How do I make my driftwood sink?

[ZSandmann]

Hi all, I bought some small driftwood peices that I was going to use to make a little snag pile for habitat but I can't get the jokers to sink. I rinsed and soaked them with a weight on top for a couple days but when I put them in the tank they won't stay down, I tried burying the ends in the substrate but it comes out. I've just left them floating on top for now. Any suggestions?

 

["13"]

you could weigh them down or soak them for a really long time so they become water logged ( i mean a long time )

 

[msjinkzd]

try boiling them.

 

[Weezer]

Yep, it may just take some time, ours luckily sank right away, i do have a piece thats seems lighter in water, so i have a piece of slate helping to hold it down.We boiled ours for 5 hours....

 

[KnaveTO]

the best method I have heard is adhereing them to a piece of slate with either a stainless steel screw or silicone.

 

[geofied]

I once read a thread where a guy was trying to sink a 3 foot piece of driftwood that just wouldn't sink. He ended up bolting it to a huge piece of slate after trying all kinds of tie-downs and huge rocks on top.

So anyway, you could try using weights of sorts underneath (slate, rocks, very large bolts hidden behind), tied with fishing line to keep it down, either permanently, or just until it saturates.

 

[mvigor]

Boiling works. Screw-to-slate works. Drill holes in it and fill with gravel works. Put rocks on top of it for 6 months works. Silicone does not work unless the piece is tiny. Same with suction cups.

P.S. Here is an actual "Driftwood sink"

 

[ZSandmann]

Driftwood Sink, now that cracked me up!

I'll try boiling and see how goes, the stuff sinks in the river all the time so there has to be a way to get it good and saturated.

Thanks guys.

 

[mellowvision]

everyone says "try boiling it" and it works. what they don't say, and I'm going to say right now, "boil it OUTSIDE if you can"

it smells really bad, you'll want to boil it and change the water a few times, if you're trying to remove tanins as well... and it seemed to irritate my throat.. possibly just an allergic reaction to it. but if you can boil it out side on a gas burner or grill, you should.

 

[ZSandmann]

thanks for that mellowvision, I am going to try letting them sink naturally, one did while I was at work today. Also, my pH runs high here (8.4) so I want to keep tanins in if possible.