# Which Driftwood



## xxxxxxxxxchris92486 (Apr 17, 2010)

Which driftwood is best for a vivarium?

Grapewood, Mopani, Manzanita, Malaysian, or Cypress?

And which places are best to get them online?

Thanks
Chris


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## Vermfly (Jun 6, 2010)

I actually prefer ghostwood. It's hard and substantial but not too heavy. Moss grows well on it.

I post this link so often they should pay me. http://www.save-on-crafts.com/ghostwood2.html I've gotten some great pieces from them.


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## xxxxxxxxxchris92486 (Apr 17, 2010)

I heard that ghostwood shouldnt get too wet? How long have you had it in your tanks?

Thats a great price on that site, i'll definitely look into it.

Thanks
-Chris


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

Ghost wood holds up to water pretty well. Grape wood supposedly degrades quickly. I'm not so sure that Ghost wood isn't just really sanded mopani, malaysian, manzanita, or even cyprus. Is there an actual ghost tree?  I've seen some of the other woods sanded and they look pretty much identical from the pics I saw at least. Isn't most "malaysian" drift wood actually manzanita?


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## xxxxxxxxxchris92486 (Apr 17, 2010)

Good questions. Im not sure about driftwood at all really. Just want to know what you guys use and get good results with, so when i order i know which one to pick and not have to replace it a year later...lol.


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## Mitch (Jun 18, 2010)

I personally like Mopani the best


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## earthfrog (May 18, 2008)

Mitch said:


> I personally like Mopani the best


Yeah, I built my tank with a lot of it---it's still going strong after a couple of years.


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## xxxxxxxxxchris92486 (Apr 17, 2010)

Where do you guys get your driftwood from?


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## earthfrog (May 18, 2008)

chris92486 said:


> Where do you guys get your driftwood from?


I got mine from Petco and a local pet store--- local business often have the best deals on wood. The dense, hard, dark wood lasts the longest in the viv. Do not get aromatic wood or wood that is of unknown source outdoors if it may have been exposed to toxins.


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## eos (Dec 6, 2008)

chris92486 said:


> Where do you guys get your driftwood from?


Chris, White Plains is coming up next month... I usually get some good Mopani wood over there... Also, they have tons of driftwood in the back left corner all the time, but I'm not sure what kind of wood those are.


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## flapjax3000 (Jul 4, 2009)

Mopani will mold over quite a bit initially but it will go away. It is a fuzzy white mold, and it has appeared on all of my mopani pieces when I first introduce them to my viv. It can be found at any chain pet store at various prices.

Most of my wood I collect myself from various areas near where I live. I only collect live oak and have found some beautiful pieces that in a fish store would cost 50 dollars and up. Stay away from cedar, pine or any wood with a strong odor. For prep I give it a good pressure washing and I heat it in the oven at the lowest temperature just to make sure I rid it of chytrid.


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## ggazonas (May 11, 2008)

I prefer malaysian, but have also used mopani and ghost wood without any problems for the past 3 years


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## InHoc1855 (Apr 28, 2011)

Has anyone heard of/used "Voodoo Wood" (its a brand but they dont say specifically what it came from). I picked some up at my local pet store the other day. The description says it is drift wood from the wetlands of louisiana (suitable for terrariums and aquariums). 

My only concern with it is that it is really light, does this mean it would break down super quick compared to harder wood?


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

I love ghostwood. Have had pieces for 4 years still doing great. 
Nowadays I use driftwood I collect on the river. Root wood from willow, or cottonwood. Light, and suprisingly resistant to rot


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## leuc11 (Nov 1, 2010)

I Use this wood that I get at my fish placed called iron wood its really cool having allot of groves and never getting moldy and lasts forever I had a peice in a water feature thats still fine after five years


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

Dendro Dave said:


> Ghost wood holds up to water pretty well. Grape wood supposedly degrades quickly. I'm not so sure that Ghost wood isn't just really sanded mopani, malaysian, manzanita, or even cyprus. Is there an actual ghost tree?  I've seen some of the other woods sanded and they look pretty much identical from the pics I saw at least. Isn't most "malaysian" drift wood actually manzanita?


Ghost wood is my favorite. I've used a LOT of it and it holds up great in our wet vivs. I've also used mopani, malaysian and manzanita. So what is ghostwood, as in, what tree does it come from? Not a clue. But I am quite sure it is not mopani, or malaysian. It shares some similarities to the manzanita I've worked with but it's got differences too. I'm not going to swear that it's not manzanita, but I'm leaning towards not. It seems to have better, more interesting shapes, curves, twists, and branches, than the manzanita I've worked with. Never had my hands on a piece of cypress.
In any case, it's a great wood for vivs! Here's my favorite piece I've ever seen!


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## gundaman (May 19, 2011)

whats a good process to make mopani sterile? bake low heat? microwave? thanks.


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

Weve had the "what is ghostwood" discussion before, and we think its actually in the genus
Purshia, probably P. tridentata


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## Wallace Grover (Dec 6, 2009)

gundaman said:


> whats a good process to make mopani sterile? bake low heat? microwave? thanks.


I think boiling it for 30 minutes, then baking at about 300F for a while would nuke any and all life...


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## tim13 (Feb 1, 2011)

Has anyone tried microwaving driftwood?


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## Scott Richardson (Dec 23, 2010)

chris92486 said:


> Where do you guys get your driftwood from?


Out of the Illinois River


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## Scott Richardson (Dec 23, 2010)

tim13 said:


> Has anyone tried microwaving driftwood?


Yeah, Once!!!!! Don't do it


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