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driftwood good?tank divider and gravel

10K views 266 replies 6 participants last post by  pyro fiend 
#1 ·
i went on craigslist and got about 150 pounds of AQ gravel as well as some huge lava rocks and a lot of driftwood..they are really big pieces.the guy has like a 100+ gallon tank and im assuming thats there everything came from and he got new stuff..

all i have is a 10 gallon and a 20 gallon hex as well as a 2 gallon...thought about cutting down the driftwood to fit in my tanks..

is it actually a good idea to cut it down and beneficial to my fish?i know its good for bettas..i dont know if the tannin i still in it..but if any1 thinks its worth cutting down and putting in my tanks..i want to do it..

and with the gravel i want to replace the gravel i have in my 10 gallon.rite now its white and i want to use the blue i got after i clean it..would that cause any problems with the BB and my cycle since it has finished?

plus any ideas on a DIY tank divider other than using mesh canvas #7..im down to my last dollar literally and its pennies.. i do have tons of old water bottles.
 
#2 ·
well id think itd be safe to cut it down for your fish.. but then again you dont know whats in it. so maybe yu should sanitize it. theres a 50% chance he had a nice tank and a 50% chance he had realy sick fish. id use like 10% bleach mixture n soak. but thats just me.. if hes used it theres prob no tannin. but youl find ut if you put in the bleach water.. id prob do the same with the rocks. you cant be too sure what he had. or what happened with the rocks. as you didnt watch him pull them out of a thriving tank..
 
#3 ·
thank you..i agree.and im glad u told me about the mixture of bleach.i wanted to do it but really wasnt even too sure how much bleach to use.i live on the end of an apartment on top so i have a balcony also to let them soak in the desert sun to try..

i know the rocks have been out for a while.sitting outside.they have accumulated leaves and the driftwood and lava rocks where inside.he pulled them out as my dad and i carried the big container of gravel to our car.ill bleach them then soak them in the sun to be extra safe as well... thank you for the advice :)
 
#4 ·
no prob. im sure 10% bleach is fine as its not too much. but i know reptile keepers like me use a 10% bleach solution to clean everything. 15% max sometimes. [tho 10 should be fine] well just incase id wash the gravel clean many times. just for safty but a soak and then one decent dry out, should be fine for the wood and rocks..

but im not 100% but im sure some bacteria can stay on rock and things even when out of whater for a long time. but not sure if im mistaken there. ik they stay on filters for a little while..
 
#5 ·
i know TB can stay on rocks and everything else and its pretty much impossible to get rid of.ive always heard to throw everything away or u can take a chance of using bleack to kill it as well as vinegar...and baking rocks and gravel.the tank can be put in a dishwasher with no soap..

but im going to do as u suggested and go with the bleach.my only concern would be soaking the wood.if the wood would actually soak in too much.but i can regulate it and soak it in fresh waster as well to help clean out the bleach
 
#6 ·
indeed the wood if thick may take a wiel. bleach soak it for day or so. being AZ it might dry quickly. then you can soak in normal water, dry, untell smells compleatly gone. r till you feel safe. iv never had a problem bleaching with such a low percentage and iv used for turtle tanks, amphibians but never any betta tanks o.0 and yes the animals in question are still alive ;P

tho i heard baking rocks and gravel on high [id guess 500deg plus] kills all bacteria. im not forsure im not a microbiologist. but it does seem very plausable.
 
#7 ·
thats what ill do then..just to be safe..heat kills a lot of things.though there are things that thrive on heat..but as for aquarium diseases.nothing will survive that long that i know of
 
#8 ·
nothing aquatic will live in 300+ id hope. tho i dont think id try baking the wood ;P LOL

but once the bleach smells gone, your good. :p
 
#9 ·
i would think at over 300 the wood would brown or burn..i might try that tho.

maybe ill let it dry for atleast 2 days to make sure its safe :) again thank you.
 
#11 ·
i know u can use acrylic or plastic sheeting for make a divider and drill holes into it.only plastic i have is tons of water bottles.of course its all bent. and not straight plastic.i may do a little more research online ;)
 
#12 ·
well i didnt mention acrylic or glass due to sharp edges and expense, you dont even need to drill holes lol just need 2 filters in this case ;P i heard u can just use normal netting not sure how reliable itd be tho. but i personally have alot of that cloth around so wen/if i ever divide a tank ill just buy that one piece you need for edge ;p
 
#13 ·
i would file the edges down.just like u would glass if u were making a DIY aquarium. i actually thought of using regular clothes like some old bed sheets i have.but im sure it would dry rot or something.though i just need something temporarily until my job calls me up to start work..i may have to wait till then so i can just buy 1..i dont have 2 filters..well i do but 1 if for like a 50+ gallon..and im diving my 10 gallon.the filter might be a little too big ;)
 
#14 ·
i dont knooow it may be too little lol yea. itd be tough to keep normal cloth or even silk on tank w.oo puting silicone.. n silicone dont like to come off.. lol

but 50+ gallon may be too small for a 10 my 15g turtle tank has a 180g filter and bettas little bigger thn him ;P
 
#16 ·
lol haha exactly..it would be way too small for my tank.kinda like taking a 2 gallon filter and using it for a 300 gallon tank..i thought about using plastic bottles and hot gluing the clothe into the bottles.like cutting out the bottles and making plastic strips kinda like the way they use the report cover holders..
 
