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Pine Driftwood

Started by Guest_dsaavedra_* , Oct 12 2009 10:26 AM

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6 replies to this topic

#1 Guest_dsaavedra_*

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Posted 12 October 2009 - 10:26 AM

How suitable is pine driftwood for use in an aquarium?

i posted this same thing over at another aquarium site that is mostly tropical enthusiasts, and they said it will kill my fish... :huh:

so i'd like to see what you guys say.

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#2 Guest_Newt_*

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Posted 12 October 2009 - 11:48 AM

It depends on what state it's in. If it's weathered to the gray, hard, "skeletal" phase where there's nothing but lignin left, it's fine. If it's still fresh and juicy, the nasty stuff in the sap (pitch and turpentine are made from pine sap) will leach into the water. If it's weathered enough to lack sap but is beginning to decay, it will fall apart in the tank. Most yellow pine branches that I have seen lying in moist conditions can be easily torn apart by hand after a few months. White and western pines may be different in that regard, I don't know.

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#3 Guest_dsaavedra_*

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Posted 12 October 2009 - 12:43 PM

hmmmmm... this piece is definitely not in its 100% weathered state, as the inside is still a little red (i had to cut it w/ a chainsaw to get it to fit in the tank), but it is not leaking out sap from the cuts. it also does not appear to be in any state of decay.

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#4 Guest_Newt_*

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Posted 12 October 2009 - 01:22 PM

I don't know how safe it will be. I wouldn't use it, but that's just me.

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#5 Guest_dsaavedra_*

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Posted 12 October 2009 - 02:14 PM

crap.

what exactly is so toxic about pine?

guess this means i gotta go find some new driftwood. i didn't realize this piece wasn't cured until i cut it in half.

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#6 Guest_Newt_*

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Posted 12 October 2009 - 03:34 PM

Pine sap contains a lot of hydrocarbons such as terpenes, many of which can cause some serious damage. Terpenes are organic solvents and are especially potent solvents of lipids (e.g., cell membranes). Turpentine is basically concentrated pine sap; here's its MSDS: https://people.ok.ub...neMSDS.2008.pdf