brettc777 Posted October 16, 2007 Report Share Posted October 16, 2007 I went for a little beach walk on the weekend and collected some driftwood. I have read elsewhere that beach driftwood shouldn’t be used. No explanation was given to why it couldn’t be used. I have had it soaking since Sunday and it’s still quite buoyant, how long does it take to fill will water so it will sink? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callatya Posted October 17, 2007 Report Share Posted October 17, 2007 I've used it without problems. I think that there may be a few reasons for the rule. First would be the disease angle as any collected wood has the potential to carry pathogens, but to be honest a lot of pet shops carry collected wood anyway, so I generally treat it all as if it needed sterilising. This is less of a problem if you are going salt -> fresh. Second would be pollutants and contaminants. Petrol exhaust, oils, excrement, whatever sort of environmental pollution you can think of. I'd say it would depend on your collection site. Third would be the state of decay. Once floaty wood does sink, it has a faster rate of decay than hardwood that sinks pretty much straight away. My stick took about 3 weeks to sink with 2 determined hermit crabs hanging off it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brettc777 Posted October 17, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2007 I got wood that was hard wood.. Anything I picked up I bashed against my head.. If it splintered it was no good... if I knocked myself unconscious it was good wood. No seriously... I only got wood that didnt splinter or break apart when I knocked against other wood. So it hopefully shouldnt break apart to much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jusdeb Posted October 17, 2007 Report Share Posted October 17, 2007 I cant find where i read this but whoever wrote said to boil wood found on beaches etc 10 times then soak....nothing would survive that would it....anyway just thought I d let you know... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brettc777 Posted October 17, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2007 I just need to find myself a 1 metre wide saucepan and a stove to match! hahaha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jusdeb Posted October 17, 2007 Report Share Posted October 17, 2007 LOL didnt think of that... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bettarazzi Posted October 17, 2007 Report Share Posted October 17, 2007 I soaked a piece driftwood recently that refused to sink. Turned out that there was a partially rotten layer on parts of it which after I scraped off solved the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishchick Posted October 17, 2007 Report Share Posted October 17, 2007 do you have access to a power washer (high pressure truck washer etc) I've found these useful in cleaning large pieces. the spongy/rotten areas are blasted off. Cheers, J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brettc777 Posted October 17, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2007 time for a trip to Carlovers haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Elflett Posted October 18, 2007 Report Share Posted October 18, 2007 Be wary of the contaminants in carlovers water - it's all recycled now, so you're gaining whatever detergents, oils, and pollutants that have kept that 'pressure' water brown and stinky - even if you use the 'spot free rinse' it's not pressurised like the other, so you'll need to do plenty of clean water soaking afterwards... The other reason I would be wary of 'beach' driftwood is the potential for salt buildup... I don't know if it is an issue or not, but surely wood that's been soaked in salt water is going to leech salt back out, just like tannins... *that* worries me more than the potential for bugs, which I'd be satisfied were 90% dealt with from a good repeated pouring over with boiling water, and some dips in a really hot laundry tub... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jusdeb Posted October 18, 2007 Report Share Posted October 18, 2007 Hey Brett ,,, just a suggestion ,,,,since this driftwood may or may not be a bit dodgy in with your fishes ,, what about using it as a feature outside the tanks just to add some ambience to the whole room.That way theres no risk of anything funky leeching out into your water and you can still have it to look at...maybe even attach some silk plants to it so it looks more aqautic ....just something ti think about.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeni Posted October 18, 2007 Report Share Posted October 18, 2007 (edited) Brett, I used to live by the sea, and lots of people used to collect driftwood for tanks and for decoration around their house/garden etc. Most of them said it is more of a lead buildup that can be a concern.. especially if its been floating around in shallow water for a while.. whether its correct or not I dont know.. I cant see how a bit of salt would do much harm, and should dissolve.. What about putting it in the bath..run as hot a water as you have on it.. and leave it there..(until someone wants a bath at least) lol Lots of people have driftwood in tanks.. This is a good planted tank forum.. http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/ have a nose in there and see if it has anything about it.. http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/equipmen...-driftwood.html (thats one about driftwood) HTH Edited October 18, 2007 by jeni Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brettc777 Posted October 18, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2007 Thanks guys! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bettarazzi Posted October 19, 2007 Report Share Posted October 19, 2007 what about using it as a feature outside the tanks just to add some ambience to the whole room. Yeah Brett... whack some tealights on it, a few fresh flowers, it could be the centrepiece for your wedding anniversary dinner... very romantic! :Drunk_Buddies2: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brettc777 Posted October 19, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2007 hahaha... and what.... wrap up a piece of driftwood for a present? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callatya Posted October 19, 2007 Report Share Posted October 19, 2007 :thumbs: well I wouldn't go *that* far, but I've done something similar with a few shells on my SW tank, looks pretty good. I used to have a lovely twisted driftwood piece obscuring part of the top of the lid (handles were ugly) and it looked fairly good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brettc777 Posted October 30, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2007 Well been soaking my driftwood for a while now, about 3 weeks? some of it has sank... added freshwater at about 1.5 weeks then checked it today... peeeuuuwwww it STANK! and had a nice layer of slime across the top, looked like the same as the skin on boiled milk! Have emptied the water and added new water again. Hmmm this esky im using is going to need a good clean out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bettarazzi Posted October 30, 2007 Report Share Posted October 30, 2007 You should go down to your local green grocer and get one of those big styrofoam boxes. Hope you scrubbed that slime off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brettc777 Posted October 30, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2007 yeah blasted it of with the hose. There were wrigglers in it! should have save them for my fry! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bettarazzi Posted October 30, 2007 Report Share Posted October 30, 2007 What kind of wrigglers? Mozzies? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brettc777 Posted October 30, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2007 yeah, only seen one so may have not been worth it, plus that water was NAAASSSSTYYY!! haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fighter boy Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 use your bath. and fill with hot water from the tap or boiling water from the kettle and heat up in a pot on the stove.... it took a full year for my bog wood to finally sink by itself. so i placed to big rocks on top of it to wiegh it down. now that it has finally sunk ive left the rocks on it cause i reLIZED THEY FORMED SWEET LITTLE CAVES FOR MY FISH TO HIDE IN..... sorry for the captions. didnt realize i has capps lock on.... hope this has helped.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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