#15 ·
Put the old rocks in some panty hose and tie up. Put the new rocks in the tank and then set the old rocks in panty hose on the new rocks. Leave it there for 2 weeks and then remove the old rocks. Won't harm your cycle since the old rocks help the new rocks.
 
#17 ·
i thought bout doing something like that.not sure where i can get the panty hose..im out of money,havent started my new job yet.though i can wait.i still need to clean the rocks and i usually take about a week to do everything to make sure its done properly and cleaned..
 
#18 ·
idono about the rock thing. never heard of it. but i woudlnt think it could rly keep out something like ick or anything serious. fungal, maybe. but idono. i personally never use unknown people for items in my tanks. but you seem to have got a good deal so -shrugs- dont take my advice im retarded ;p

the plastic bottle thing.. is unique.. no lie.. but idk how well itd work or how youd get off. may be better off in craigslist askin for the items for cheap/free ;P
 
#19 ·
im kinda hesitant about the rocks and other decor.i have done it before.a guy that gave me my 20 gallon long for free posted on craigslist a big tub full of aquarium stuff.i think like 5 power heads.2 dual output filters.coral,plant food.tubing.scrubbers.fake plants,bioballs.basically everything i need to setup several large tanks.im using the plants and a few other things from it.for the past several months and no problem..

actually just made a powerhead filter for my 20 gallon hex and havent had a problem.though i cleaned everything.the rocks have been sitting outside im sure all summer and considering it gets over 110 F many weeks here.and its dry outside except the past 2 or 3 weeks because of our monsoon season..i feel things r pretty clean.but wont take the chance.

the way i want to mount the plastic bottle thing is using suction cups.when i got that tub for 20 dollars off craigslist.he gave me several suction cups as well.ive used some on home made bio filters.have 3 left.
 
#20 ·
wow nice.. i personally would be skitzo with buying things for fish. i bought a bigger hide for my tortoise once.. n i didnt bleach it because i thought it would be fine it was just a half circle hide thing.. and it ended up giving him some kind of fungal thing n it died ;'(
 
#21 ·
at first i was but after cleaning i feel much better..oh thats not good.poor turtle :( i think it should be a rule that the people giving it away clean it or disinfect a little first or throw away
 
#22 ·
ya no doubt =[ killed my 100$ tortoise.. ;'( not a fair deal :( he had it in with one of his torts wen i got there n it seemed good health.. but ig neone can switch the healthy and sick animals around to make it look legit
 
#23 ·
i would go grab a turtle from a pond or ditch haha..that actually what i use to do..i need to make sure i clean my stuff really well
 
#24 ·
i did that already. im the proud owner of a 6in midland painted turlte :p female ;P and a 9.5in red eared slider girl [sum1 cought her n left her on her back to die thinking she was a snapper:( ignorant morons :( my painted was cought on a bluegill hook and corn XD needless to say.. she still loves corn O.O lol
 
#25 ·
i use to go fishing in the sewer ditches by my house in lousiana and would catch ells and snappers,had a few box turtles i would catch walking down my street.my friend here has several turtles.he dug a hole in the backyard of his apartment and filled it with water.he had a small tank like a 20 gallon or so they were in and needed more space.i cant have turtles here,surly not enough room and cant afford to take care of them..lol a turtle that loves corn.atleast its fairly cheap to feed :)
 
#26 ·
>:O if you find a boxie under 3in you should msg me :D id pay to have it shipped :D

and yea.. he loves corn, carrots pelots and dead fish.. he is scared crapless of live fish lol XD

n haha im puting my 10in grl back in wild soon i was makin sure she was ok. but shes healthy now and im being eaten out of house n home ;p lol but the painteds gona stay here in my 50g breeder till i dig a pond or buy one next spring :p lol
 
#27 ·
where i live the only place ill find turtles is in man made pounds..i live in phoenix...and in the city.i cant even find plants to put in my tank for free instead of paying money for them.though i have plenty of live plants already.

lol scared of live fish?wow..then my rosy red minnows would appreciate that ;) considering they are turtle/fish food anyways haha..but are actually great pets.

thats good u r releasing her.she getting big.you could always go out and buy like a 500 gallon container to make a pound out of if its in your budget.i would try here.but its way too hot.and i have no where to put it.
 
#28 · (Edited)
lol im forreal on he turtle thing tho if you or ur buddy found a small one id pay to ship it up here. usually u only find full gown ones here :( and thats rare lol..i wana baby/juvie n dont wana pay 100+ for them lol

but here a 100-500g container is $150-300 and id still have to either plant it [i aint evn got my 20g with more then 2 'plants' (from same petco tube)in it so that wont happen] or do alot of water changes.. and thats a scary thought lol but i dont own my land house either </3 maybe one day when i get my own place :)

and yea shes a moron shes scared crapless of live fish.. the big girl goes nutzo over them.. but hes like "oh sh-t it moved.. RUN!!"
 
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