Driftwood won't @#%# sink

[Jennie]

I've been trying in vain to soak a gorgeous piece of driftwood and it just won't absorb water well. Any ideas? would drilling pinholes in it with small bit speed it up?

2ndly there was a member looking for driftwood and I have a second really nice one that is too big for a 55 gallon. I don't know how cost effective it would be to ship but if you want I can send cod. can send pics if you want

[flyman767]

Have you cured the driftwood? Though most driftwood will remain submerged underwater, some driftwood remains slightly buoyant until it is fully saturated and "waterlogged." Soak the driftwood in a large bucket as long as possible making sure the entire piece is completely underwater. A minimum period of 1 to 2 weeks is recommended to allow total saturation.

[Jennie]

at it a week and it still springs right to the top

[korbi_doc]

Sometimes it takes sev'l months for some wood.....but you can use a stainless steel screw thru pc of slate, drill a hole in a bottom part when you have it standing the way you want & screw it together...will stay down & if you want can remove it later, usually not nec....some ppl will put the wood in & hold it down with a lg rock, (check it 1st), or pc of lava rock...just be sure it won't fall over with fish in there.....HTH

Dottie

[Yogesh]

Boiling of wood sometimes help sinking it.

[zuja]

Just boil wood and put it imidiatly from boiling water in cold water. Do this several times and it should help.

[stephcps]

I was very impatient with my wood in my showtank...as I have found it can take 3 weeks or more for the wood to actually become waterlogged. Anyway, I attached a couple of heavy flat rocks with silicone at the bottom. They were gonna be mostly covered with sand anyway.

[Jhhnn]

What's the source of the wood? What kind of wood is it?

Some kinds of wood aren't really suitable for aquaria because they're too buoyant- basically, it takes years for them to become waterlogged enough to sink, if ever...

Which is why both mopani and malaysian bogwood are often used- they're heavier than water to begin with. Manzanita works because it readily becomes waterlogged in a period of weeks...

[Discus master]

I've been trying in vain to soak a gorgeous piece of driftwood and it just won't absorb water well. Any ideas? would drilling pinholes in it with small bit speed it up?

2ndly there was a member looking for driftwood and I have a second really nice one that is too big for a 55 gallon. I don't know how cost effective it would be to ship but if you want I can send cod. can send pics if you want

I read for larger pices it can take up to 6 Months! for total saturation. I had a large pice in the tank for almost three weeks and this was after boiling in hot water which by the way is suppose to help drive the air out of the wood to help speed the process up and it still showed no signs of sinking. On the other hand I have two smaller ones in the tank rite now that have been thru that process already and it has been about 3 weeks for them and now the one pice is finally showing signs of sinking but not quite there yet.

I have also read that running hot water from a bath tu over the wood would help seeing how most pices are to large to boil to begin with. Either way I think it just take a whole lot of time. In the mean time I used sution cup tied to fishing line several times around the wood and suction cupped it to the bottom of the tank then place sand over top so you would not see it. It may take several suction cups depending on how boyant the wood is and wipe the area first because the slime sides it makes it hard to get the suction cup to actually sink. Or place it in a garbage can with water and place a bag of grvel or a rock ontop of it and just keep checking it every so often. I could not wait and went with the suction cup idea. I also have branches draped over the middle support of the tank straight down and into the sand making it look like a root system and the discus swim in between the braches looks really cool that with some fake floating plants I like the look of course I have no top cover on the tank or this would not work. I also took a dermal tool with sand papper wraped around it to smooth the braches down snaped off some of the timy ends smothed down any sharp pices to make it nice and smoth so the fish do not get scrapes but once it gets a little slimly from being in the tank this will help as well. It really is starting to look cool you can even take several braches like I did and tie them together to form one large root like system for them to swim in between and there still plenty of room for the fish in the tank I think they like this and it represents their Bio type well I think I can try and get some pics and post them for you I am thinking of putting some type of land plat across top branches above the water line letting the roots of the land plant dip into the water for a cool visual effect and to let the roots suck up nutrients from the water making it more healthy for them.

[Discus master]

What's the source of the wood? What kind of wood is it?

Some kinds of wood aren't really suitable for aquaria because they're too buoyant- basically, it takes years for them to become waterlogged enough to sink, if ever...

Which is why both mopani and malaysian bogwood are often used- they're heavier than water to begin with. Manzanita works because it readily becomes waterlogged in a period of weeks...

I heard of folks drilling holes in there wood and putting like fish sinkers in it and then pluging up the hole with ike epoxy safe for the tank of course and then the metal does not leech anything into the tank this way or attach it to a slate bottom.

[3dees]

I have a large piece of cypress in my tank. been submerged fo 5 months and still floats. I cut a piece of plexiglass and screwed it to the bottom of the wood. covered it with sand.

