by Big Den » Sat Dec 06, 2014 10:46 am
Any wood, shop bought or otherwise should be thoroughly cleaned and sterilised. Collecting wood from an unknown source is a gamble, it's the 'sap' that causes problems with the chemistry of the tank. I once used a branch of willow that had dried for 3 years in my shed, within a week the nitrates went through the roof, the fish were gulping at the surface until I removed it and did a 90% water change. On the other hand I have a branch off of an apple tree that dried for just over 18 months and it's fine, no problems at all. If you want to try some collected wood try soaking it for a few days and test the water before using it.