how do u sink driftwood?

[HarleyK]

I've had a cypress knee chunk about 16 inches high and about 6 inches around in mine for about a year.

Howdy,

what was the origin of that wood (please don't say "a cypress tree" ). I mean was it waterlogged for a while when you found it, or did you get it from a pet store? What I am trying to find out is if the wood was suitable for an aquarium to begin with.

HarleyK

 

[Waldo]

you need to water log it. you can do that by boiling it, then freezing it over and over.

 

[XvIrishDevilvX]

I found it in the parking lot at work under a tree after the landscaping guys laid fresh cypress mulch. I really dont think it was chemically treated because I haven't had fish die from it. Trust me if you guys would have found it like I did and could see how killer it looks you would have done the same thing.

 

[HarleyK]

I found it in the parking lot at work under a tree after the landscaping guys laid fresh cypress mulch.

Howdy,

That's the problem: Fresh wood is not suitable for aquarium use, or the problems that you observed occur. Also, it poses a risk since it is rotting. Wood suitable for aquarium use must be long dead, and it should have spent years in the water or in the swamp (peat moss environment). You will find suitable wood when you go canoeing, not on a parking lot

HarleyK

 

[loach43]

You could secure the wood to the slate with a combination of silicone and a plastic/nylon bolt but I would just be lazy and sandwich the wood between a couple of large rocks.

 

[Jeff Wotring]

I've had good luck soaking in saltwater for several (2-3) days, then screwing a piece of slate to the wood...this lets you mount it in the tank in whatever perspective it's most appealing. I just use drywall screws and drill a small 1/4" hole in the slate.

 

[peanut]

soak it for a few days

 

[Lspooky4]

soak it until it doesn't float anymore. took our piece about a month to sink. but it's pretty small

 

[guppy]

My favorite answer so far was "drill holes in it", I suppose standing on it is out.

 

[aj12790]

The best thing to do is put it in an empty garbage can filled with water some how tape/tie to something heavy like a cinder block to keep it submerged and forget about it for a month or so and it should sink on its own