Ultum Nature Systems Bonsai Wood, Scaping, Planted Tanks

Ultum Nature Systems UNS Bonsai Tree Driftwood Aquarium Hardscape Wood 015

$63.99 USD

Usually ships in 1-2 business days from our fulfillment center

The Ultum Nature Systems new line of Bonsai Tree driftwood features hand-crafted pieces that are carefully made by skilled artisans. Aquascaping with Bonsai Trees has become popular and offers numerous benefits to the planted aquarium. Each tree features distinctive features and can be embellished with a variety of popular aquatic plant species such as Anubias, Bucephalandra, Java Fern, Aquarium Moss and more. The addition of bonsai tree driftwood to the aquarium also softens water, provides shelter and a source of food for smaller aquarium critters like caridina shrimp and snails.

Almost all driftwood is buoyant. Before use, we recommend allowing your UNS Bonsai Tree to thoroughly soak to ensure the tree is fully waterlogged. If this step is not preferred, simply attach a weight to the bonsai tree to ensure it is weighed down when the aquarium is filled. Aquarium driftwoods release tannins and will discolor aquarium water, giving it a tea colored tint. This is temporary and will reduce gradually over time as water changes are performed. Tannins are 100% natural, providing several benefits to the aquarium such as softening the water and emulating natural conditions of many tropical fish. If you do not like colored water, adding this product to your filter system will leave you with crystal clear water quickly!

What we like about Ultum Nature Systems Natural Bonsai Driftwood Trees

Hand-crafted: Each UNS Bonsai Tree Driftwood piece is handcrafted by a skilled artisan from natural wood.
Beginner-friendly Use: UNS Bonsai Trees come ready to use right out of the box. This popular aquarium hardscape is easy to work with, versatile and is a great choice for an instant aquascape layout.

Model Specifications
Each bonsai tree driftwood is crafted from natural wood. Dimensions provided are averages and may vary slightly.


Model	Dimensions (IN) L x W x H
AI015-S	12 x 7 x 9"
AI015-M	16 x 9 x 12"
AI015-L	20.5 x 8.5 x 16.5"

About Ultum Nature Systems

Ultum Nature Systems strives to provide industry leading, premium grade aquarium goods with the everyday hobbyist in mind. Versatile and sleek, their innovatively designed aquariums are the perfect canvas and groundwork for all styles of aquarium keeping from planted to marine and reef aquariums. The rest of the catalog features artistic yet user-friendly essential items to compliment and promote the success of a healthy ecosystem. Ultum Nature Systems offers a variety of aquatic plant species, CO2 accessories, substrate, hardscape material, fertilizers and more.

Wood You Just Sink Already? The Curious Case of Floating Driftwood

If you’ve ever added driftwood to your tank only to watch it bob right back up… don’t worry, you’re not alone. Almost all aquarium driftwood is buoyant because it’s been dry before reaching your aquascape. It just needs some time (and a little help) to stay submerged for your nature-style, forest or jungle tank.

If you fall into this category—we know—it sucks. Especially if you already spent a chunk of time working on your aquascape. The good news is that there are a few tried-and-true, aquarium-safe methods you can use that will keep your driftwood grounded from day one.

Aqua Design Amano ADA 120P Planted Aquarium Rimless Glass Tank

Ultum nature systems UNS 90L Long 20 gallon Rimless Glass Aquarium Tank

How to Prevent Floating Aquarium Wood

Natural Weights:
This is our main go-to for sinking pieces of aquarium driftwood. This method is great because it can be used on all sizes and it typically blends in better. First, design your scape and make sure everything is your liking. From here, you can take one of two routes:

Plant your aquarium first and place dense aquarium stones on top. Be careful not to crush any plants.
Hold off on planting and position your rocks on top of the driftwood

From here, it’s a test of patience. Usually, the stone will be ready to remove in roughly 2 weeks. You can test it by slowly lifting a stone and watching the driftwood. If you notice any movement, it isn’t ready. Put the rock back and let it soak to become fully waterlogged. Our favorite dense stones for this purpose are Seiryu Stone or Hakkai Stone. If you’re already using something heavy, go with the same type if you have extra. But, if you’re using something porous and lightweight like Lava Rock, it may not be suitable for holding down a large driftwood structure.

