# I have a tank full of algae and driftwood **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 13, 2018, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-tank-full-of-algae-and-driftwood/816019 "2018-06-13T13:13:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr.Nylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Mr.Nylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Nylock)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2018, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-tank-full-of-algae-and-driftwood/816019/1 "2018-06-13T13:13:36Z")
People be hatin’, but I’m rollin with the 55g. Motherfuckers be askin’ why you fishin without no pole I tell em step back I’m rockin the native species - your sorry ass couldn’t even keep Petco fish alive. Your PH is whack. Like Mike Tyson said, everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth\*. This is no we an endorsement of violence or approval of violating any applicable federal, state or local laws in the aquisition or promulgation of native aquatic species. ---
**Author:** ![Textual\_Innuendo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/898d66/32.png) [@Textual\_Innuendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Textual_Innuendo)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2018, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-tank-full-of-algae-and-driftwood/816019/2 "2018-06-14T13:20:18Z")
A stirring and strongly emoted post, but where’s the beef? Or fish, as the case may be. Or really any sort of thesis or topic coming to some declarative point. And I confess to moderate curiosity about what the aquarium-keeping equivalent of being punched in the mouth may be…please do enlighten us plebes who can’t even keep Petco fish alive. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2018, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-tank-full-of-algae-and-driftwood/816019/3 "2018-06-14T14:43:20Z")
Maybe keep snails? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Nylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Mr.Nylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Nylock)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2018, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-tank-full-of-algae-and-driftwood/816019/4 "2018-06-15T01:42:10Z")
> [@Textual\_Innuendo](#): > > A stirring and strongly emoted post, but where’s the beef? Or fish, as the case may be. > > Or really any sort of thesis or topic coming to some declarative point. > > And I confess to moderate curiosity about what the aquarium-keeping equivalent of being punched in the mouth may be…please do enlighten us plebes who can’t even keep Petco fish alive. 🙂 Yes I have chosen the right forum for my posting. I think my algae is starting to grow algae, but I’m not sure if the driftwood is waterlogged to sink on its own, I really can’t do much else until then. I think the Tyson quote can be applied to any situation where something unexpected and negative to you happens - like you could say “everyone has a plan til TRUMP!!” if we’re talking about politics etc. you get the picture. There’s some crazy shit happening at the top of my tank, like this weird brown shit - my wife is _not_ a big fan. I’m not even sure what the rest of the post is about, I’m sure Petco is a fine establishment. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2018, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-tank-full-of-algae-and-driftwood/816019/5 "2018-06-15T01:44:29Z")
I have some tadpoles in my horse trough if you want some. StG ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Nylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Mr.Nylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Nylock)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2018, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-tank-full-of-algae-and-driftwood/816019/6 "2018-06-15T01:46:36Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Maybe keep snails? They too much fornicate - they overpopulate, you end up having to kill a bunch. I want to be more of a giver of aquatic life and less of a taker. I haven’t ruled it out completely though, I’ve caught them in the river before. It’s the same river I lost half my trap in. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Nylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Mr.Nylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Nylock)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2018, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-tank-full-of-algae-and-driftwood/816019/7 "2018-06-15T01:47:39Z")
> [@StGermain](#): > > I have some tadpoles in my horse trough if you want some. > > StG Do you deliver to the mid atlantic region? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2018, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-tank-full-of-algae-and-driftwood/816019/8 "2018-06-15T02:02:38Z")
I soak driftwood in tubs outside the house for months before I put it into an aquarium. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2018, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-tank-full-of-algae-and-driftwood/816019/9 "2018-06-15T02:14:45Z")
You’ve obviously got some contaminated driftwood. Chuck it. Start sgain. Soak new driftwood outdoors for awhile in clean water. Change water daily. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Nylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Mr.Nylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Nylock)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2018, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-tank-full-of-algae-and-driftwood/816019/10 "2018-06-15T02:46:43Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > You’ve obviously got some contaminated driftwood. Chuck it. Start sgain. Soak new driftwood outdoors for awhile in clean water. Change water daily. You’re probably right, but emotionally I’m not ready so I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing. ---
