How do I prep dead manzanita for driftwood

[The Masked Shadow]

I just went to a relatives property. He has a giant Bigberry Manzanita tree, which is dead on one side. Since the tree is at least 10 feet tall, and very wide, I got to take around an 8 foot dead branch, and smaller ones as wall. Problem is, they have lichen on them. I don’t have a clue how to prepare it for driftwood. Any input is useful.

 

[Magnus_Bane]

I just went to a relatives property. He has a giant Bigberry Manzanita tree, which is dead on one side. Since the tree is at least 10 feet tall, and very wide, I got to take around an 8 foot dead branch, and smaller ones as wall. Problem is, they have lichen on them. I don’t have a clue how to prepare it for driftwood. Any input is useful.

Fill a bathtub with boiling/hot water, set em in, and leave em to soak till they sink. Not much else ya can do really. The lichen is ehh whatever, it shouldn't negatively effect the tank it's in other then eventually breaking down and decomposing. If the wood molds over don't worry that just happens when ya soak a new piece, it'll eventually go away and some fish will even eat it like Otto's and plecos.

 

[The Masked Shadow]

Ok. How long will they take to sink?

 

[aussieman57]

Ok. How long will they take to sink?

Depends on the type of wood and size. In other words start the soaking process and wait to see. You can wire brush off any remaining bark & lichens prior to soaking.

 

[Deadeye]

My wood fully sank in a week or two.

 

[The Masked Shadow]

How long should I keep it in the bath?

 

[deeda]

How long should I keep it in the bath?

Until it sinks.

 

[aussieman57]

I've had some driftwood that sank immediately and some that took 2 weeks to sink. It's hard to predict. Never used manzanita but there is a company in CA that specializes in Manzanita driftwood and they say pieces sink in 3-4 days. But the pieces they sell are pressure washed and prepped.

 

[robmcd]

Hose it down and put it in the tank. No need to soak. It’ll sink in time.

 

[The Masked Shadow]

Do you agree with Magnus_Bane to just not worry about the lichen?