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Bogwood and Driftwood

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Help and advice on shopping for: Bogwood and Driftwood

Build a gorgeous bogwood aquascape

Bogwood is perfect for both cold water and tropical fish tanks. It adds a sense of depth and some unique character to any fish tank. Our range of aquarium decor can help you recreate a natural habitat for the fish within your tank.

What is bogwood?

Bogwood is a specific type of wood from trees that have been grown in peat bogs and preserved from decay by acidic and anaerobic conditions. It has a particularly distinctive style and colour due to prolonged exposure to the tannins dissolved in the acidic water. Essentially, bogwood is dead wood from a peat bog in the very earliest stages of fossilisation.

Why should I buy bogwood?

Bogwood is a superb addition to many aquariums. Like normal wood, it offers shelter and hiding places to your fish but it also enriches the water thanks to the tannins held within the wood that will diffuse over time, giving the water a 'tea-stained' appearance. While you may find that your water requires filtration and some treatments to ensure the right pH balance is maintained, tannins are proven to support the health of many fish species. Some pleco species eat the wood in the wild too, so bogwood is beneficial to any tank that contains plecos. Freshwater shrimp graze on bog wood too.

What are the main types of bogwood?

Our range of bogwood features wood taken from all over the world, exposed to different natural chemicals, tannins and bogs. While each type of wood can be quite different, two of our most popular are Mopani wood and Sumatra wood. Mopani wood is naturally sourced from South Africa and has a distinctive appearance, while Sumatra wood is a little thinner, giving it a more twiggy look. Some live aquarium plants can also be grown on bogwood and driftwood. Attach Java Fern or Anubias with fishing line, cable ties or aquascaping glue and they will grow on the wood, looking very natural. They're a tough, easy-to-grow species too.

What should I look for when adding driftwood?

All wood will release tannic acid when first added to the aquarium. This will turn the water brown and may lower the pH of the water. If you don't like the tea-coloured water use activated carbon in the aquarium filter.

Some bogwood and driftwood may also float when first placed in the aquarium, so pre-soak it for several days until it becomes waterlogged and sinks. Give bogwood and driftwood a good soaking and it will sink, and it also releases the worst of the tannins before going into the aquarium.