treating driftwood without boiling

[Wretched5705]

So heres the question everyone, how do i get this:

into this:

without boiling the wood? It's untreated driftwood that I picked up when i was in havasu a couple months back that has just been in my garage. Is there anyway i can treat this at all without boiling? I dont have anything big enough to boil it in is the thing. Could I power wash it and rub it down with like a bleach solution or is it just not do-able?

 

[clgkag]

When I did my large driftwood, I soaked it in bleach water in the bath tub for a couple days and then let it soak in the water as hot as I could get it. I also put dechlor in to help get rid of the bleach. Downside is you have to give up your bathtub for a couple of days.

 

[Wretched5705]

When I did my large driftwood, I soaked it in bleach water in the bath tub for a couple days and then let it soak in the water as hot as I could get it. I also put dechlor in to help get rid of the bleach. Downside is you have to give up your bathtub for a couple of days.

but it worked out ok?

 

[phillydog1958]

bathtub soaking works. i soaked mine with plain, hot water for several days.

 

[bradleyagregg]

^^^^^

 

[Toby_H]

I have a 34 gal (I think) Rubbermaid trash can that is dedicated for aquarium stuff. I've soaked wood in it on several occasions...

I'm not personally a fan of boiling wood anyway. Boiling often contributes to softening the wood.

Soaking in hot salt water should be all you need.

Soaking in a bleach solution is an option, but a high salt concentration should also kill anything living in the wood. Plus the salt water helps to cure the wood.

 

[BODYDUB]

Put it in the bath tub and pour boiling water over it. The only reason you would boil it anyways is to kill anything living in it.........

 

[Matt724]

I've heard you can toss it in a dishwasher (w/o soaps or anything) and just put it on it's hottest rinse cycle, and when it comes out you can just scrub it down and power wash it.

 

[Toby_H]

I've heard you can toss it in a dishwasher (w/o soaps or anything) and just put it on it's hottest rinse cycle, and when it comes out you can just scrub it down and power wash it.

I'd power wash it BEFORE you put it in the dishwasher... or you may have a very upset wife/mother...

But I agree the dishwasher is an option, although it doesn't allow the salt bath

 

[JK47]

Put it in the bath tub and pour boiling water over it. The only reason you would boil it anyways is to kill anything living in it.........

Not true... Allot of people boil the wood for significantly longer than needed to kill living organisms, only to remove the tannins in the wood so they don't leach into the water column and turn it brow. Which sucks.... I am a tannin lover and never boil wood. Like NC said, get yourself a large rubbermaid trashcan and go with a salt bath or bleach solution. I prefer salt over bleach for fear of bleach leaching back into the tank.