Grapewood or not?

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GoodnNuff

Member
I'm sitting here with my new bucket of plant substrate ready to start rinsing it and setting up the new 47G planted tank today. The centerpiece is/was a 27 inch tall gnarled grapewood branch chosen to take advantage of the tanks 30" height. I've had it soaking for a week now to get it waterlogged and ready, and then this morning I stumble across a post on another forum that says grapewood will quickly rot in an aquarium!? So I do a little Google research and find conflicting info - some say it will just fall apart after a few months, and others say they've had branches in their tanks for 5+ years with no problems.
So anyone here had any experience using grapewood in your scapes?
 
J

Jacko

New Member
I've got 1 peice of grape in my 75, had it for about 4 or 5 years. It's about half the size now than when I got it but other than that there seems to be absolutely no problems... my wood eating plecos love itm, that's where I can usually find them is on or near the grapewood.

Just try to avoid the long and skinny peices is my only suggestion... and get a wood eating pleco, they'll take care of any outer layer before it starts to rot.
 
G

GoodnNuff

Member
After pulling the soaked grapewood branch out of the tub to place it in the tank, I realized how soft the wood had become just from a week's worth of being in the water. I decided against using it in the aquarium, figured another few weeks it would be nothing but wood pulp polluting the tank.
 
S

sandnuka

New Member
bummer.... wish there was a good wood that we could just chop off a tree and put in our tanks.... Theres always too many disadvantages, rot, disease, infestation, etc... just not worth it....

I always just buy a nice piece from the LFS, even though it costs allot, always worth it long term.
 
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