Making Driftwood Sink in Water?

[jbarr]

I picked up some wood from a river nearby and it would make an awesome Cave/hiding place, but when I put it in water, it wont sink.

Its sort of big to boil in a pot, but I've heard you're supposed to boil it. Any makeshift boiling-pot ideas? I ran it under really hot water in the wash-tubs, but to no avail.

How do you make plain ol' wood into driftwood?

Any tips on making it sink?

 

[JDogg]

put it is the wash tub, get your biggest pot and fill it with water. boil the water. CAREFULLY dump boiling water onto wood. Repeat a bunch of times! if this still does not get it to sink, let it dry and use aquarium silicon to attach it to a nice sized piece of slate.... that should work, i have not meet a piece of driftwood that did not give in to a large piece of slate attached to its bottom.

on another note... CLEAN the wood VERY good incase of wild nasties tagging along...

 

[WaterPond]

what I do to sink driftwood is get a large rubbermaid bin(that is the appropriate size for the wood) boil water in large pots, then dump it in carfully. I put two large rocks on top to hold it down at the bottom of the tub, then, one the water cools down a bit, i take a stiff scrub brish to the wood to get all the dirt and crud out of the cracks, along with any stowawy bugs that might be in there still. Then I get a nice thin peice of slate, a stainless steel screw(or another metal that wont rust, or be toxic to the fishies) I drill a hole in the slate, then screw in nthe crew, throught the hole and into the drifwood. Workes pretty well. Then i just bury the slae under my gravel, and you wouldent know it is there. The gravel on top of the slate also helps to keep the driftwood down. Good luck with sinking it, it should work for you, let us know how it goes.

 

[evercl92]

If it only has one way that can be "up", you can take a wood boring bit, and drill holes in the bottom. Then jam appropriate sized pieces of granite, quartz, or other inert rocks, into the holes. It worked for mine.

 

[mobiusnu]

Any tips on making it sink?

Soak it for a long time. I've had pieces of wood that I had to soak for a couple months before I could sink them with reasonably-sized stone bases.

 

[JDogg]

Any tips on making it sink?

Soak it for a long time. I've had pieces of wood that I had to soak for a couple months before I could sink them with reasonably-sized stone bases.

i soaked a piece of wood for 6 months and it never did float, i finally glues some slate to it, i would still sink (2+ years latter) if i took the slate off :?

 

[Guest]

First, what kind of wood is it? Not all wood can safetly go into a fishtank. If you do not know, post a pic.

Second, make sure where you got it has no chance of being contaminated which can be difficult in some locations. It can be a risk sometimes anything we introduce something into our aquariums from the outside.

And third as already mentioned it may never sink, or it may it a few weeks. Only time will tell. Many people attach it to slate as also stated.

 

[happygirl65]

In the past I have put both ends of the driftwood through large holes in lava rocks, after it is fully waterlogged it wont float anymore and you can move things around if you need to.

 

[jbarr]

I've heard salt works, can anyone clear this up?

 

[OceanMaiden]

what kind of wood does it have to be to be "safe" I'm currently looking for drift for my tank too. I'd just attatch it to slate after the cleaning/ soaking process so it'll stay down.

 

[sabbott1877]

If you have time just keep soaking it after you do the boiling thing and then wait to see if it sinks on its own, you just need to waterlog it, everyone else's advice seems good too.

 

[DeFeKt]

Then I get a nice thin peice of slate, a stainless steel screw(or another metal that wont rust, or be toxic to the fishies)

I really wish people would stop suggesting this method.

Stainless steel DOES rust, and can prove to be lethal. Especially if it's not used correctly and with care. Small scratches on the screw may or may not re-oxidise depending on the conditions you are keeping it in.
It may work or it may wipe out your entire tank. I know which choice i'd rather make.

Matt