I like your attitude, keep up the good work!

I bring in locally sourced rocks and wood work from a crick behind my house. So far, no issues with doing that. I do a basic " cleaning ", and stick it into my crayfish tank. I want my aquarium looking and as natural as possible. I got the inspiration from watching your channel

I decided a while ago I was going to start collecting my own wood from streams. For now I'm avoiding Eucalyptus unless it's in my native pond (I'm in Australia so Eucalyptus is abundant), since I know Eucalyptus oil is something local fish are adapted to but imported species may not be. But beyond that... I'm just taking the risk. I'm prioritizing wood collected from water ways that I know contain healthy fish populations. At home I'll scrub off the detritus and boil it, set it in a quarentine tank for a bit then if nothing obvious goes wrong, I call it tank ready.

I really appreciate this video Dan, I've been looking around at our local waterways on lake Cumberland in Somerset Kentucky.. I found a lot of driftwood and rocks that I think would be awesome in an aquarium! I love the outdoors videos because they inspire me with my own hobby within the house with my aquariums 🙏♥️ plus it's just really neat to go out in nature and find things that inspire you 🙏💚🌿 I loved your footage and I sure did enjoy coming along with you!! I hope you're having a wonderful day my friend! 🙏🌿🐟🌿💚

I've had store bought driftwood and also "found in the wild" wood in my aquariums. Interestingly enough the fish have been happy with both but seemed to flourish even more with the wild wood.

Loved this video and the information 👍

Great video!!!

Darker, tannin filled water (like the stream from which you've collected) contain lots of dissolved organic carbons (DOC's). These DOC's will actively bind to metals and progressively fall out as detritus, or absorbed in plants, washed downstream, etc. The stuff you've collected is likely the much safer than the piece of driftwood people buy at the pet-store with a staple in it.

Good day out mate long pieces like that I usually wedge it in my tow hitch and snap 8 inches off one end.

Your "iffy" piece is what I want!!!

First time I have seen u on your kayak, very cool!

If in doubt, quarantine wood and rock. I always quarantine plants purchased locally or online. Great looking driftwood. I always enjoy your kayaking videos.

You can stick cut ends of wood into your substrate or under some rocks to hide the cuts. or place the cut flat against the back glass.

It would be interesting to do a water sample analysis from various waterways that are adjacent to runoffs

Good intentions in all things

What would be a really interesting series is taking some porous kind of rock like lava rock and putting it in the lake or stream and making them “live” wonder the benefits/ cons of taking a rock like that and putting it in the tank.

Been using crap I find in lakes , rivers , forests for years now with literally no issue lol the shops can keep their expensive glorified wood n rocks 😂

I've been putting crap from the creek in my aquarium for years and haven't had any trouble. I wouldn't take it from a river I know is highly polluted of course, but for the most part there isn't anything in a healthy creek that isn't in your fish tank.

do you collect aquatic plants from the wild also ? I have collected , hornwort , anacharis , pennywort , duckweed , and even hydrilla once .all from a local lake .

Quarantine is the key. If you even think it might interact with an already established aquarium quarantine and test it for what you suspect

I have a bush in my yard that puts off the most amazing artistic pieces of root structure ever but its incredibly soft wood. It's such a tease to have it so readily available. There is a large piece that would look amazing in a 55gallon or more just sitting in my yard......useless 😢

Hi I’m pretty new to fish tank keeping I was thinking on getting some options before I stock my 29 gallon tank: I was thinking maybe doing 6 Cory doras, 1 female anglefish, 1 female red tail shark, and maybe 5 guppies (2 male, 3 female)

Some rocks contain metals like copper which can kill inverts and certain "Scaleless" fish like loaches.

Can i put a dried out old pine wood in the aquarium. Looks promising though

I'm in Virginia and I'm going to get cypress knees from my friends property this weekend

I would imagine rocks are more safe than driftwood. Just pressure wash it and let it dry in the sun for a few days. Takes along time for anything to leach out of a rock to affect water chemistry.

You mentioned route 30. I live 2 minutes from 30. Where are ya from roughly?

❤👌

Biggest risk is probably fungus lol

Are you in Maryland?

speaking of pollutants in water , I have a buddy that works for the corps of engineers . they've been testing the soil around the swimming areas in the lakes here in Texas . all the lakes have started testing positive for staph . my buddy said 25 years ago there was none anywhere except the Rio Grande . it is because of the massive influx of illegal immigrants here in Texas . many of them come from places with no running water or sewage system . soooooooo unfortunately many of them defecate in the water while they are swimming . they've recently found hepatitis in a lake here in Texas do to the same issue . so I don't swim, fish or collect from any public access water now.

Couldn’t you just step on the wood to break it in half so it has a natural looking end

I think the risk over the rewards...we all know how bad driftwood hits the pockets lol

What's with the painted nail

What's with the purple finger nail?🤔

Not too thrilling a subject today