My DIY driftwood pieces.

[toolbox31]

I have in the works two tanks that I want to set up. I have had my eye open for just the right pieces of drift wood but nothing I saw was quite right. I decided to find my own so I recently took a mask and snorkel down to the lake (Great Sacandaga, NY). After I got use to the cold water I was able to find tons of it. I settled on two pieces and have started the curing process. Here are some pics post boiling.

Any tips on using found driftwood, I'd like to hear them.

 

[Matt724]

Niiice! I heard you either bleach them or boil them, but I've never used driftwood, so I'm not the guy that should be giving advice on this stuff. lol. gl

 

[matty2468]

boil it then let it stand in the water 4 a week! nice pieces btw

 

[HypeMan808]

Wow, I'm in love with the bottom dw.
I've used found driftwood before and this is the process I did.

Boil it for a bit.
Let it soak in water for 2 weeks
Shoot it with high pressured water to get the excess off.
Then boiled it again for reassurance.
Let it sit for a couple of days.
Then I was good to go.

My fishes loved it and they were still in perfect health.
Good luck!

 

[ecuaaron]

at your own risk, i just threw mine in my tank after washing it off with a hose, it was fun, but don't bleach it, you don't know what the would will retain and leach off into the aquarium water

 

[blkg35]

I would boil it and let it sit in water for a week. I love the 2nd piece, its freakin' awesome.....

 

[rhettdepauw]

i would say soak it and change the water often until no tannins are being releasesd. when the water remains clear it is good to go. I soak my found wood anywhere from 2 to 5 weeks.

 

[terrors r us]

Adding salt while it's soaking might help too.........

 

[Egon]

You just need to hose it off and drop it in the tank. If your worried about the tannins leaching out then soak it for a few weeks first. You found your wood under the water so it should be ready for the tank now. If it floats because it has been out of the water for so long just hold it down with a big rock. It will get waterlogged eventually and stay down with out any help. Remember this wood is not a pressure treated piece of fence post and you didn't fine it in a radioactive pool. There's no need to boil it, there's nothing on it that needs to be sterilized that could possibly affect your fish!

 

[seaofdreams]

The pieces look awesome. The tanks are going to look great.