How to treat old driftwood

[sarahsunshine]

We have a bunch of old aquarium driftwood that has been lying in our back yard since we moved in a couple years ago. It just occurred to me that maybe it could be used in our new tank.

What's the best way to treat it before I put it in?

 

[joy13]

It will be safe as long as there hasn't been pesticides or fertilizers used around it. Brush it off really good then boil it for a couple of hours, and then soak it until it sinks.

 

[mfdrookie516]

i agree, if you have the slightest feeling that pesticides or any other chemicals have come in contact with it, dont use it. if you are 100% sure they havent, i would put it in the dishwasher (without soap and without letting it reach the drying cycle), boil it, soak it for a week or two in water, then stick it back in the dishwasher again...

 

[sarahsunshine]

i agree, if you have the slightest feeling that pesticides or any other chemicals have come in contact with it, dont use it. if you are 100% sure they havent, i would put it in the dishwasher (without soap and without letting it reach the drying cycle), boil it, soak it for a week or two in water, then stick it back in the dishwasher again...

Great!!!!

One of them has been in our outdoor pond with sopme goldfish all summer. I'll try the dishwasher and boil it, but likely it will sink pretty quickly since it is sunk already!

WOOHOO! Fishy logs!

 

[jsoong]

If it is in the pond, & the fish are fine, the wood should be OK. I would just clean it off with water (& wire brush off all loose bits) & skip the boiling (or dish washing).

BTW - if your pond is still running, you could seed your tank with the pond's filter (or the driftwood). A properly cycled/ran pond is no different than an established tank, so I wouldn't hesitate swapping things between pond & tank.

 

[joy13]

The only problem swapping between pond and tank is dragonflies, the nymph stage are predatory.