# Where can I find driftwood? How can I get it myself?



## Bradleyv1714

Like the title says I would like to know where could I go to get some driftwood? I live in Miami and I wanted to buy some but it is expensive when I find it...


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## Nubster

Creeks, rivers, beach. Just bleach it and/or boil it good before using in the tank.


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## kamikazi

not full bleach of course....
I wouldn't recommend beach driftwood, salt can be deep in the wood and take a long time to get it all out. Creeks, lakes other freshwater areas or a limb from an Oak tree or other hardwood


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## Patriot

What is a good amount of time to boil the wood? I have a 20gal plastic tub and it might take some time to boil enough water to fill it before it cool. Also with that, it doesn't have to be scolding hot do it?


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## kamikazi

I prefer to just pour boiling water over the wood and rocks I use. I also use a wire brush to scrub wood and a plastic brush to scrub rocks. I dont use soap, bleach, or peroxide.


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## Patriot

Do you ever get the white fuzzy stuff on your driftwood after you boil it?


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## jhunt

The fuzzy white stuff still shows up. I think that white growth is polysaccharides from bacteria feeding on any leftover organic material on the wood, harmless.


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## Aquaticz

I live near the beach in So Cal. I usually take a ride up the coast after the first major rain storm armed with a small saw. I collect what looks interesting and then dump the whole pile into my pond. If I am rescaping I g out to the pond & pick what I need. By that time it has been throughly soaked, waterloggedand ready for a a scape


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## nalu86

Trow them in your bad tub and use the warmest water out of the tap, water that is over 68C kills all bacteria and life, and normal hot water out of the tap is between 80C and 90C, so actually boiling water is not necessary. If you still don't trust it pour a bottle of H2O2 and/or a bottle of excell in there.


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## jhunt

Peroxide is an oxidizer and will kill bacteria. Excel is a carbon source and will feed bacteria.


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## nalu86

jhunt said:


> Peroxide is an oxidizer and will kill bacteria. Excel is a carbon source and will feed bacteria.


Feed bacteria? Kills bacteria, and algae, and all other critters you don't want in your tank.

I use excell to kill snail on new plants and other fish diseases you don't want in your tank.


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## jasonpatterson

nalu86 said:


> water that is over 68C kills all bacteria and life, and normal hot water out of the tap is between 80C and 90C, so actually boiling water is not necessary..


Not even close. 68C isn't nearly hot enough to kill bacterial endospores. They'll happily survive being boiled for a while and are on virtually everything. It will kill most things though. Also, if the hot water coming out of your tap is 80-90C, your thermostat is set way too high, dangerously so. Water at 60C (140F) gives first degree burns in about 5 seconds, at 90C it's a first degree burn on contact. Most people have their water heaters set to between 120 and 130 F, or 50-55C.


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## nalu86

Ok, When I was in Chef school, they touch us 68C kills all bacteria in food, so you have to heat up your food over 68C. Maybe this is only for bacteria that are harmful in food. Thats where I got the 68C from. 
My boiler in the resto is always set at 85C, I have no idea how much my boiler is set at home, didn't really know that the temp is only set at 60C or so? So maybe I should start boiling my stuff from now on, or take it to the resto and put it trough the professional dishwasher lol.


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## Capsaicin_MFK

Find a lake and go snorkeling/scuba diving.


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## RSidetrack

jasonpatterson said:


> Not even close. 68C isn't nearly hot enough to kill bacterial endospores. They'll happily survive being boiled for a while and are on virtually everything. It will kill most things though. Also, if the hot water coming out of your tap is 80-90C, your thermostat is set way too high, dangerously so. Water at 60C (140F) gives first degree burns in about 5 seconds, at 90C it's a first degree burn on contact. Most people have their water heaters set to between 120 and 130 F, or 50-55C.


I have mine set at 155 :hihi: Just don't turn it on hot only and put your hand under it :smile:

However - to the OP I'd still boil the driftwood. What I have also done in the past is microwaved it. 1 minute at a time though. Assuming it is small enough for the mwave then just place in for one minute, let cool for 15-20, put in for 1 min, let cool and repeat. This will kill most if not all of the bacteria. Then I still boil it if it is small enough.


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## snafuspyramid

I've had great success with driftwood - ocean driftwood.

Stick it in the dishwasher on a very hot setting, to remove the salt. There might be some salt left over, but a little ocean salt certainly won't harm your tank.

Then, leave it out in the sun for about a month. Dunno about Miami, but the incredibly dry heat here in Australia completely dessicates and destroys almost any living thing.

Or, you could soak it in part-strength bleach (but be sure to leave it in plenty of dechlorinator for a good long time). Excel is the most expensive option. In sufficiently high doses, it most certainly will kill pretty much anything (including, incidentally, you). But bleach is about 10% of the price, so why bother?


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