# FS: New batch of exotic driftwoods & stumps



## fxbillie (Dec 12, 2010)

Some new woods to enhance the natural setting of your aquarium or reptile tank: (I have a large collection not posted below. So come over to have a look)

A) exotic looking wood, 2 ft long, $25









B) great looking piece with vertical feel for larger tank (55g+) $30









C) the 'twister', a unique spiral shape piece for smaller tank $20









D) the 'stargate', another unique piece for smaller tank $20









E) a light exotic shape wood, about 2.5 ft long $15









F) a large piece with upward branch 3 ft long $25









G) a small stump for small tank $25









H) a large solid stump 'cyclop' with 3 'eyes' for large tank $30









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Update: There is quite of bit of interest in the woods. But most young prospective buyers can't make it to my place due to my 'remote' location. So if you order $15 or more, I will meet you some where Sunday afternoon in East Vancovuer or Burnaby, and weekday evening for Surrey or New West.


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## Sliver (Apr 19, 2011)

are these pieces ready for use or do they still need to be sterilized and have the tannins leeched from them?


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## AWW (Apr 22, 2010)

That piece with the bark makes me nervous....


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## Sliver (Apr 19, 2011)

it's the ones that look varnished that worry me...


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## fxbillie (Dec 12, 2010)

Yes, beware of bad woods. Legitimate concern. I have used these nice outdoor collected woods in my swordtail fry tank and no fry has any problem. These woods are mostly aged and you won't find raw or living wood fibre in them. Some stumps were buried in nice flowing water when collected. This is the 3rd batch of woods I have posted here with many prior purchasers using the woods in their tank and I have not received one single complaint. One buyer told me that some of the imported woods he bought from the stores have tanin and they float forever. Not mine. Many are heavy & will sink. None of the woods have been varnished. The shine of the wood comes from wetting in water when pictures were taken. So come over if you need some natural & healthy woods.

Here is the link to my first batch of woods. The #4 photo shows a piece of wood used for my fry tank. That piece was subsequently bought. So far, not a single complaint. So my woods are safe to use. http://www.bcaquaria.com/forum/freshwater-plants-classifieds-26/fs-nice-drift-woods-stumps-14520/


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## Sliver (Apr 19, 2011)

that's awesome! keep up the good work.


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## Charlie (Jan 4, 2011)

I have bought wood off William and have had no problems thus far


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## fxbillie (Dec 12, 2010)

Thanks Charlie for the good words. You are among the first group of buyers and got some of my nicest woods. Thanks.

William


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## fxbillie (Dec 12, 2010)

There is quite of bit of interest in the woods. But most young prospective buyers can't make it to my place due to my 'remote' location. So if you order $15 or more, I will meet you some where Sunday afternoon in East Vancovuer or Burnaby, and weekday evening for Surrey or New West.


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## AquaAddict (Dec 4, 2010)

HI,

I am interested in a large piece of curvy driftwood for discus to swim through. I have a 90 gallon tall tank.

AquaAddict


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## Brisch (May 13, 2010)

do you still have the cyclops?


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## fxbillie (Dec 12, 2010)

*Cyclops*



Brisch said:


> do you still have the cyclops?


Sorry for replying late. Yes I will have the cyclops. PM you.


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## Clownloachlover (Apr 21, 2010)

do you have any idea what kind of woods these are? They are obvioulsy not African Mopani Root or Manzanita and I am guessing they would be local BC species, perhaps Maple, Oak or Alder, all BC Hardwoods.


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## fxbillie (Dec 12, 2010)

*BC woods*

Yes, these are local & true driftwoods or stumps collected from our great ourdoor. Some are hard & heavy, some are light or softer. The one used in my discus tank (see tank journal photos) is solidly heavy and sink readily. I will change up with other pieces in my collection to see how they blend in with my discus tank. I do have branchy ones too. I will post more truly unique looking local woods next week. No I am not an importer of foreign woods. I leave that to the LFS. But they may not sink for months though and they are way more pricy.


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## Clownloachlover (Apr 21, 2010)

well if you come up with some wild branchy ones I may be interested...perferably with no bark and already water logged...My tank is 6 feet long by 32 inches deep so it can be fairly large!


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## fxbillie (Dec 12, 2010)

*Branchy driftwoods*

I have 3 branchies one, one small and 2 large. I will post them up for sales with a few truly unique woods, probably next week. I have a pressure washer now to clean up the woods. By the way, for this posting, item A, D, & the Cyclops have been taken. But there are more good ones to come.


