# How long to soak driftwood?



## aanderson09 (Aug 7, 2005)

title says it all, I've had 1 10x12x7 piece of melasian driftwood in a clean bucket soaking in water for 24 hours I've done 3 water changes since I put it in the water is now perfectly clear in the bucket but there are some bubbles coming off the wood still, I'm wondering when to put it into my tank (it's empty right now) any help would be appreciated


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## medicineman (Sep 28, 2005)

The main question is : does it readily sink? This is a difficult question if you do not have any means of large body of open water to test it. A conventional way is to sink it with a weight 1-3 weeks prior to using. Another quick way is to boil it... that is if you have a huge pan, then soak for several days and it will not leach tannins and start to sink well. (note that I'm soaking my huge drifwoods in the pond for almost a month and yet some still floats a bit).

You will face an unpleasant problem if once in your tank the wood floats. Then you have to look for a stone or brick, tie it and use the substrate and plants to camuflage it.


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## mrbelvedere (Nov 15, 2005)

It may still leach some tannins for months after it sinks. I like them though, it's like free blackwater extract.


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## aanderson09 (Aug 7, 2005)

yeah, it sinks, I have it in a 10g or so bucket, it's only touching the bottom of the bucket. I bought it at petland for $30, it's made for aquariums:icon_eek:


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## Fishingdood (Feb 9, 2005)

I boiled mine for around a week...and it still leak tannins for about another month or two


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## A Hill (Jul 25, 2005)

Fishingdood said:


> I boiled mine for around a week...and it still leak tannins for about another month or two


BOILED it for a week? and you had the wood still intacted?

when i put my wood in my tank i did a 3 day soak MAYBE? i was really impatient but it was clean water and never teaed the water so it was fine.... i wasnt concerend about it sinking since it was preattatched to a piece of slate.. my problem was putting it in since my tank was already istablished and i turned up a bunch of crap from the substraight and im having an algea war ATM which is a PITA! but im gonna make my 10g into a invert tank and then bring the fish into the 50 when i get it ready for fish in a few weeks max.. so it should be good

my 2 cents

Fish newb

(it really depends what the wood is all wood is NOT created equal=/)


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## turbosaurus (Nov 19, 2005)

I've had large pieces that I boiled for hours on end then put in the tank weighted down since February- and the thing will still float if unfastened... and still leeches tannins into the water. 

Once I have boiled it to kill and creepy crawlies - I weight it down heavily, and in it goes. I have slate tile peices left over from a kitchen project I did- a $2 masonry bit from Home depot and a stainless steel screw and you're all set.


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## A Hill (Jul 25, 2005)

turbosaurus said:


> I've had large pieces that I boiled for hours on end then put in the tank weighted down since February- and the thing will still float if unfastened... and still leeches tannins into the water.
> 
> Once I have boiled it to kill and creepy crawlies - I weight it down heavily, and in it goes. I have slate tile peices left over from a kitchen project I did- a $2 masonry bit from Home depot and a stainless steel screw and you're all set.



nvm... i was thinking small- medium sized wood lol


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