Hakkai Stone and Malaysian Driftwood Planted Aquarium Hardscape

Aqua Design Amano ADA 120P Planted Aquarium Rimless Glass Tank with Hardscape

Hakkai Stone is known to be extremely dense and are perfect for weighing down large pieces of driftwood

Ultum nature systems UNS 5N Nano Rimless Glass Aquarium Tank

Ultum nature systems UNS 5N Nano Rimless Glass Aquarium Tank Nature Aquarium Aquascape

This method also works for smaller nano aquarium aquascapes as well

Secure or Wrap:
This is another common method that requires patience and a steady hand through the process. Natural weights can be added quickly, but securing or wrapping the driftwood in place will need some attention to detail (unless slight shifts in direction or angle don’t bother you). This suggestion can be time-consuming, but the results are worth it because there aren’t any eyesores in your aquascape at the end. As far as what you choose to “fasten” your layout with, we’ve tried a few things. Green or brown cotton / nylon thread works great as it blends in better with wood tones and aquatic plants. We’ve even used zipties. Not our best hour, but it got the job done and our scape didn’t float!

Ultum nature systems UNS 3N Nano Rimless Glass Aquarium Tank Nature Aquarium Hardscape

Ziptied Pacific Wood Nano scape before planting

Ultum nature systems UNS 3N Nano Rimless Glass Aquarium Tank Betta Fish Aquascape

Grown out nano planted aquarium

Manzanita aquarium drifwood wood hardscape

Cable tied Manzanita Twig Wood

Ultum nature systems UNS 5N Nano Rimless Glass Aquarium Tank Nature Aquarium Hardscape

Full aquascape placed into tank before planting

Fully grown out planted nano tank with plants that have completely hidden the ties

Glue it Together:
Yes, this is aquarium-safe. Is it natural? No. But, this method is becoming increasingly popular in the modern landscape of aquascaping. We turn to glue when we want to flood an aquarium after planting. There are some caveats with this one. Unlike the first two options, glue leaves residue that can be seen by the human eye. You’ll either need to use some elbow grease and a sharp scraper to remove it once everything is dry or you'll need to disguise it while you work. To do this, you’ll need your glue (use liquid cyanoacrylate for this), tissue paper, aquascaping tweezers and a colored substrate that matches your driftwood *optional. When your aquascape is just right and ready to be glued, follow these simple steps!

Step 1: Roll up small portions of the tissue paper between your fingers. Use your tweezers to wedge a piece into key gaps where your driftwood is either touching or connected.

Step 2: Use your tweezers to hold it in place and apply a small amount of liquid glue. Once it makes contact, a chemical reaction will take place and a little puff of smoke will appear. Make sure you avoid breathing it in or getting it in your eyes!

Step 3: Let it cure and voilà! Once you’ve finished, you’ll see how strong this method is. Test it by lifting and making sure the secondary piece is still connected.

Optional hot tip: Sprinkle your crushed substrate on top of the glue during the curing process to create a seamless blend. Take it a step further and add some aquarium rhizome plants when you’re finished. We like using Anubias, Bucephalandra and Java Ferns!

Boiling and Pre-Soaking:
Yes, you read right. If the driftwood pieces you have are smaller and can fit a standard 5 gallon bucket or even a large kitchen pot (make sure your people are okay with this one!), then you can boil the wood to waterlog it faster. We’ve done this with Manzanita Twig Wood before and had great success with it. Alternatively, fill any container that is large enough to fit your driftwood with water, and let it soak for 1-2 weeks for a fire-free option!

Not up for any of the previous suggestions? We still have you covered and offer driftwood that is pre-attached to natural slate stone or bonsai driftwood trees with lava rock bases. Beyond that, check out the Strata Pro series by Ultum Nature Systems. These are pre-made readyscapes that feature natural, real hardscape and are conveniently attached to heavy bases designed to fit nano tanks and standard sized aquariums. Give it a go if you’re looking for a float-free aquascape for your planted tank.

Beyond visuals, driftwood releases tannins with natural antifungal and antimicrobial properties. If the slight discoloration of water doesn’t bother you, tannins can contribute to better health and vitality for your tank inhabitants. If it does, it’s temporary and can also be removed quicker with water changes. Some biotope aquarium hobbyists love the discoloration and tannins as it replicates many of the natural habitats for tropical freshwater fish. To each their own!