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## Brisch (May 13, 2010)

the woods are not varnished, just bought cyclops. it dried like any other wood, the shiny look is just from being wet. Thanx for the great piece


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## oakley1984 (Oct 10, 2010)

so you cant even identify what your selling, and you still deem them safe? buyer beware....


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## szavi (Nov 21, 2010)

Some nice pieces, but the "B" looks to be pine, maybe Hemlock, (a little blurry). You most certainly want to stay away from any of the Coniferous species due to their antibacterial phenols. "Pine-Sol" anyone. I've had brought back from the interior, nice hardwood pieces from beaver dams. Some really cool root-ball mangrove looking pieces. Stick to the hardwoods and semi-hards like alder, the older the better. A simple test if you not too sure of the wood species, give it a cut and if smells like cleaner stay away.

Cheers, everyone

Sean


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## bamboo (Apr 28, 2010)

I bought A + D and several others, they are still floating from a week and half ago
Does anyone know what kind of wood A + D looks like?
"A" has the bark on it still
Thanks!


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## szavi (Nov 21, 2010)

bambam said:


> I bought A + D and several others, they are still floating from a week and half ago
> Does anyone know what kind of wood A + D looks like?
> "A" has the bark on it still
> Thanks!


Its a little hard to tell from the blurry photos, but I'm leaning towards some sort of coniferous. If the bark on "A" is similar to "B" then you got your answer, Hemlock/pine. Try cutting off a hidden piece and make sure to get a least a 1-2" into the wood and smell. As for sinking, it can take many weeks. I have found by putting pieces into a deep container then completely submerging with a rock greatly accelerates the "water-logging" process.

Not to be KNOCKING the wood LOL, but I`d be a little cautious.

Sean


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## Clownloachlover (Apr 21, 2010)

LOL...water logging and can take a LONG time. I have had some pieces of driftwood sitting in a bath tub full of water for almost a complete year...some of the larger pieces are now water logged, however some of the smaller pieces still float, although a little lower in the water than when I first got them so they are getting heavier...best to weight them down so they are 100% submerged and then change the water every couple of weeks to get rid of the tannins. The pieces I plan to use, if they do not stay submerged I will use stainless screws and attach them to slate and then bury the ends in my substrate, or silicone them down some how or weight them down...easy ways to keep them submerged.


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## fxbillie (Dec 12, 2010)

Bambam, the 'A' piece is the same type of wood used in my fry tank as shown in one of the photos contained in the ad for the 1st batch of woods. As I told you, it needs to be weighed down for about a month. As you can see in below link, the fry tank piece sinks (# 4 photo):

http://www.bcaquaria.com/forum/freshwater-plants-classifieds-26/fs-nice-drift-woods-stumps-14520/

These type of wood is already aged & totally dried. It is completely safe to use. The 'bark' is mostly gone, but small piece are only there because of the special shape of this wood trapped in the twists & turns of the branches. It is totally dry & dead bark & can be removed with minimal effort, using perhap a small knife. Photo #5 in the same link is the same wood. Charlie bought both pieces (#4 & 5 in the first batch) & I gave him a nice piece of 'petrifed rock' to sink wood #5 as it was dry when sold.

I know the areas where these woods are collected - totally unspoiled and undammed wild river systems with icy cold flowing water. It costs $$$ in gas every time and it took luck to find any piece worth buyer's attention. I enjoy the outdoor firstly, and collecting wood is not the prime purpose of my trip but is a bonus to help fund the gas. I like hiking around lakes too, but I don't even use lake woods which may be soaked in stagnant summer-warmed water. I am so sure of my woods I use the woods I collected in my fry tank & discus tank. Here is a nice piece in my discus tank:

http://www.bcaquaria.com/forum/tank-journals-16/my-discus-journey-10g-20g-110g-tanks-15615/

There are not many fish more delicate than young fry and discus juvies. To the doubters, talk doubt all you want, I don't talk the talk, I walk the walk. I have not one complaint from members or craigslist customers who bought the woods. But I told every one who bought the 'A' type of wood that it will take a month to sink if weighed down by a rock. It is a nice wood with strange shape and can truly bring an exotic look to the tank. The 'D' wood is heavy and will sink soon. It was sun-dried for a while in my place, so it will need to absorb back some moisture to sink. Compared to some foreign woods which are dried for shipping purpose, they will take forever to sink and cost you a fortune for comparable size.


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## fxbillie (Dec 12, 2010)

*Thanks*



Brisch said:


> the woods are not varnished, just bought cyclops. it dried like any other wood, the shiny look is just from being wet. Thanx for the great piece


Thanks for the purchase, Brittany. I hope your plecos will love this natural stump with eyes for them to sit in. :lol:


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