Pacific Wood Driftwood: A Great Aquascaping Material for a Shrimp Aquarium

Aquascaping artists often compare this driftwood with the Malaysian type because they share a similar look. It has a unique shape with sharp and distinguished edges.

Many aquatic creatures will thrive with Pacific wood driftwood. Shrimp is one of them.

Why is Pacific Driftwood a Good Habitat for Shrimp?

This driftwood type is not only suitable habitat for freshwater shrimps. However, since freshwater shrimps tend to live well inside an aquarium with driftwood, it becomes infamous as its good habitat.

Here are the reasons for that:

1. The Driftwood Releases Tannin

Pacific wood driftwood also releases a fair amount of tannin into the water. On the downside, this causes the water to have a yellow to almost brown tint. In some cases, the water will clear up after a while, but it may not be.

However, this tannin release is beneficial for freshwater shrimps. It mellows down the hard water or, in other words, lowers its pH level. Freshwater shrimps thrive when they live in such an environment as high pH levels may endanger their lives.

2. Allows Beneficial Bacterias and Biofilm to Grow

The driftwood is also a good surface for the growth of beneficial bacterias and biofilm. You will see algae and other biodiversity grow on the piece of the wood. Because of this, the biodiversity in the aquarium will be more prosperous.

3. There are several implications for the growth of this biodiversity:

• The shrimps will look for food easily because they eat small water creatures on the driftwood’s surface.
• It is a good hiding space for the shrimps, especially if other animals are in the aquarium.
• The biodiversity on the driftwood can provide a breeding space for the shrimps.

4. Similar to Malaysian, Horn wood and Mopani Driftwood

Pacific wood has similarities in looks to Malaysian driftwood with a mix of Mopani driftwood from appearance and texture.

It also has similarities with Horn wood driftwood, but pacific driftwood has varieties and many knots.

5. Pacific wood density

This wood density and hardness gives some advantage that makes it easier to sink in the aquarium. Pacific driftwood becomes a centerpiece of aquascape design combined with stone and Moses.

6. Aquascaping with pacific driftwood

It’s very easy to attached mosses and any aquascape plant such as java mosses, Anubis, and many other plants

Treatment Recommendation

A good aquascaping hobbyist needs to understand how to treat their Pacific wood driftwood properly. The first thing to do when you are receiving the pacific driftwood is to clean it with water.

This wood is very dense; even though it is easy to sink because of its weight (despite the wood size), soaking and boiling the wood is always recommended and will help it clean any dirt.

Soaking it for 1 to 3 days before using it is necessary even though this wood doesn’t float. Some people may opt to boil their driftwood before use to release its tannin content.

However, if you want to gain its benefits, you can skip this process. If the discoloration caused by tannin release is too overwhelming, then you can change the water.

Fresh Pacific wood appears to be red, and it will darken over time. Some pacific wood might no need to boil or anything, Almost no tannin leach, and it will sink in of hours

In Summary

To sum up, the following characteristics cause Pacific wood driftwood to be a desirable aquascaping driftwood for freshwater shrimp aquariums:

• It releases a good volume of tannin.
• Quicker to sink
• Pacific wood doesn’t float
• It enriches the aquarium’s biodiversity.
• As a base for any mosses and aquascape plants
• The treatment before use is simple.