Adding Driftwood (Inquiry)

[Mr_Obsidian]

I've checked all the LFS's in my area, and only one store has driftwood anywhere close to the size I want for my 50 gal. tank. The problem is, they want $50.00 for it, and I am simply not willing to pay so much for a hunk of wood.

I was thinking of just collecting some native driftwood from a river near my house. The size I want, however, will most likely be too large for me to boil before placing in my tank.

Is there an alternative method for disinfecting/sterilizing driftwood that I could use before I add such a piece to my tank? I don't want to introduce any nasties.

 

[BioFilter]

Collect your driftwood from as clean a place as possible. Get a big tupperware tub and fill it with clean water and add salt. Mix it up and add the driftwood weighing it down if it floats. If the water turns brown, drain it every few days and soak until the wood sinks and stops leaching. Dont forget the salt, this helps kill organisms.

 

[ErrorS]

most of the treated driftwood you see being sold has been baked and sanded down.. When you bake it, you literally just put it in the oven at 200F for a few hours to dry it out. Boiling also works and will help bring out tannins but I doubt you'll completely get the tannins out. they wont hurt anything but if the wood is leeching tannins it might soften your water or change your PH slightly.. it turns your water to a nasty yellow.. (edit: oops sorry, didnt completely read your post.. the baking/oven method is better than boiling (IMHO) anyways)

I dont think salt is enough for driftwood, I usually soak it with bleach overnight (after you have heated it through boiling or baking) then put it in a bucket with some water treatment (to get rid of all of the chlorine) and let it soak for a week.. if it's waterlogged you shouldn't have to soak it as long.

If the wood is rotting or soft at all, I wouldnt use it.

driftwood at stores can be expensive but you're really paying for all the treating they do. I spent a ton of money off of homemade driftwood and used some myself, not a single one of the home found pieces are in my aquarium right now. Something always goes wrong with them after they're in the water for a while.

 

[BucJason]

You could get a fake piece of driftwood. I have one in my tank and I think it looks really good. Also cheaper and saves you the trouble of disinfecting. Check it out:

 

[webcricket]

I've hear of people baking it in the oven at 200 degrees for a couple of hours.