The Best Driftwood for Your Aquarium
Driftwood is a versatile tool in reptile, amphibian, and fish ownership. The natural sticks and logs are perfect for decoration, climbing, hiding, and much more. Their natural design is an added bonus, too, as you're able to give your creatures a piece of their home environment.
What to Look For
To help you find the perfect pack of driftwood for your pet, we’ve gathered some of the best options on the market today. We asked questions like, “Is this naturally sealed for our creatures’ best health?” and “Can it be used both underwater and above?” We fell in love with PINVNBY’s version for its authenticity and unique shape, as well as WDEFUN’s for its impressive size. We can’t wait to find out which type you like best from the list below.
PINVNBY Natural Aquarium Driftwood
Creature comforts
This driftwood isn’t just natural — it’s the best of the best. It’s made of solid, durable pieces, ensuring they’ll hold up to just about anything that takes place in your tank. They come in unique shapes, aiding in decoration, hiding spaces in aquariums, and climbing spots in terrariums. The pieces range from 4.5 to 9.5 inches, giving you plenty of variety in size as well.
Pros:
- With its natural properties, we thought this driftwood did a good job dropping the Ph levels in our fish tank.
- We were also impressed that the water stayed fairly clear during our initial soak, showing that the wood was clean and safe.
Cons:
- This driftwood can be used underwater, but it needs to go through a pretreatment process in order to sink.
WDEFUN Natural Coral Driftwood
Big and beautiful
These pieces of driftwood are perfect for filling up a large tank. They measure between 9 and 14 inches and come in sets of two. The driftwood is entirely natural and arrives in a variety of shapes and textures. They’re also sinkable and function in both wet and dry habitats.
Pros:
- Even though the product description states these pieces are for tanks over 20 gallons, we found that they also fit well in 10-gallon tanks and enclosures.
- The large size made perfect homes for our collection of aquarium plants and moss.
Cons:
- If you have an extremely small or narrow tank, these pieces may be too big to fit properly.
SERJOOC Aquarium Driftwood
Stunning selection
If you want to bring a new sense of style to your tank, this is the perfect pack of driftwood. It comes with six pieces in various shapes and sizes, all of which are natural and safe for your creature. It can be used in dry habitats straight from the box or underwater after the typical pretreatment process. This driftwood may also house aquarium plants, and it supports healthy Ph and Kh levels in your fish’s water, too.
Pros:
- Since these are small in size, they work well in all aquariums. They’re an especially smart choice for 5 gallon or smaller tanks since not many other brands are made to suit this design.
- We were pleasantly surprised that the pretreatment process only took us about an hour, though it could take you more or less time depending on the specific pieces of driftwood you receive.
Cons:
- Since these pieces are only about 4-6 inches long, they aren’t the best option for creatures who like to climb.
CZ Grain Driftwood Poles
Climb on up
This driftwood is perfect for climb-loving reptiles as it comes in long pieces — about 3 feet each. They work well in both wet and dry environments, and they’re natural with no chemical treatments whatsoever. The included driftwood can create different climbing structures inside a large tank or can be used in multiple enclosures.
Pros:
- For the size and quantity, we felt like the price of this driftwood was very reasonable.
- The pieces are chosen for their beauty as well as their quality, so they’re sure to improve the overall look of your creature’s enclosure.
Cons:
- These are too large for most tanks on the market today, but they can be cut to size.
TFWADMX Natural Driftwood
High quality, low price
Having pets is expensive, but driftwood doesn’t have to be. This pack comes with four pieces, each of which measures between 3 and 9 inches. They come in various shapes and designs, giving your fish plenty of room to explore and hide or your reptile a good space to sit and climb. Their diverse sizes also allow them to be used in tanks of all measurements. The entire set is completely customizable to your specific needs.
Pros:
- We were impressed by the quality of the wood, even though the price was lower than similar products on the market today.
- We also noticed that not much tannin came out during the soaking process, meaning the product was pretty clean to begin with.
Cons:
- These may seem small in tanks larger than 10 gallons, though they can still be used in spaces of all sizes.
How do I pretreat driftwood for use in my aquarium?
Each product will come with its own instructions, though the process typically involves baking, boiling, or soaking in hot water for a number of hours to several days.
Are any other precautions necessary before adding driftwood to my aquarium or enclosure?
You may need to inspect your product for sharp edges, but other than that, it will be ready to place with your pets as soon as it’s been treated.
About the Author
Why Trust Us
Since 2008, DogTime has served as a leading resource for millions of dog owners and pet lovers alike. Our goal is to give every dog and pet a happy, healthy home by providing owners with all the information they need to be the best pet parents possible. Our experts share their insights and recommendations to make caring for your beloved pets a breeze.