**Author:** ![Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/regallag_the_axe/32/445_2.png) [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Regallag_The_Axe)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2018, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-tank-full-of-algae-and-driftwood/816019/11 "2018-06-15T02:49:44Z")
Dry out that driftwood then throw it onto an already-burning fire, it’ll burn real pretty. At least if it’s real, honest, from-the-salty-ocean, driftwood. Other things that burn real pretty: mostly empty bottles of schnapps; anything saturated with copper salts. I don’t know if algae burns real pretty, or if it burns at all, but there’s only one way to find out. **Mr. Nylock** , the red mages of the clan task you with drying that algae and seeing what it looks like when burned. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Nylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Mr.Nylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Nylock)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2018, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-tank-full-of-algae-and-driftwood/816019/12 "2018-06-15T02:49:50Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I soak driftwood in tubs outside the house for months before I put it into an aquarium. I don’t have a house, ☹ I’m saving up for one though. Months is a long time; is there anything in particular that happens between month 2 and say, month 5? ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2018, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-tank-full-of-algae-and-driftwood/816019/13 "2018-06-15T03:08:48Z")
Yea, there is. A bad smell happens. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2018, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-tank-full-of-algae-and-driftwood/816019/14 "2018-06-15T10:30:48Z")
> [@Mr.Nylock](#): > > Months is a long time; is there anything in particular that happens between month 2 and say, month 5? Time passages A girl comes towards you You once used to know You reach out your hand But you’re all alone, in those Time passages ---
**Author:** ![CheshireKat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheshirekat/32/1207_2.png) [@CheshireKat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CheshireKat)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2018, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-tank-full-of-algae-and-driftwood/816019/15 "2018-06-15T12:40:40Z")
You could add a [sucker fish](https://petful101.com/fish/keeping-plecostomus-sucker-fish)to your tank. I had one named Hoover for years as a companion to my African frog and he did a very good job of keeping the tank clean. ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2018, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-tank-full-of-algae-and-driftwood/816019/16 "2018-06-15T16:16:16Z")
> [@CheshireKat](#): > > You could add a [sucker fish](https://petful101.com/fish/keeping-plecostomus-sucker-fish)to your tank. I had one named Hoover for years as a companion to my African frog and he did a very good job of keeping the tank clean. And did he occasionally wear a dress? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Nylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Mr.Nylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Nylock)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2018, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-tank-full-of-algae-and-driftwood/816019/17 "2018-06-18T02:52:15Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Yea, there is. A bad smell happens. I changed the water, the driftwood is starting to sink; it sort of half sinks now. The old water kind of smelled like my farts; my wife wasn’t really into that. I don’t think my wood is rotting - maybe the one piece, but that’s it. We’ll see how it goes, I’m probably gonna put some dace and shiners in and then some stonerollers for the algae and general bottom feeding and also a few darters just because. I’m also hoping to get some banded sunfish; that may be a little more difficult but there’s a polluted river not to far where it’s legal to dipnet. I think a lot of the fish there have cancer, but I have a plan for that. Actually I don’t have a plan, I’ll just catch some if I can and pretend they don’t have cancer. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2018, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-tank-full-of-algae-and-driftwood/816019/18 "2018-06-18T03:00:41Z")
I’d go with the cheapo fish first. Get a big ol’ catfish. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2018, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-tank-full-of-algae-and-driftwood/816019/19 "2018-06-18T03:03:34Z")
How big is this tank? Do you have anything other than the tank, meaning filters and such? I may be talking crazy here, but your plans sound a mite ambitious. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Nylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Mr.Nylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Nylock)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2018, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-tank-full-of-algae-and-driftwood/816019/20 "2018-06-18T03:09:26Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > I’d go with the cheapo fish first. Get a big ol’ catfish. I don’t think I can fit a catfish - maybe a madtom, but that’s it. I wanted a tadpole madtom for a little while, but then I didn’t., I’m not even sure why. All the fish are the same price - free99, I just have to go to the creek and endure the awkward stares of passersby, so they’re all cheapo fish. I need a house, really I didn’t care so much about homeownership till I got into this hobby, it’s probably good I never tried drugs. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-tank-full-of-algae-and-driftwood/816019.md?page=2)