Getting Drift Wood to sink?

[gobluewolverines4]

Hey guys, I've been trying to prepare my driftwood I've gotten from lake superior (you jealous? ) and I've boiled it and got most of the tannins out I believe. But it won't stay underwater. I'm soaking it now in a five gallon bucket held down by a rock. So how long will it take to lose its buoyancy?

 

[Cynic]

Depends on the type of wood, just be patient is my advice.

 

[gobluewolverines4]

I mean are we talking a couple days or months here?

 

[Lonestarbandit]

Wood that refuses to sink? No not jealous rofl. However it could be weeks lol if you are unlucky.

 

[Autumnsky]

Yah, how long???

My root stalk has been in water for two months already, same thing in 5 gal bucket, still bobs like a cork!!!

I'll be following along - am interested in the answers you get!

 

[Crepe]

Thin ones take like a day. More than an inch thick and you're looking at about a week. Any thicker than that or really just bone dry wood you'll have a better time drilling or siliconing it to a hunk of slate.

 

[butterfly_koi]

you jealous?

Jealous? Lol no, I have some from lake Michigan
its really hard to tell how long it will take to sink, as stated before it depends on the size and IMO the type of wood.
Lake Superior huh? That does make it more difficult to identify the wood because Lake Superior has virgin white and red pine, bird's-eye (sugar) maple, yellow birch, hemlock, oak, birch, and many many more. Softer woods have a tendency to float more and rot faster. My best advice is to keep soaking it, and if it doesn't eventually sink screw it down to something. At least in the time it takes to test it you'll know if its going to rot in your tank or not.

 

[Convict2161]

Could take weeks or months! I gave up on a piece after 2 weeks. Let us know how long it takes to sink your wood.

 

[Convict2161]

Wait... Er... Umm.... Never mind. Just keep us posted.

 

[gobluewolverines4]

*sigh* would it just be a better plan to buy some at petco? Do those have tannins in them as well?

 

[Lonestarbandit]

*sigh* would it just be a better plan to buy some at petco? Do those have tannins in them as well?

Yep. Tannins included. However it's that nice super heavy dense stuff. Would bet it would sink!!

 

[Lonestarbandit]

Could take weeks or months! I gave up on a piece after 2 weeks. Let us know how long it takes to sink your wood.

Ummmmm.......

 

[Convict2161]

Ummmmm.......

Yeah wasn't thinking... My apologizes all around.

 

[christine2012]

Could take weeks or months! I gave up on a piece after 2 weeks. Let us know how long it takes to sink your wood.

Hehe! Nice. Darn wood!
It could take weeks or even a year. It depends on the wood. You can weight it pretty easily though. I think you can drill into slate (check my facts, it might not be slate). Mine is still bouyant after almost three months!

 

[gobluewolverines4]

Is there any way possible to get wood that sinks and doesn't have tannins?! Urggg

 

[Lonestarbandit]

Is there any way possible to get wood that sinks and doesn't have tannins?! Urggg

Probably. Just search pre-leached driftwood but the shipping will kill you if you find any I'm sure! Have you tried boiling it? Supposedly this drives out the majority of the tannins.

 

[gobluewolverines4]

Probably. Just search pre-leached driftwood but the shipping will kill you if you find any I'm sure! Have you tried boiling it? Supposedly this drives out the majority of the tannins.

I have, but now I have to wait for it to water log per se and make sure it sinks. Does anybody have any slate drilling instructional video links??

 

[Lonestarbandit]

I have, but now I have to wait for it to water log per se and make sure it sinks. Does anybody have any slate drilling instructional video links??

Probably something on YouTube I would imagine.

 

[Freakgecko91]

I have a 2 foot piece of Malaysian driftwood that supposedly was in a tank for over a year before I bought it. It is sill leaching tannins after another 3-4 months in my tank...


View attachment 101725

This was from several weeks ago, but thought it would demonstrate the idea pretty well

 

[gobluewolverines4]

Just went and checked the wood I let set overnight. Water was definitely not Dr. Pepper color as it was yesterday after much boiling and soaking. About to start boiling again! Shouldn't be too much more!