[DaninVan]

Hey, Brenda; I've done that and never had a problem...didn't care about the species of wood as long as it wasn't Cedar. And that was just erring on the side of caution. What you do need to do is let the wood wash naturally for a loooong time!
Leaving it in a 5 gal or preferably larger pail/barrel, out in the rain over the Winter should do it. Avoid any chemical cleaners!!! If you happened to have a fast moving stream on your property, that'd be perfect; in fact that's exactly where I went to find my driftwood in the first place.
Salt is not a bad thing in a freshwater tank, in very slight concentrations.
If you're still concerned about organisms, your local aquarium shop has disinfectants, for want of a better word.
Personally Iwouldn't bother; wood is naturally antibacterial.
I believe the driftwood sold for tanks has been steam treated, but how on earth could you do that at home?
Any creepy crawlies still in the wood are fish food...

 

[DaninVan]

Hi, again; I went looking for pics of natural driftwood, and found this article...
https://pethelpful.com/fish-aquariums/Driftwood-In-Aquariums

I'd forgotten all about the tannin thing.
Really good info in that article.

 

[DaninVan]

Thanks for the positive help guys and to the guy thinking I’m making multiple accounts to ask the same question that’s just dumb. I googled driftwood identification and this site came up so I thought you guys might be able to help. I would simply ask again not make another account

Brenda; this thing about identifying driftwood comes up here once in a while. Theo's reaction wasn't intended to be offensive.
Here's the thing about 'driftwood'; it has no bark (likely), no, flowers, no fruit, and no tree or bush form. All or some of the aforementioned characteristics are needed for a casual ident. A wood lab would look at cell structure, and DNA for positive ID; and you could go that route, but I'm guessing that it wouldn't be inexpensive!
For most purposes in woodworking, driftwood is just that. Here in the Pacific North West, beach driftwood has been bleached by the sun, soaked in salt water and scoured by sand; eventually it's reduced by nature to organic grit, just part of the beach environment.
I know some guys in my area salvage driftwood logs for firewood...no way in Hell would I let my chainsaw anywhere near that sand encrusted stuff! :surprise:

 

[DaninVan]

Sorry; forgot to say I like your choice of driftwood! How big is your tank(s)?

 

[DaninVan]

Ha! As a former landlord, you're busted!

 

[DaninVan]

Great link, Stick! Lots of good stuff in there as well as the comments.
I was thinking about the "bleach" part of the article, and it occurred to me that an excellent alternative would be H2O2...Hydrogen peroxide.
You can get it from the Hydroponics supply shops in 30% solution...that is too potent. A 1:10 dilution rate would give you pretty close to the drugstore stuff (3.5%).
Set up a narrow trough with plastic sheeting and soak the driftwood overnight. Then do the clean water washing.
Ain't nuthin' going to survive that!

Do NOT get it on your skin at the undiluted rate! You will not be happy.

 

[DaninVan]

The 30% stuff is around $25Cdn for 4 liters. That makes a lot of drugstore type solution.
Best part is after you're finished with it you water it down to about 1% and use it in your garden.

 

[DaninVan]

Don't quote me on this, but I don't think you can buy the 50% up here. There was a major rethink, post 9/11, and what I heard was that there were security concerns about H2O2 being available as an ingredient for explosives.
At that time the hydroponic concentrate was being sold at a 35% rate, then they removed it and subbed the lower concentrate. But then it's Canada, any weirdness is possible...

 

[DaninVan]

These aquarium landscapes are spectacular!
https://www.amusingplanet.com/2014/04/the-incredible-art-of-underwater.html

 

[DaninVan]

Theo, those are growing aquatic plants; they can't live in air. That's why each of those pictures gives the period of planted growth. It's something like bonsai...constant maintenance, especially battling algae.
Those are living artworks.

 

[DaninVan]

Your wish is my command, Theo!
You want castles?...