Driftwood?

[tommybhermitage]

I found a nice piece of wood I was wondering if I could put it in my aquarium, I'm soaking it in very hot water right now any other things I should do?


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[crappiekeeper]

I think you have to soak it for a while or it will stain your water brown. I don't know though.

 

[Drstrangelove]

1) if it's softwood, discard it. Softwood does poorly in an aquarium
2) if it's hardwood, give it a good thorough scrub with a stiff brush, then give it numerous soakings in boiling hot water. Boiling hot water and long soakings will help terminate potential bio in the wood as well as open pores to leech tannins. Optimally, the water will drain nearly clear before it goes into the aquarium. Most pieces will continue to leech at least a little for many days, but some people get pieces that leech for months. (I've heard a few that did so for years.) If you like that look (which I actually like a lot) then you won't mind.
3) soakings will also help water log the wood for easier placement in the tank. I've soaked pieces for a couple weeks to get them heavy.
4) if you don't know ANYTHING about the wood's history AND you don't like risking the fish in your tank suddenly dying, I'd put the wood in a large bucket with an aerator and a couple guppies or tetras. If they die, it has toxins (probably pesticides.)

Of course, many people do successfully grab random pieces, toss them in a tank and report no issues. On the other hand, that's not always true.

 

[Skittle]

Scrub it with a stiff wir brush and soak it in really hot water for a long while


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[tommybhermitage]

Alright thanks! Maybe ill try it in a different tank when spring comes around, for now ill just buy some. Thanks for info


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[lambogriffin]

Did you find it outside or find it in a store? Either way boil it or put boiling water into the soaking container if you can.. and keep doing water changes while it's soaking for a few days.. if it's from the store it is probably a kind that will have a lot of tannins and will tint your water for a while even if you soak it.. unless your are really patient and soak it for ages.. if you just found it outside(it should be a hard wood not pines or anything with needles), it is probably less likely to color your water but you should still try to disinfect it with the boiling water soaking.. i put water conditioner in the soaking container before i'm going to add it.. I think the slightly tinted water looks good if you are going for a natural look in the tank, and it makes the light in the tank a little softer, which i think my fish appreciate. Post a picture!

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[joe jaskot]

I like to soak driftwood in a bleach solution. Kills whatever may be growing on it. Also helps to remove some of the tannins.

 

[CATfishinOC]

does anyone have suggestions for preparing this monster piece? its definitely a hardwood, still has some light bark left on the exterior. pulled it from a local stream that just went through its clock work 1 1/2 month flooding/heavy flow. I'm guessing this isn't the first year its been in the running water.

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[Skittle]

Scrub with stiff wire brush and rinse it. Then soak it alot


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