Mopani-Driftwood-Large-11-8/dp/B001US4AAM/ref=sr_ph?ie=UTF8&qid=1540224522&sr=1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=mopani+driftwood

Fluval Mopani Driftwood - Large - 30 x 45 cm (11.8 X 17.7 in) https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B001US4AAM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_gbjWCbY7D7S8P

Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/SubstrateSource-Cholla-Wood-Aquarium-Driftwood/dp/B00MYN48J0/ref=sr_1_6?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1414536644&sr=1-6&keywords=driftwood

do you recommend that?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KH7RFE/ref=wms_ohs_product?ie=UTF8&psc=1

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KHDX9I/ref=wms_ohs_product?ie=UTF8&psc=1


I ordered those a few months ago. I would put them in a tub for at least 2 weeks to get most of the tannis out, but they look great and the price is right. I boiled each piece for a couple hours when I first got it as well.

Tank is about 4 years old.

The substrate is this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002DH0QM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I got 4 bags, which is about 2 inches thick.

I've been trying to grow plants, but haven't been having luck. Either the fish eat them or they die. I remove dead leaves & plants from the tank asap.

I also got these as someone recommended them for the plecos: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013RXJ53Y/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The plecos are maybe 4-6inches. They're 3ish years old.

I have these lights fixtures on the tank: https://www.amazon.com/Aqueon-Fluorescent-Deluxe-24-Inch-Actual/dp/B0002AS5BE and this bulb on the side of the tank with the plants https://www.amazon.com/Aqueon-Replacement-Floramax-Plant-Growth/dp/B004GWXDHA

Pisces AM-GOLD012 12" Small... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075NZTBP4?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

I know that buying things off amazon is always a gamble but have you considered something like this? You could buy 2 or 3 of them and either cut them apart and make your own piece or just chose the one you like and return the unwanted pieces. Do you have any good LFS near you that carry good hardscape materials?

Koyal Wholesale Cholla Wood... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BN5WTZN?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

edit: hmm looks like they changed things, the pictures at least look different but no piece of wood comes the same, I ordered the biggest one they had at the time for a hermit crab tank and its like two big prongs sorta

amazon.com