DOH!, I found where I belong!!!!

[engineguy129]

Hi everyone,
Ok got a weird question hopefully everyone could give some intel on. I was looting the hillside today in seach of stuff for my 150g tank in the worx and found a most bizaar piece of drift wood beside a river bank left over from last years flood kinda resembles my hair in the morning. I would like to make the tank as realistic as possible I have read that Discus love to hang out under the roots of dead trees in the wild and yes it will be planted as well. Without thinking I threw it in the truck, after getting home and gleeming over my find I really noticed how big it was. I have heard of people boiling their drift wood and what not, I do not think this can be done here.............can I get away with washing the hell out of it?? Lastly I have read that blue rams (german) fend well with discus.........it this true?? I would hate to wake up and see one of the rams have one of my discus in a flying butt pliers thing.............dig it thanx..............Rob.........please excuse my humor drove for 8 hours today and feeling a bit warped :P

[Ralph]

My guess is that it is probably OK as is, did you say that you found it out of the water? But to be safe: just a couple of ideas. You can take it outside and pour boiling water over it, working in sections. You can also use a 10% bleach solution in a spray bottle. Just be sure to rinse it excessively to remove the bleach.
Rams do very well with discus though they constantly get in each other's face.
Now go get some sleep.

[ronrca]

LOL! I love searching for wood for my tanks. Just recently, I added a huge piece of driftwood to my 90G. I tried to boil it using a huge pot that my wife uses to can with (fruit, veggies and the like). I usually try and stick one end in at a time. I get most of the wood boiled except in the middle perhaps. You would be surprised what all comes out of the woodwork when the temp increases. All sorts of bugs and critters therefore I would recommend to boil at least parts of the wood. It also helps reduce tannins.

Other than that, washed and scrub really good. Fill your bathtub with really hot water and let it soak! Get us some pics!

[Smokey]

No wonder wives think we are nuts. Boiling chunks of wood in her best pots.. Logs floating in the bath-tub. Spending the day scrubbing down a old piece of tree.

But, humour aside; yes sterilize the wood. Make sure there is no flora or fauna left alive.

Smokey

[ronrca]

Regards of the 'wood' side, our wives think we are crazy anyways because we are discus freaks, spending so much time and money on fish! ;D The wood part is just more prove! 8) We think, dream, plan, breath discus! Of course, she will always be number 1 in my life anyways!