Cleaning driftwood with black hair algae

[rzak]

Hey all,

Recently picked up a cheap piece of driftwood but it had black algae on it. So, I took a scruber sponge to it and removed all that I could see (scraping it off completely). I'm still a bit worried that it will re-appear if I put in my tank - any suggestions that would completely destroy/annihilate it? I don't want to try the 'bleaching' method as my intention is to get it into the tank as soon as possible.

It's going to be going into a 60 gallon, non-planted tank with 2 small bristlenose plecos.

I've already soaked it in boiling water for about 15 minutes.

Thanks in advance.

 

[ScottoMacD]

Boiling water usually does the trick if you don't want to go with the bleaching method.

Do you have a pot big enough to completely submerge the piece. I ask because when I boil wood I boil it to the point where it is so hot that when I take it out of the water (using oven mits) the exterior of the piece actually dries from the heat. Then I let it stand until cool enough to place into the tank.

You can also bake the wood in an oven at low heat for an amount of time. Bake it long enough for the entire piece of wood to be hot. Just don't bake it at a temp that it too high or you will have a fire hazard on your hands. Make sure not to leave it or the room while baking. Wood can be a hazard even at lower temperatures.

One other method that has worked for me is freezing. I have have stuck BHA infested wood outside during a Montreal January night then rinsed it off in the morning under hot tap water. Worked well but not as well as the boiling method.

 

[rzak]

Thanks for the quick reply. Gonna go boil it now. I have a pot big enough to submerge most of it so I hope that does the trick. Guess I'll re-soak the remaining half of it in the sink using boiled water...

 

[Blinky]

You could also try keeping it in the dark for a few days - that should accomplish much the same thing as a blackout on a tank; algae will die off without light. Boiling's a good idea too

 

[rzak]

Finished boiling it, hope that does it.

My tank doesn't get too much light - it's in the basement so I hope I get no new blooms.

Thanks again for all the suggestions...