Wild driftwood how long?

[flitabout]

I have some beautiful pieces. That I picked up from a local pond about a month ago. When I got the pieces home I baked and then boiled them and they have been soaking since then. I want to put them in my daughters' tank at Christmas is this enough time to tell if they will be safe in the tank?

 

[Brilliant_Barbs_21]

I have some beautiful pieces. That I picked up from a local pond about a month ago. When I got the pieces home I baked and then boiled them and they have been soaking since then. I want to put them in my daughters' tank at Christmas is this enough time to tell if they will be safe in the tank?

I have harvested driftwood from a pond and put it in the next week. I boiled it for ten minutes to kill everything and get all of the tannins out. Then I soaked it. The most important thing though is if you know what kind if wood it is. Do you? Are you 100% it's a hardwood?

 

[flitabout]

There is no way to tell what it is. I do know that it has been in the pond for around 10+years. I change the water in the bucket everyday and it hasn't even leached any tannins. It was baked at 250F for around 6 hours then I boiled it for 2 hours.

 

[Brilliant_Barbs_21]

There is no way to tell what it is. I do know that it has been in the pond for around 10+years. I change the water in the bucket everyday and it hasn't even leached any tannins. It was baked at 250F for around 6 hours then I boiled it for 2 hours.

If you compress the nail of your thumb into it, does it push in (even slightly) or stay hard?

 

[flitabout]

Nope hard as a rock I checked it when I picked them up.

 

[Brilliant_Barbs_21]

Nope hard as a rock I checked it when I picked them up.

Then it sounds like it should be okay. I'd just pour some boiling water over it or boil before you put it in, just in case. You can never ever be too safe. If you feel like you've done enough by now, then you're fine.

 

[BBradbury]

Your Driftwood

I have some beautiful pieces. That I picked up from a local pond about a month ago. When I got the pieces home I baked and then boiled them and they have been soaking since then. I want to put them in my daughters' tank at Christmas is this enough time to tell if they will be safe in the tank?

Hello flit...

You went to a lot more work than necessary to prepare the pieces for the tank. Boiling softens the wood fibers and the piece won't stay together as long. The chances of bacteria getting into the tank from a piece left out in the weather is very remote. The combination of the sun's rays and the low temps this time of year will kill anything that might have lived on the piece.

Soaking isn't really needed for a natural piece. Most pieces from outside don't contain much tannic acid. If they do leach bit, a series of water changes will remove the amber color.

Your pieces are tank ready, now.

B

 

[Brilliant_Barbs_21]

Hello flit... You went to a lot more work than necessary to prepare the pieces for the tank. Boiling softens the wood fibers and the piece won't stay together as long. The chances of bacteria getting into the tank from a piece left out in the weather is very remote. The combination of the sun's rays and the low temps this time of year will kill anything that might have lived on the piece. Soaking isn't really needed for a natural piece. Most pieces from outside don't contain much tannic acid. If they do leach bit, a series of water changes will remove the amber color. Your pieces are tank ready, now. B

In the original post he stated that he found the driftwood months ago, meaning in early fall or late summer. Also, bacteria isn't totally the problem. There's fungus and parasites also. Parasites are the easiest gone. But baking doesn't usually cut it for fungal spores and bacteria. You can't risk anything when getting things from local ponds or waterways.

And also, boiling only begins to weaken the woods at an extent. He did go overkill with boiling no doubt. 15 minutes is all that's necessary.

In the end though we agree. It's ready to go in the tank. You just can't be too safe with natural pieces. Some people will disagree, but extra work could save you a lot later on.

 

[flitabout]

Just so you know I am a woman! =] Yes I know it was a risk to boil it but after hearing so many horror stories about stuff growing off of the DW and then on to other things in the tank, fish just up and dying. I figured a wasted piece of DW I didn't have to pay for or very expensive issues with sick or dead fish and dead plants later on.

 

[Brilliant_Barbs_21]

Just so you know I am a woman! =] Yes I know it was a risk to boil it but after hearing so many horror stories about stuff growing off of the DW and then on to other things in the tank, fish just up and dying. I figured a wasted piece of DW I didn't have to pay for or very expensive issues with sick or dead fish and dead plants later on.

Lol sorry. *She