How To Keep Drift Wood From Floating

[Lt.]

I'm going driftwood hunting this weekend and am curious as to how I keep it from sinking? Also, any tips as to what to stay away from, or what to try to find. It'll be real drift wood from a river down the road from my house. And how to make sure its safe if my aquarium to, but I can figure that out I think.

If you want, do a Google for "little susitna river" that'll be where I'm going. =~)

 

[Wilkes]

I'm going driftwood hunting this weekend and am curious as to how I keep it from sinking? Also, any tips as to what to stay away from, or what to try to find. It'll be real drift wood from a river down the road from my house. And how to make sure its safe if my aquarium to, but I can figure that out I think.

If you want, do a Google for "little susitna river" that'll be where I'm going. =~)

Your best option would be to find a container large enough to submerse your wood before hand. When you put the wood in fully underwater
Weight it down with a rock or some kind of weight and leave it. Eventually it will become water logged and then it would no longer float

I'd also be inclined to make sure you give it a good scrub and general rinse. People in the past have mentioned boiling it to kill anything
Harmful that may be on the wood. I haven't used this method so unsure but I'm sure someone else may chip in.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

What I do is put it through the dishwasher (no soap) a couple of times to heat it up and kill any bugs. Then I zip tie rocks to it and weigh it down in the tank.

 

[Lt.]

And you never have problems? Does the wood leave a mess in the dishwasher?

 

[Shane87]

I have never done this myself but I have been interested in the idea in the past and I was told to try and get stuff that was already in the water or you have to soak it as said above and it has to be hard wood not soft that was pointed out as key so make sure it isn't soft wood because I think it's very bad for your aquarium and fish, also boiling ( dishwasher is a great idea, never thought of that ) to kill any nasties and give it a really good scrub with a stiff brush. That's about all I was told so good luck and keep us updated

 

[Lt.]

In my area all I have is soft (spruce and birch) wood.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

And you never have problems? Does the wood leave a mess in the dishwasher?

Never. Done it 3 or 4 times now and never had an issue. Soft wood can be used but it disintegrates a lot quicker than hardwood.

 

[Shane87]

Hmmm :/ I would check, maybe make another thread about it because I was told it was a bad idea, but just someone's advice I haven't done it with any type of wood yet so can only offer what I was told and not 1st hand experience

 

[Shane87]

Never. Done it 3 or 4 times now and never had an issue. Soft wood can be used but it disintegrates a lot quicker than hardwood.

Maybe that was the reason I was told to get hard?? Would it cause water quality issues?

 

[Lt.]

I'll make a new thread for it