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Aquarium Driftwood cleaning and preperation Questions
Hello All,
While hiking with my kids along a river in Virginia, I stumbled across an
interesting piece of drift wood. Well it's really the remains of a
tree-stump with roots still connecting into what was once the river-bed. It
was above the water-line but most likely gets submerged on occasion during
high-water.
I liked it so much I went back with a saw and cut the piece off at the base
hoping to use it in a tank. It's been sitting on my deck for almost 6
months
and it is so interesting looking I am considering using it my "show" planted
discus tank.
Now I've done a fair amount of research on the web and have come up with a
couple of
ways I think I need to clean/prepare the wood for my tank. I don't want to
kill any plants/fish and especially discus. Some methods include starting
off scrubbing it with a wire-brush, rubbing/soaking in salt bath, bleach,
boiling, submerging for weeks/months even autoclaving it !! Hee
heee....Chee Mr. dentist can you stick this driftwood in your autoclave
while I get my teeth cleaned. If I could find somewhere to take it to get
steam-cleaned I would, but I can't think of anyplace. It 5'x18"x10" in
size! It actually looks like a White Marline fish's head complete with long
"sword", eye, lower mouth and fins. It's relay quite unique this is why I am
trying to use it...can't buy anything like this one!
This weekend I blasted the wood with a high-compression power-washer (like
1700psi coming out of the hose), the kind one might use for cleaning a deck
in preparation for sealing or staining or cleaning home siding etc..and have
removed most of the decaying wood although some small areas of the piece are
soft/spongy
I now have the piece submerge in a large plastic trashcan and fill it once a
day with scalding-hot water by hooking my garden hose into my sink and
running hot, very hot, water from my hot water heater. I guess I will
continue to do this until most of the tannins are leached from the wood and
it becomes water-logged, maybe a couple of weeks, maybe months, who knows?
I am considering adding bleach but don't know the consequences or time/water
changes it would take to eliminate the risk of exposing my tank to chlorine
bleach once inserted into the tank.
I am looking for advice and/or experience from other experts.
What's the next step?
What am I doing wrong, right?
Should I not take any chances?
I am stumped!
Thanks a bunch!
Tom Brennan