Real or Artificial Wood in an Marine Aquarium

[Jim Ivey]

Hi Folks,

We were able enough to obtain some funding to create a Tampa Bay, FL
harbor tank. The tank will be an educational station for students
representing what the Bay would be like in a pristine state. The theme
for the tank is the estuarine ecosystem in proximity to a pier. I am
interested in any suggestions for how to make the posts and cross beams
to resemble a pier. I am concerned about the use of wood in a closed
system due to the possibility of compounds leaching from the wood. We
plan on having barnacles, macroalgaes, and some invertebrates in the
tank. I've thought about using the Garf agrocrete method and some molds
to make the posts and cross beams. Has anyone tried real wood in a
marine aquarium? Do I need to find drift wood or are certain types of
commercially available wood be safe?

TIA,

Jim Ivey

University of South Florida
Department of Marine Science
Ocean Optics Group
E-mail address needs correction before replying.

[T. Hink]

Martin Moe has used wood in a marine aquarium and his book, "The Marine Aquarium
- Systems and Invertebrates," has a section which discusses using wood. You
might want to include real wood in the display along with some of the
invertebrates which live exclusively in this substrate. If I recall correctly
Moe said that most wood would not be too much of a problem although it may
release some compounds which discolor the water so carbon filtration would be
needed. You should probably get a copy of the book.

If you decide against using wood, I would be concerned that argocrete beams and
posts would be too heavy/ brittle. If you think you can cast them with a mold
then fiberglass and resin might be a better material. You could also consider
encasing real beams by coating them with clear epoxy or something similar.

[DefLizard]

Real wood will leach out all sorts of unsuitable organic substances into
SW. When you calculate the ratio of solid mass (wood) of piers so made,
in comparison to the volume of water that the piers are immersed in,
world wide, with the resultant dilutional effect of that mass of water,
and then try to match that ratio in a closed system, like an aquarium,
notwithstanding my inability to calculate this ratio because of my lack
of Fourier capabilities in a webTV unit, your safest bet would be to
construct this pier out of toothpicks! DefLizard.

Group: rec.aquaria.marine.misc Date: Wed, Nov 3, 1999, 7:36am (PST+3)
From: ji...@marine.usf.edu (Jim Ivey) Real or Artificial Wood in an
Marine Aquarium

Hi Folks,
                We were able enough to
obtain some funding to create a Tampa Bay, FL harbor tank. The tank will
be an educational station for students representing what the Bay would
be like in a pristine state. The theme for the tank is the estuarine
ecosystem in proximity to a pier. I am interested in any suggestions for
how to make the posts and cross beams to resemble a pier. I am concerned
about the use of wood in a closed system due to the possibility of

compounds leaching from the wood. We plan on having barnacles,
macroalgaes, and some invertebrates in the tank. I've thought about

using the Garf agrocrete method and some molds to make the posts and