Some of our favorite go-to woods include Malaysian Driftwood, Pacific Wood, and Spider Wood—each offering unique shapes and tones that work beautifully in planted setups.

Shop Aquarium Driftwood

Overall rating: 4.7 / 5 from 50 reviews.

AI Generated Review Summary

UNS Bonsai 015 offers hand-crafted driftwood trees for aquascaping, praised for their aesthetic appeal and versatility. They provide benefits like water softening and shelter for aquarium critters. However, they may discolor water temporarily due to tannins.

Summary topics

Product Looks: 28%

Review topics: ["size","quality","shipping","issues","looks","packaging","color","pieces","price","tree","wood","moss","bonsai","tank","damage","addition"].

Review highlights

"However, the wood I received still looks great." — Michael R.
"I love the piece and it looks great." — Peter R.
"Will look great in the tank." — Austin K.

Reviews

Lovely Bonsai tree

"I bought this for aquascaping my 10-gallon freshwater aquarium. It added some nice tannins to the water and gave it a lovely, light golden color. It floats at first, but just takes some time to get waterlogged it seems. Looks great with moss added to the branches."

— Heather S. (5/5)

Sublime Character & Exceptionally Well Made

"I’ve always had one tank for the last 25 years. This is a new 10 gal. replacement tank operating for about 7 weeks so far. While I was starting my new tank, I did a deep dive and learned how to do landscaping and create friendlier environment for my beta and others. So I switched out the coral to the bonsai and will be adding some more gravel and plants soon. The bonsai tree that I got was exceptionally well made. I soaked it for four days before placing it in the tank. Got the directions from online being a first timer with the bonsai. I love it and it adds to my living room fish tank with a sublime character. I will be putting some mini Taiwan Moss on it soon. The price and delivery were flawless. Fast & Damage free. i’d recommend this for anyone. I got it not only for decoration, but help alleviate the hard water issue we have in New Mexico."

— Stephen M. (5/5)

Underwater forest

"Love this Bonsai; it looks like a little underwater forest in my freshwater tank. :)"

— Heather S. (5/5)

"very nice looking bonsai tree it does float FYI you need to wait it down on some gravel on the roots. but package super well and shipping was fairly fast so I will definitely shop there again."

— Chris (5/5)

Beautiful bonsai

"Beautiful after adding the Christmas moss"

— Jennifer s. (5/5)

So happy!

"Well made! Perfect little tree. Can’t wait to see what it turns into once moss starts growing. Perfect size for a smaller tank. Heavy rock on the bottom so the wood doesn’t float. Sturdy and a quality piece."

— Samantha R. (5/5)

"Absolutely gorgeous! I am obsessed 🤩"

— Mary (5/5)

Great supplies

"Everything came in great condition! My plants are thriving and the bonsai tree looks fabulous with moss. I love it so much, and arrived in timely manner!"

— Lizeth G. (5/5)

"The bonsai tree looks so real"

— Anthony (5/5)

LOvely; shipping is a lot

"LOvely; shipping is a lot"

— Patrice P. (5/5)

Q&A

Shipping
Orders are typically processed within 1-2 business days M-F. However, additional time may be required during peak seasons and federal holidays. For orders containing live plants, we exercise extra caution and assess factors such as travel distance and weather to ensure safe transit.

To avoid delays, please ensure all order information is accurate and complete. We cannot offer refunds and are not responsible for orders shipped to incorrect addresses due to errors in provided information. Once an order has been shipped, delivery times are determined by the carrier and are outside of our control. On average, shipments arrive within 2–5 business days, excluding weekends and holidays. For more information, please visit our FAQ page.

Returns
If you are not satisfied with your purchase, please contact us within 48 hours of delivery. Approved returns must be shipped back within 14 days of approval. Returned items must be unused, unopened, and in their original packaging. Specific return requirements, if applicable, will be listed on the product’s page. For more information, please visit our FAQ page.

Refunds
No worries, we’ll take care of everything as long as it fits the guidelines above.Most answers to general questions can be found on our FAQ page.