DIY DriftWood?? Help! Decorating tank ideas

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Spiff44, I am boiling so nice pieces as we speak and have a larger piece held down by rocks soaking in a bathtub. I keep refilling the tub with scolding hot water. It was a piece that had some rot on it. Nothing my miter saw, a drill, a screw driver (for scraping) and a few other tools couldn't take care of. I figured I would let them all soak for a few days and if they still float, I'll anchor them down with fishing line and some cool rocks I found. :) I don't think you sounded rude at all. Some people are a little too over precautious in my opinion. That natural driftwood sitting in the lake or creek didn't harm the fish living in that body of water. Nothing a little elbow grease can't take care of

Mommy of 3 babies, 2 fur babies and 12 gilled babies
 
I collected a couple pieces from a lake shore during the winter(water level is down then)
the stuff still floats and it's been in my tank for over 3 yrs!!! one piece I just let float and the other one I hold down with a rock.....
 
I collected a couple pieces from a lake shore during the winter(water level is down then)
the stuff still floats and it's been in my tank for over 3 yrs!!! one piece I just let float and the other one I hold down with a rock.....
 
If the pounding of rocks into the wood isn't working... then you can drill a long deep hole down the length of the piece from both ends and then stuff the hole with rocks, saving an appropriately sized one that you can pound into the hole to seal it. I have never seen this not work. This way it won't look pokadotted with rocks but only have two at each end visible.
 
No offense taken.

Most driftwood for aquarist will sink, you know what it is, and as it is imported they actually gas the wood to try and prevent hitch hikers.

Its much safer

Sent from my SCH-R530X using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
Hi my piece of driftwood came from lake. I have it in a tank for a few months and no problems so far. It was floating in a beginning so I used a ceramic flower pot and screwed it from a bottom with stainless steel screw, couple rocks and little bit of sand and you can't even see it.
 
spiff44 said:
If the pounding of rocks into the wood isn't working... then you can drill a long deep hole down the length of the piece from both ends and then stuff the hole with rocks, saving an appropriately sized one that you can pound into the hole to seal it. I have never seen this not work. This way it won't look pokadotted with rocks but only have two at each end visible.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip. I'm going to do that with the large piece I have. The smaller pieces that I hollowed out for my shrimp I was able to boil because they fit in the pot I have and they all sink now. The large piece I have is still a floater though.

Mommy of 3 babies, 2 fur babies and 12 gilled babies
 
I'd expect that most folks on this forum find/make/use their own driftwood.
Anything that won't leak stuff -toxins, resins, sap etc- should be fine. No pine, cedar or treated woods, for example. Check for nails or wire= bad.
Hardwoods will sink more easily than softer stuff. Need to soak until it sinks and/or rinses out any sap or nastiness etc. Boil if you can.
Can tie to a lead ingot or rock if you get impatient. I've also seen people drill out the middle and fill with bags of lead shot and/or glue to a rock or the bottom of the tank.
Decoration is totally personal. Google around and get ideas, then chase them. Note: stocking (fish) may direct and/or dictate your design options.
Andrew
 
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