Treating driftwood

[Rubberducky]

I found the gnarliest piece of driftwood that I plan on making the centerpiece of my new tank. What do I need to do in order to make this safe for my future fish? I found it on the shores of Lake Erie about a week ago. I have since trimmed it and power washed it. What else should I do? One of the problems I've run across, is that it is too big for any container I can find to soak it in. It measures about 48''L x 18"W x 24"H. Could I just soak it in the tank once I get it up and running while the tank is cycling?

Dan

[TNT77]

You could try a trash can...fill with really really hot water..let it soak for a couple hours...flip over and repeat.

[corgi3]

bathtub...maybe?

[TNT77]

bathtub...maybe?
Really hot bath. :D

[chrisb01]

Are you going to have room in the tank for fish once you stick that monster in there?

Well, what size tank?

...should have been my first question.

[Rubberducky]

It is a 120 gallon tank

[Dennis The Mennis]

A cheap trash can from home depot and a gallon or two of bleach would be the method I would use first. I like to bleach everything before putting it in my tank. A day or two of bleach, rinse as good as I can, then add a bunch of de-clor and let it soak another day or two.

[Sean Buehrle]

A cheap trash can from home depot and a gallon or two of bleach would be the method I would use first. I like to bleach everything before putting it in my tank. A day or two of bleach, rinse as good as I can, then add a bunch of de-clor and let it soak another day or two.

You mean a couple gallons of bleach water right?
Not a couple gallons of bleach.

I'm pretty sure a couple gallons of bleach will disinfect an Olympic sized swimming pool.

Just checking :)

[chrisb01]

You mean a couple gallons of bleach water right?
Not a couple gallons of bleach.

I'm pretty sure a couple gallons of bleach will disinfect an Olympic sized swimming pool.

Just checking :)

Right, I'm sure he meant 'two gals. of bleach'. A large trash will hold about 30 - 33 gals. of water, so two (2) gals. of bleach will be just about right. But for your peace of mind, you can use just one gal. of bleach. Use the 'Clorox' brand.

You fill the trash can with water 'first' and then add the bleach. To rinse, fill the trash can with water and add the de-chlor.

[Sean Buehrle]

Right, I'm sure he meant 'two gals. of bleach'. A large trash will hold about 30 - 33 gals. of water, so two (2) gals. of bleach will be just about right. But for your peace of mind, you can use just one gal. of bleach. Use the 'Clorox' brand.

You fill the trash can with water 'first' and then add the bleach. To rinse, fill the trash can with water and add the de-chlor.

Umm no. LOL

A cup of bleach would be overkill in a trash can , let alone two gallons.

why would you want to use two gallons of bleach for anything?

If you had a 20 gallon trash can and added a gallon of bleach to it that would make the concentration of bleach at 50,000 ppm . I think 100 ppm would be overkill.

Water companies are not allowed to go over 4 ppm to disinfect water.

[chrisb01]

OK, I have never used a trash can this purpose, but I have used a 5 gal. bucket with only about 4 gals. of water with 8 oz. of bleach.

How many ppms would that be?
Sorry, I can't do the math right now. I still have two hrs. before midnight and I already can't hardly type... :-)

[Sean Buehrle]

OK, I have never used a trash can this purpose, but I have used a 5 gal. bucket with only about 4 gals. of water with 8 oz. of bleach.

How many ppms would that be?
Sorry, I can't do the math right now. I still have two hrs. before midnight and I already can't hardly type... :-)

That's a tough one, I'm no math whiz.

Doesn't ericatdallas do a lot of math or is it warlock?

[Harry Marsh]

Umm no. LOL

A cup of bleach would be overkill in a trash can , let alone two gallons.

why would you want to use two gallons of bleach for anything?

If you had a 20 gallon trash can and added a gallon of bleach to it that would make the concentration of bleach at 50,000 ppm . I think 100 ppm would be overkill.

Water companies are not allowed to go over 4 ppm to disinfect water.

Agreed. That much bleach and that wood would be forever slowly putting bleach in your aquarium

Not to mention it would probably destroy the wood

Off topic PS. That quote by gs. Chesterton gives me a headache, makes me mad and is one of the silliest things I have read this week. :)

[chrisb01]

Off topic PS. That quote by gs. Chesterton gives me a headache, makes me mad and is one of the silliest things I have read this week. :)

Yes, thanks for letting me know. I like to be a controversial person and silly at times too. Take some Tylenol for that headache :-)

BTW, have you read any of his works, GK Chesterton? I think you would find them very interesting.

[Harry Marsh]

Kudos to that (controversial)
What's the context? He saying religion is just misunderstood and that Christianity hasn't been 'done right' or something of the sort?

[chrisb01]

OK, it really has nothing to do with religion. You see, we first need to separate religion from Christianity. Chesterton's point is that people find Christianity difficult and leave it before they even find it. The reason for that is that, when people speak to you about Christianity, most of the time, they are really pushing religion. Religion is difficult due to the mandates, rituals and rigors attached to it. There are no strings attached to Christianity.

Religion wants to make you pay the dues. So people stay away from it, and think it was Christianity.

In Christianity, the dues have already been paid. There is nothing you can do or need to do. Everything has already been done.

I can go into more details if I have confused you more :-) PM or email me.