Is bog wood expensive?

Bog Oak has a rich historical and classical background. It is rarer than diamond and without Kauri as its only rival; Bog Oak is easily the most expensive wood in the world.

Is bogwood good for aquariums?

Because of this bogwood has two main qualities; firstly, it is safe for use in the aquarium and will not rot in a harmful way, secondly, it will sink (usually!) as it is already waterlogged. When the bogwood is placed in water, these tannins are released, giving the water a yellow-brown tea-like appearance.

What type of wood is bogwood?

Bogwood comes from several species of tree including oak, pine and yew with colours varying from a rich reddish brown (pine) to jet black (oak) with hues of dark brown in between (yew). Some bogwood is offered for sale as ‘pre-soaked’, though this is actually quite rare due to the additional time and expense required.

How do you prepare bog wood for an aquarium?

Bogwood can be made up of wood species from all over the world, but select bogwood from aquatic stores to make sure its safe to be submerged with fish. Place it in the tank and it should sink, but some may float for several days before sinking.

Why is bog oak so expensive?

Reserves of this ancient wood are very rare, especially as known sites containing Bog Oak are fully excavated. This process is incredibly complex, and despite great care, most of the raw wood is unsuitable for further processing. For this reason, the price of high quality raw bog wood is quite high.

What Colour is bog oak?

The extremely low oxygen conditions of the bog protect the wood from normal decay, while the underlying peat provides acidic conditions where iron salts and other minerals react with the tannins in the wood, gradually giving it a distinct dark brown to almost black color.

Does driftwood turned water brown?

Tannins. Tannins are present in driftwood, and over time they will leach into the aquarium water, staining it yellow to brown. Tannins lower the pH of the water and soften it. For some fish, this may be desirable and even recommended.

What is bog wood used for?

In addition to pipes, bog-wood has traditionally been used to construct decorative objects and items for everyday use. Today, modern drying techniques have made it possible to preserve larger planks of bog oak that are suitable for floor coverings, furniture, doors, window frames, and sculptures.

What type of wood is driftwood?

Sumatran driftwood is actually pieces of mangrove roots. They’re harvested from dead mangrove trees during land clearing. Rather than burn or discard them, the roots are sandblasted to remove the bark.

Where can you get bog wood?

Reserves of the ancient wood can also be found in Russia and Ukraine, where the northern region has a climate favorable to the growth of oak. In Croatia, bog-wood is typically found in the valley of the Sava River and its tributaries.

What kind of tree does bog wood come from?

Bog-wood may come from any tree species naturally growing near or in bogs, including oak ( Quercus – “bog oak”), pine ( Pinus ), yew ( Taxus ), swamp cypress ( Taxodium) and kauri ( Agathis ). Bog-wood is often removed from fields and placed in clearance cairns.

Why is bog oak the best wood to preserve?

Oak is already an incredibly tough and rot resistant wood. And, because it naturally contains a large amount of tannins, oak gets a double-shot of tannins from the bog water. These circumstances are ideal for preserving wood, eventually turning it into bog oak. Over thousands of years, wetlands gradually fill in with organic matter.

Where does the name bog oak come from?

Bog oak is a catchall name for partially fossilized wood.   Although most of this wood, as its name implies, originates from oak trees, partially fossilized yew or pine wood is also considered bog oak.   The origins of this ancient timber are a mysterious, wonderful thing.

How is bogwood preserved in a river or pond?

Bogwood is wood preserved in a bog due to anaerobic conditions. Usually bogwood is stained brown by organic matter ( tannins) present in the bog. Driftwood is very similar. It is wood submerged in water for many weeks or years usually in a river, stream or pond. Apart from that, it is treated by aquarists as if it is bogwood.