Driftwood
 

Does anyone know if I can soak drift wood from the ocean for a couple of
weeks to get the salt out and then use it in my fresh water aquarium. Or is
there any other way.

"paul anderson" wrote in message
news:L%yje.15225$Y36.8077@trndny05...
Does anyone know if I can soak drift wood from the ocean for a couple of
weeks to get the salt out and then use it in my fresh water aquarium. Or
is
there any other way.

Yes, you can. I soak it for a month or so, changing the water once in a
while, then leave it in the sun for some time, then soak it again until it
stays submerged by itself, then put it in the tank. It takes a while, but
theres plenty of driftwood around where I live.

"blank" Spaketh Thusly:


"paul anderson" wrote in message
news:L%yje.15225$Y36.8077@trndny05...
Does anyone know if I can soak drift wood from the ocean for a couple of
weeks to get the salt out and then use it in my fresh water aquarium. Or
is
there any other way.

Yes, you can. I soak it for a month or so, changing the water once in a
while, then leave it in the sun for some time, then soak it again until it
stays submerged by itself, then put it in the tank. It takes a while, but
theres plenty of driftwood around where I live.
I agree, I've done it, changing the water daily (or close to it) for a few
weeks (under a rock for weight) then leaving it soak until it no longer
floats.
One other step I take with all "found" wood, is to add bleach to the first
soak to disinfect it - just in case. A little dechlor to the next few to get
rid of the bleach.
I have had mixed luck with how long it lasts.

--
Bill H. [my "reply to" address is real]
www.necka.net
Molon Labe!

"Bill" wrote in message

One other step I take with all "found" wood, is to add bleach to the first
soak to disinfect it - just in case. A little dechlor to the next few to
get
rid of the bleach.

Yis, I forgot to mention the bleach. I give it a huge dose to start off
with and less a couple more times in the first week or so. Then the water
changes wash the rest of it away. Anyway bleach really doesn't last long in
water, especially if it is in the sun.

In message
, blank
writes

"Bill" wrote in message

One other step I take with all "found" wood, is to add bleach to the first
soak to disinfect it - just in case. A little dechlor to the next few to
get
rid of the bleach.

Yis, I forgot to mention the bleach. I give it a huge dose to start off
with and less a couple more times in the first week or so. Then the water
changes wash the rest of it away. Anyway bleach really doesn't last long in
water, especially if it is in the sun.

can I make a case for using sterilising tablets or solution (the ones
for baby stuff) rather than domestic bleach, please?



--
sophie

www.freewebs.com/fishstuff
(under construction. ish.)

can I make a case for using sterilising tablets or solution (the ones
for baby stuff) rather than domestic bleach, please?


sophie

im interested in why sophie is there a reason i shouldn't use bleach
theres napisan in the same cupboard as the bleach, so i would use it if you
can convince me there is some problem with bleach

"blank" wrote in message
...
can I make a case for using sterilising tablets or solution (the ones
for baby stuff) rather than domestic bleach, please?


sophie

im interested in why sophie is there a reason i shouldn't use bleach
theres napisan in the same cupboard as the bleach, so i would use it if
you
can convince me there is some problem with bleach



There isn't

---scott

In message , Scott
writes

"blank" wrote in message
...
can I make a case for using sterilising tablets or solution (the ones
for baby stuff) rather than domestic bleach, please?


sophie

im interested in why sophie is there a reason i shouldn't use bleach
theres napisan in the same cupboard as the bleach, so i would use it if
you
can convince me there is some problem with bleach



There isn't

some of the household bleaches have some odd additives; the sterilising
stuff is "safer" for people and I would imagine "safer" for fish -
dechlorinators break down any actual bleach left behind, but not any
extras; the baby stuff is also, as I understand it, more degradable from
an environmental point of view, which has to be a good thing.
maybe I'm over-cautious?
--
sophie

www.freewebs.com/fishstuff
(under construction. ish.)

Why don't you just boil it several times to leech and kill off what
ever's in the driftwood. I've done the bleaching alot but I find that
my pleco and javamoss prefer wood that weren't bleached.

Why don't you just boil it several times to leech and kill off
whatever's in the drifwood?
I do bleaching alot and I find that my pleco and javamoss tend to stay
away from the bleached wood. Even after it's been in the tank for 1/2
year.

"ZebraPl3co" Spaketh Thusly:

Why don't you just boil it several times to leech and kill off
whatever's in the drifwood?
I do bleaching alot and I find that my pleco and javamoss tend to stay
away from the bleached wood. Even after it's been in the tank for 1/2
year.
In my case it would require going out and buying a pot at least as big as the
5 gallon buckets I use to soak. Not practical for the larger pieces.
Besides, how long would you have to boil a piece of wood to kill whatever is
inside of it? I'm not worried about bugs in holes, I've never seen that in
salt water driftwood, and fish like bugs anyway.

--
Bill H. [my "reply to" address is real]
www.necka.net
Molon Labe!

I'm partial to using the dishwasher (no soap of course).

"jet" wrote in message
ups.com...
I'm partial to using the dishwasher (no soap of course).

thats an excellent idea chlorine for a few days then into the dishwasher
might have to do it when the wife is out shopping though