[Discus master]

I have a large piece of cypress in my tank. been submerged fo 5 months and still floats. I cut a piece of plexiglass and screwed it to the bottom of the wood. covered it with sand.

Yup thats a good idea what kind of screws did you use I am worried about the meatal being introduced into the system stainless steel I suppose? but does a stainless steel screw make it safe for use in an aquarium I always worry about anything that os into my tank especially if it cotais metal you know?

[April]

get manzanita wood..and put the other one in your garden. far simpler..

[dawrtw]

My large piece has been in a tank for nearly a year. It still floats. It was recently moved to my 220. I took a plate belonging to a power head that has four suction cups and attached it to the wood and then to the glass.

Also used stainless steel screws and attached plexi glass to the wood at the bottom. Make your plexi a bit large so you can cover it up with sand or gravel. Holds great.

[Jennie]

BUT BUT it's a perfect piece, lol. I might try slate in a week

[mmorris]

A perfect piece of wood floating in the tank looks very natural and beautiful. It will look great sunk to, when the time comes. :)

[dawrtw]

If you do the plexi or the slate right, you will never know its a part of the wood.

[April]

come on..lets see a pic of your perfect piece. lol. ill show you mine..if you show me yours..lol. manzanita has some amazing pieces.

[Jennie]

youre on

[Trout]

I epoxy pieces of slate to my driftwood, they are quite content to stay submerged.

[DerekFF]

I heard of folks drilling holes in there wood and putting like fish sinkers in it and then pluging up the hole with ike epoxy safe for the tank of course and then the metal does not leech anything into the tank this way or attach it to a slate bottom.

Fishing shops sell glass fishing weights. Don't get the lead ones for obvious reasons. Get the glass weights and drill holes and stuff um. Should help

[Jennie]

ok april, the perfect piece of driftwood posted here. the 3rd pic is the one I can't sink:( the long one is cool if anyone wants but too big for 55 gallon
http://forum.simplydiscus.com/album.php?albumid=270

[April]

they are nice..i like the second..ill post mine tomorrow.

[Jennie]

I wonder if there is something on this piece of wood or is there a difference between reptile wood and aquarium wood. It's so flipping old it might actually crumble. I like the look of manza wood to but can't find anything branchy. Everythings all bulk like this piece.

[Discus master]

Fishing shops sell glass fishing weights. Don't get the lead ones for obvious reasons. Get the glass weights and drill holes and stuff um. Should help

I did no know that cool to know.

[Discus master]

I epoxy pieces of slate to my driftwood, they are quite content to stay submerged.

How long does it take for the epoxy to set, in other words how long do you have to wait before you can put it in the tank? and I assume you use the aquarium epoxy from the LFS??? where do you get the slate from like Home depot? I am tired of waiting for this stuff to sink it rediculous.

[Trout]

How long does it take for the epoxy to set, in other words how long do you have to wait before you can put it in the tank? and I assume you use the aquarium epoxy from the LFS??? where do you get the slate from like Home depot? I am tired of waiting for this stuff to sink it rediculous.

The epoxy sets in about a day, I give it a bit longer to cure. I use the same epoxy that I use to build boats. I don't think there is much difference between brands. It is supposedly inert once cured, and I've never had any indications it is anything but. Slate was leftover from various projects but you could use any hard, non-ferrous rock. Stay away from soft limestone types that can leach.

[Darrell Ward]

Use stick epoxy made for aquarium use. Good stuff. It will even cure under water. It's a putty in stick form. You break off a piece, roll it between your fingers to mix and activate it, and apply. The last one I used was called "Instant Ocean Holdfast Epoxy Stick", cost about 8 bucks for 4oz., but it goes a long, long way. If it were me, I'd just screw it to some kind of base. You don't even have to use stainless steel screws either. I've used common deck screws. Deck screws have an epoxy like coating on them to prevent rust. As long as you don't use them in salt water, they work fine. Salt water will destroy nearly anything over time.

[Jennie]

Use stick epoxy made for aquarium use. Good stuff. It will even cure under water. It's a putty in stick form. You break off a piece, roll it between your fingers to mix and activate it, and apply. The last one I used was called "Instant Ocean Holdfast Epoxy Stick", cost about 8 bucks for 4oz., but it goes a long, long way. If it were me, I'd just screw it to some kind of base. You don't even have to use stainless steel screws either. I've used common deck screws. Deck screws have an epoxy like coating on them to prevent rust. As long as you don't use them in salt water, they work fine. Salt water will destroy nearly anything over time.

well I took aprils advice and tossed it out to the koi pond. lol, problem solved. I'll use mopani wood.

