DIY Driftwood Pics

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Aquafreak

Aquafreak

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Dec 22, 2008
1,007
6
38
45
Fleetwood, PA
I figured I would post some pics of my DIY driftwood. These pieces were taken from a wooded area by my house. The wood came from an Eastern Pin Cherry which had fallen and baked in the sun. The cool thing about this buttress peice is that the roots naturally grew around rocks!:headbang2 Check it out...

Soaking for 4 weeks in water with high salt....
driftwoodcure.jpg


Piece in my 300. It's a full 30 inches tall and 22 inches deep. The rocks are not the original rocks that the roots grew around, but close replacements since I couldn't use the original ones...
300dw.jpg


One the left you'll another piece of the same tree. That piece had to soak for 6 weeks before it would finally sink! The rest of the tank still looks bare....:cry:
 
this may be a dumb question but why do you soak it in salt water?
 
this may be a dumb question but why do you soak it in salt water?
Click to expand...

The hot water and salt help to "cure" the wood and rid the piece of parasites and other unwanted stuff. I feel it also helps to pull the tannins out of the wood.
 
Very nice! Have any full tank shots?
 
nice piece! i love when the roots grow around rocks.

couple ?'s though. i really want to put some pieces i find into my 150 when i get it back up, but was not sure about tx.

1. does the salt bath stop the rotting process? if so will it stop it if its already started?

2. how do you know when its finished curing?

3. how much salt and how do you heat the water over 4 wks?

sorry to ask so many questions but that wood rocks and makes me jealous;)
 
nice piece! i love when the roots grow around rocks.

couple ?'s though. i really want to put some pieces i find into my 150 when i get it back up, but was not sure about tx.

1. does the salt bath stop the rotting process? if so will it stop it if its already started?

2. how do you know when its finished curing?

3. how much salt and how do you heat the water over 4 wks?

sorry to ask so many questions but that wood rocks and makes me jealous;)
Click to expand...

I removed any rot before curing the piece. There was very little, and also realize that wood will decay much slower underwater. Remove as much of the rotted material as possible back to solid material. The salt won't stop the process, but it will get rid of any secondary pests living in the rotted material.

The piece of wood should sink after some time, and I use this as a general indicator that the piece is good to go.

Honestly, I didn't measure the amount of salt. I kept replacing the water everyday with very hot water and replaced the salt (probably a cup or two per 30 gallon). I didn't boil the water as some suggest, but used hot tap water. It's hard to boil a piece this big.

All in all, I think the most important part is to find a solid piece of hardwood without much rot; something that's been dried for a while or something already submerged. Watch the submerged pieces for parasites though. There are a lot of people who are afraid to do diy driftwood, but honestly I say go for it. It's really not complicated at all and just takes time. Good luck!
 
thanks, this is the perfect timing too. since the weathers nice i'll be out hiking/biking alot, and around here there's tons of creeks. will let yall know when i find a nice piece
 
nice DW!! i get so impatient waiting for that stuff to sink!! & i never thought about soaking it in saltwater, but i think i will next time.
Oh & Are those plants real??
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom