Driftwood

[Hamm35924]

does driftwood make water softer?

[TheOldSalt]

It depends on the wood, but generally, yes, but not as much as peat.

[Hamm35924]

whats peat?

[maxpayne_lhp]

It's a soft black or brown substance formed from decaying plants just under the surface of the ground, especially in cool wet areas. It can be burned as a fuel or used to improve garden soil

[shev]

most importantly its acidic.

[Hamm35924]

how do i "prepare" the driftwood, before it goes in my tank? do i need to boil it?

[TheOldSalt]

Boiling helps a lot, yes. Wood leaches out the tannic acid that's in it whn submerged, and this can turn your water yellow ( or brown ) and drop the hardness a bit. The pH will drop a lot. Boiling the wood for several hours helps to get rid of the excess tannin, and it also forces out the air, thusly letting the wood sink instead of float for several days.

[Pareeeee]

Originally Posted by maxpayne_lhp It's a soft black or brown substance formed from decaying plants just under the surface of the ground, especially in cool wet areas. It can be burned as a fuel or used to improve garden soil

actually, peat is a type of moss

[euRasian32]

where did you get the wood? if from a local water source, go the extra mile and test a sample of that water too.

[blixem]

Originally Posted by Characin Gal actually, peat is a type of moss

Actually, sphagnum moss is a type of moss. Peat is partially carbonized plant matter that usually consists of moss from bog swamp areas. The moss is laid down so thick that by the time it starts to decompose more and more is stacked on top so the decomposition is slowed close to a halt.