[Discus master]

Use stick epoxy made for aquarium use. Good stuff. It will even cure under water. It's a putty in stick form. You break off a piece, roll it between your fingers to mix and activate it, and apply. The last one I used was called "Instant Ocean Holdfast Epoxy Stick", cost about 8 bucks for 4oz., but it goes a long, long way. If it were me, I'd just screw it to some kind of base. You don't even have to use stainless steel screws either. I've used common deck screws. Deck screws have an epoxy like coating on them to prevent rust. As long as you don't use them in salt water, they work fine. Salt water will destroy nearly anything over time.

I have seen this type of epoxy at the lfs for coral frags and such I worry about the metal in the screws messing up the water chemistry are you sure they are safe?

[Discus master]

The epoxy sets in about a day, I give it a bit longer to cure. I use the same epoxy that I use to build boats. I don't think there is much difference between brands. It is supposedly inert once cured, and I've never had any indications it is anything but. Slate was leftover from various projects but you could use any hard, non-ferrous rock. Stay away from soft limestone types that can leach.

I found a good flat rock to use my dad had bought to do some land scaping I am not sure of its miniarl make up ut it certainly is not pourus. I poured vinigar on it and it did not fizz supposedly this is a sign it can be used as it does not contain calcium or whatever and will not effect my water chemistry do you know if this sound correct??

[Darrell Ward]

I have seen this type of epoxy at the lfs for coral frags and such I worry about the metal in the screws messing up the water chemistry are you sure they are safe?

Yeah, deck screws are fine to use. They are coated to prevent rust, so the metal isn't really exposed. They are usually gray, or tan in color. I have some in my 240 gal. right now holding some manzanita wood in place.

[Discus master]

Yeah, deck screws are fine to use. They are coated to prevent rust, so the metal isn't really exposed. They are usually gray, or tan in color. I have some in my 240 gal. right now holding some manzanita wood in place.

yeah but how do i drill thru rock? its about a half inch thick or so? what kind of drill bit to use on that? a masonary bit? my father has a drill press would this work? how big a bit to use 1/4 inch 1/2 inch what?

[Darrell Ward]

yeah but how do i drill thru rock? its about a half inch thick or so? what kind of drill bit to use on that? a masonary bit? my father has a drill press would this work? how big a bit to use 1/4 inch 1/2 inch what?

Yeah, just use a small masonary bit. One that is just a fraction smaller than your screws. You could either a drill press, or a portable drill. Just go slow, and let the drill do the work. Don't try to force it, and go all the way through the piece. It's probably a good idea to drill a small pilot hole in your wood as well, to prevent possible splitting of the wood.

[Discus master]

Yeah, just use a small masonary bit. One that is just a fraction smaller than your screws. You could either a drill press, or a portable drill. Just go slow, and let the drill do the work. Don't try to force it, and go all the way through the piece. It's probably a good idea to drill a small pilot hole in your wood as well, to prevent possible splitting of the wood.

Good ideas, the rock is farily flat and not very big but I tested it and it will cause the wood to sink the rock is about a half inch thick. I am supposing it is safe for the tank I know you have got to be carful with the type of rock you use, this rock is either slate or flag stone like you see for steeping stones I guess it is safe I poured viniger all over it no fizz and I did not see any lines that would indicate and metals in it, what do you think safe or no? I hope so its in the tank now with the rift wood tied down for the time being with fishing line just to see if the rock was heavy enough.

[Darrell Ward]

Should be fine, as long as it's not limestone. Slate is great for such projects. I've bought individual slate tiles before, and busted them with a hammer to make great looking aquarium decorations. They are nice and soft, and tend to come apart in layers, so no 2 pieces are exactly alike, or the same thickness.

[azndragoon402]

I have the same problem, what i did is put something heavy over the wood, let it sit on the wood for while till it stay there.

[nc0gnet0]

As Daryl said, slate works very well for this, and is quite easy to drill through. Myself, I prefer a bit designed to drill through glass (diamond tipped) and to keep the bit wet while drilling.

Coated deck screws, brass screws, and stainless steel screws all work well. Make sure you use a flat head screw and to countersink your hole a bit. Otherwise your going to risk scratching up the bottom of your tank. After countersinking and attaching, I like to apply a dab of silicone to the head of the screw and around the perimeter where the slate touches the driftwood. This will help prevent the accumulation of unwanted junk/poo/uneaten food.

[Discus master]

As Daryl said, slate works very well for this, and is quite easy to drill through. Myself, I prefer a bit designed to drill through glass (diamond tipped) and to keep the bit wet while drilling.

Coated deck screws, brass screws, and stainless steel screws all work well. Make sure you use a flat head screw and to countersink your hole a bit. Otherwise your going to risk scratching up the bottom of your tank. After countersinking and attaching, I like to apply a dab of silicone to the head of the screw and around the perimeter where the slate touches the driftwood. This will help prevent the accumulation of unwanted junk/poo/uneaten food.

Thank you I got it all worked out now I even have Java moss on one and some Java fern on another so its looking nicer each day thank you very much for all your hel and thanks to everyone who helped me with my drift wood project sucess!!