Aquarium Wood For Aquascaping

African Mopani Wood
African Mopani Wood

At Aquarium Fish Paradise we have access to the varying types of wood, all suitable for your aquarium, included in this catalogue.

Please note when selecting these pieces of wood for your aquarium, there is generally a small, medium and large option – often it is easier just to ring the shop and order exactly what you want.

We cannot carry all lines of course – these items generally are freighted to Adelaide in about a week.

Preparing Driftwood for Use in an Aquarium

Since driftwood is a natural product that is usually found washed up on shores or laying on the ground, it’s important that it is “cleaned”. The easiest way to clean smaller pieces of driftwood is to boil it. Find a pot large enough to submerge the your piece(s) in (large soup pots and lobster pots work well).

Place the wood in the pot and bring to boil for about 15 minutes. Drain the water out of the pot, refill it and repeat. After the second boil fill the pot one last time, boil this for another 10 minutes. Let it cool off, drain and your done. Of course, larger pieces of driftwood will not fit in a pot, so boiling water will not be practical. The next best thing is to use a clean bath with hot water.

How does driftwood affect my Aquarium water ?

The most common question most aquarists have about driftwood is “how will it effect my pH?” Well there are a few things to consider. Since driftwood contains tannin’s (which is also referred to as tannic acid) it will try to lower your aquarium’s pH.

Your pH may drop if the buffering capacity of your water is low (low mineral content). If the buffering capacity is high, the chance of a piece of driftwood causing a pH swing is minimal.

Driftwood will also tend to soften your water. This is great if you are keeping softwater fishes like Discus or Tetras.

Feel free to drop us an email at aqfp@live.com.au to order a particular type of plant(s) and include your mobile phone number so we can contact you when the stock arrives. Alternatively please just call the shop on (08) 8336 5062 and speak directly with someone who can order your requirements immediately.