DIY drift wood question - Aquarium Advice

ThAtGuY11 · 09-04-2007, 03:28 AM

iv heard you can make your own drift wood. does this mean i can just go out the back yard and pick up a nice looking piece of wood and boil it in salted water?

pls do respond

black hills tj · 09-04-2007, 11:10 AM

Hmm...You may be able to do that. However, I would boil it to remove any harmful bacteria and then you'll need to soak it for quite some time to get it to sink.

dskidmore · 09-04-2007, 11:58 AM

I've heard alternating periods of soaking in saltwater and leaving it out in the sun is also effective.

Boiling will leach the tannins more quickly and sterilize the wood.

Sicklid · 09-05-2007, 11:00 PM

That wood better be very, very dead for a long time first... if any wood is not seasoned fully, it will just grow fungus constantly.

evercl92 · 09-06-2007, 12:08 AM

I put mine through the dishwasher a couple times.

dskidmore · 09-06-2007, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by evercl92

I put mine through the dishwasher a couple times.

With or without dish detergent?

evercl92 · 09-06-2007, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dskidmore

With or without dish detergent?

without

AlexC · 03-06-2008, 02:45 PM

One technique I've seen is to put it in your oven to thoroughly dry it out and kill any potential bacteria. To weigh it down drill and bolt a piece of slate to the bottom of it to weigh it down.

locorosa · 05-01-2008, 11:38 AM

I am on my first month of soaking a few pieces in a bucket. I've done this before and depending on the type if wood it'll take a couple of months. I will then boil the snot out of it in salt water for a few changes before placing in a tank. It's a long process but worth the effort once you get to the end result. The nice thing is all the fuzzy jazz and tannins are out before the wood is put in the tank.
If I had a sand blaster or access to one, I'd use that on the pieces before putting them in water.
Good luck!

09-04-2007, 03:28 AM	#1 (permalink)
ThAtGuY11 Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 53	DIY drift wood question iv heard you can make your own drift wood. does this mean i can just go out the back yard and pick up a nice looking piece of wood and boil it in salted water? pls do respond

09-04-2007, 11:10 AM	#2 (permalink)
black hills tj Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: black hills, south dakota Posts: 1,137	Hmm...You may be able to do that. However, I would boil it to remove any harmful bacteria and then you'll need to soak it for quite some time to get it to sink. __________________ Mike 29g Tank Log 20G Tank Log www.bhtj.net

09-04-2007, 11:58 AM	#3 (permalink)
dskidmore Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Genesee Valley Posts: 2,047 Images: 1	I've heard alternating periods of soaking in saltwater and leaving it out in the sun is also effective. Boiling will leach the tannins more quickly and sterilize the wood. __________________ 75 gallon freshwater Baby shrimp sighted! 2.5 Gallon unpowered freshwater now with high light 0.25 gallon palmtop doomed to an unlit end?

09-06-2007, 12:08 AM	#5 (permalink)
evercl92 Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Groveport, OH Posts: 594 Images: 5	I put mine through the dishwasher a couple times. __________________ "... if any one specie does not become modified and improved in a corresponding degree with its competitors, it will soon be exterminated." - Charles Darwin

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09-05-2007, 11:00 PM	#4 (permalink)
Sicklid Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Tarpon Springs FL Posts: 658 Images: 4	That wood better be very, very dead for a long time first... if any wood is not seasoned fully, it will just grow fungus constantly.

03-06-2008, 02:45 PM	#8 (permalink)
AlexC Aquarium Advice Newbie Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Crosby, TX Posts: 1	One technique I've seen is to put it in your oven to thoroughly dry it out and kill any potential bacteria. To weigh it down drill and bolt a piece of slate to the bottom of it to weigh it down.

05-01-2008, 11:38 AM	#9 (permalink)
locorosa Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 337 Images: 10	I am on my first month of soaking a few pieces in a bucket. I've done this before and depending on the type if wood it'll take a couple of months. I will then boil the snot out of it in salt water for a few changes before placing in a tank. It's a long process but worth the effort once you get to the end result. The nice thing is all the fuzzy jazz and tannins are out before the wood is put in the tank. If I had a sand blaster or access to one, I'd use that on the pieces before putting them in water. Good luck!

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