Using wood for pond decor

[csdude55]

I'm looking at this one from @GBBUDD now:

Honored and Proud to have been chosen Aquascapes DIY pond of the year for 2023. 12,000 Gallon Koi Pond, Full Build

Large KOI pond with a Wetland filter, Negative edge and an intake bay. Start to finish, Building, Maintaining and expanding / seaming

www.gardenpondforum.com

How do you treat the wood for pond usage?

 

[Jhn]

I assume you mean stumps, driftwood etc. like @GBBUDD has in his pond. The dead wood I added to the pond, had nothing done to it except power washing to knock dirt off the pieces.

 

[GBBUDD]

I'm looking at this one from @GBBUDD now:

View attachment 149961

Honored and Proud to have been chosen Aquascapes DIY pond of the year for 2023. 12,000 Gallon Koi Pond, Full Build

Large KOI pond with a Wetland filter, Negative edge and an intake bay. Start to finish, Building, Maintaining and expanding / seaming

www.gardenpondforum.com

How do you treat the wood for pond usage?

Like @Jhn said a quick power wash and that's it . Though I don't take wood from one pond and put it in mine. To many possibilities there for hitch hikers.

 

[csdude55]

You don't worry about the wood rotting away quickly? Or attracting termites or ants?

I've had over 100 trees removed from my property, many of which had the middle eaten away by ants. I'm sure that I could find a few that would be in good enough shape to use for decor, but I'd hate to build anything around it just for it to become a problem. I thought maybe you coated it with a clear waterproofer or something; eg,

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Thompson-s-WaterSeal-Clear-Flat-Waterproofer-Actual-Net-Contents-12-fl-oz/1000183861

Is there a reason to NOT treat it with such a thing?

 

[Jhn]

Personally, I wouldn’t treat/seal anything that is going into my pond, just for the potential hazard it presents. Even if it says it’s non toxic, it really isn’t meant to be used in constant contact with water and designed to be safe or use in and around aquatic life, lastly, being out in the elements the sealer will last a year if your lucky before it needs to be reapplied, so to me not worth using it, even if it is truly non toxic.

The other thing is choose your wood wisely, don’t pick pieces that are rotten and falling apart, don’t build anything that wood is structurally holding back or up. Put the wood in aesthetically, natural looking spots around the pond, but also places that are easily accessed for removal if it rots faster than you thought. If you live long enough the pieces of wood you add to your pond will rot, no matter what you do to it, just the nature of wood.

Honestly, you are overthinking it, I have a lot of dead wood in my pond, off construction sites I’ve worked on, and hasnt rotted much at all over the years. Even if it does it is just wood that can be removed.

 

[GBBUDD]

Yes wood rots yes it adds organics to the water but when wood rots the fastest is when it gets wet and dries out then gets wet again and over and over.

When wood gets submerged it lasts for ever there are logs at the bottom of the great lakes from logging back in the 1800 and early 1900 that are now being brought up . Old growth stuff and is some of the most expensive lumber you can buy.

Yes my hobbit falls has a limited lime span and when it does fall apart we will see how it looks it may surprise me it may also get pulled out.

In the mean time I and it seems just about everyone who seems it thinks it's pretty cool and unique right now it I have spent the last hour or two sitting at the pond saying how incredible "habits falls" looks

I'm always on the look out for choice pieces to add.

Here's the latest pieces heading for the new bog.

 

[GBBUDD]

You don't worry about the wood rotting away quickly? Or attracting termites or ants?

I've had over 100 trees removed from my property, many of which had the middle eaten away by ants. I'm sure that I could find a few that would be in good enough shape to use for decor, but I'd hate to build anything around it just for it to become a problem. I thought maybe you coated it with a clear waterproofer or something; eg,

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Thompson-s-WaterSeal-Clear-Flat-Waterproofer-Actual-Net-Contents-12-fl-oz/1000183861

Is there a reason to NOT treat it with such a thing?

Thomsons is about the worst of the preservatives. At least what they sell at the box stores.

 

[Lisak1]

To me the ever changing nature of the wood is what makes it so fun to add to a pond. And when it outlives it’s usefulness you just find a new piece which is often even cooler than the first.

Like @GBBUDD mentioned totally submerged wood does not rot. We saw a stream built with a log for one of the waterfall drops and I questioned the homeowner - it had been there for almost 10 years at that point with no degrading or rotting at all. Pretty cool look too!

 

[poconojoe]

I have pieces laying on top of my bog gravel now for a couple of years and they still look fine.

I wouldn't add any type of preservatives or any chemicals, it more than likely would be bad for your fish and plants. Just pick out some pieces that are not already rotten.

If they look rotten after a few years, simply replace them. You seem to have plenty to spare.

Keep all chemicals far away from your pond, including so-called "fish friendly" stuff. It will usually result in disaster.