curing driftwood

[miata]

Hi All, I just purchased 2 beautiful fairly large pieces of Malysian driftwood that I was told had been cured and cleaned. What procedure and precautions should I take before adding it to my 125 gal 13 discus tank
tks.:)

[bs6749]

What I'd do is place the pieces in a 5 gallon bucket (assuming they fit) and put it in the bathtub. Then, boil water in a pan and empty that water into the bucket in the bathtub. Do this until the water level of the bucket is high enough so that if you need to flip the wood to put it in the boiling water you can. I wouldn't take any chances on "cured wood" in my tanks. It could have been labeled that way so someone buying it thinks "I don't have to sterilize it if I don't want to since it's already cured". Putting it in boiling water may not sterilize it but it sure helps remove most of the microorganisms and some of the tannins will be removed as well. I'd repeat this process until the water is clear or else your tank water will turn brown with time...unless that is the look that you are trying to achieve.

[Graham]

I don't think pouring boiling water over a peice of wood is going to sterilize very much of anything....There are bacteria everywhere and no shortage of them in our aquariums. Any bacteria that may affect the fish are already in the tank. Since the wood is dry, any parasites wouldn't survive on the wood and the ones that bug our fish are already in the tank.


Personally I'd just give the wood a good rinse cleaning away any bark or soft rotting areas. If you don't want too much tannin coming out of the wood into the tank then soak it for a few days.

G

[brewmaster15]

I do the same as Graham.. I don't soak it as I like the look of the tannins.

The only additional thing I do is only buy new wood...You never know what a used piece of driftwood went thru in someones tank...

Hth,
al

[miata]

cont'd: FYI, I bought this Maylasian driftwood from Rockartsource on Ebay, it was listed as NEW, professionally processed & cleaned and will sink immediately. A little concerned to just add to my 125g 13 discus tank, don't want to introduce something harmful to my tank. Too large to boil, can soak but concerned about adding 2 handfuls of salt, don't know if later soaking will be able to get the salt back out (I'm fw). Also heard to add bleach to soak water, rinse, change bleach water 2nd time, rinse, soak in conditioned water, rinse, 2nd soak in conditioned water & then safe to add to tank. Anyone heard of this method. Each soaking is to last 2 to 4 days.
Tks for your response.

[Graham]

John that's a whole lot of effort that's not needed....if you do go ahead with all the work then the salt and or the chlorine/bleach is no problem....fresh water will get rid of both and a shot of de-chlor will get rid of any residual bleach


I just got a peice of LA cypress from Sandy on Ebay...a quick rinse and into the tank it went
G

[Graham]

John your questions are being answered in the other thread

[Ryan]

I have merged both threads together.

[Apistomaster]

Malaysian drift wood will leach tannins for a very long time. It is not harmful. I just rinse the stuff and plop it in.
You can use carbon if the tea color is bothersome to you but the fish actually like that water.

[GrillMaster]

I just want to reiterate what Al has said. I wouldn't want to but a piece of Malaysian driftwood in one of my tanks unless I knew what conditions it came from.

If it is coming from someone else's tank then I would be hesitant.If it hasn't seen a tank, then I would buy it. If it is coming from someone I know, I wouldn't have any issues! There is nothing like Malasian driftwood that just will stay put no matter where ya put it!! :)