.Aquarium driftwood is not necessarily the kind of wood you pick up on the beach. Driftwood is what any wood that is put into an aquarium is called. The perfect wood for an aquarium is a wood that looks beautiful, provides habitat, resists decay, and is not chemically toxic..Manzanita is all of the above making it a top choice for use in aquascaping and very sought after by aquarium owners.

A common problem with natural aquarium driftwood is that it releases tannins into the water. There are some aquarium driftwoods, such as Manzanita, that are popular because they release a very LOW amount.

The ability to sink without being weighted is another characteristic of ideal driftwood..Manzanita is an exotic hardwood and one of the densest woods in the world..It will not only sink when fully saturated but can last for decades even under water.

Manzanita wood has very unique and visually stunning natural grain patterns that display a variety of colors..These colors range from creamy beige to light pink/peach to red and deep burgundy..These colors become even more vibrant when wet.

Manzanita is rare in that it gains value when it dies on the bush. As the wood ages on the bush, its colors attain a depth and richness that they never do when the wood is harvested fresh. I never work with live wood, only pieces that have already died and dried out but are still attached to the bush..These pieces are rare and unique and have had the time to develop the richness in color that only comes with age.

I clean my wood by pressure washing it with plain water only..I find this method to be very effective and it doesn't strip the wood as much as the alternative method of sandblasting..I then sand each piece by hand which is time consuming but definitely worth it when you see the finished result...I never "treat "the wood with any type of product so all my pieces are always 100% natural.

All my Manzanita comes from the mountains of Southern California..I am fortunate to have it growing in abundance where I live and I am constantly finding new pieces and adding them to my selection..I search for pieces I think would look awesome in an aquarium or are in my opinion "special" due to possessing a unique quality and may be destined for some other use..that's one of the many things I love about the Manzanita is its versatility and the fact that it always looks beautiful no matter where you choose to place it..I have made it my mission to find the most amazing pieces of Manzanita that nature has to offer and to make them available to you.

Please note that USPS just did a recent  rate increase that made the cost of shipping go up to all zones nationwide and it significantly affected the cost of sending packages/boxes more than anything else.My only concern is that your piece arrives safely and I try to send it the cheapest possible way.If you purchase multiple pieces I will gladly put them together in the same box whenever possible.Please understand that it is hard to give shipping quotes until I have actually prepared the box and am able to weigh it and take exact measurements.If you would prefer I send your piece via a different carrier/service or need it expidited I can do that just send me a message first and I will make the necessary adjustments and provide you with the details.

PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO CONTACT ME FOR ANY REASON..I am happy to help and I have met so many nice people through eBay, it's really been a pleasure working with them and I anticipate meeting many more in future dealings.

Just a few more things...

~ I can custom cut mostly any of the pieces for you so if you see something you like let me know

~ If you have a certain type of piece in mind or are trying to duplicate one you already have, I will do my best to find it for you.

~I definately consider any reasonable offer you might make and worse case scenario make you a counter offer so don't think you will insult me in any way.

I have lots of pieces that aren't cleaned up and ready to be listed yet and who knows, one of them might be the perfect one for you.

I spend a lot of time bringing out the beauty in these Manzanita pieces and I am confident you will not be disappointed.In fact, the pieces are even more amazing in person. I honestly dont think you can find a more premium, cleaner, visually stunning, not to mention cooler and totally one of a kind piece of driftwood anywhere else.

Thank you very much for your interest in my Manzanita and I look forward to making all your driftwood dreams come true :)

These pieces are extremely clean however *It is still highly recommended that you first soak or boil any new piece of driftwood before putting it in your aquarium.*

Don't forget to check out my other pieces!