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Hey I have a question that my mom asked me. She picked up some drift wood off of a beach that she really liked and wants to put it in her tank. I know for drift wood that you pick up in a store you usually let it soak for 24 hours to help it get water logged and to help rinse it off a little. Is there anything special she needs to do to the drift wood she picked up. and are there any suggestions of how to help it get water logged and make it sink she is having to put a lid on the bucket the wood is soaking in.

I have several SW drift wood I picked up but it was extremly weathered, Tropical sun.
All I did was wash them well and soak them for a few weeks. I have never boiled any wood at all and never had any problems.

Keith

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I'd be cautious about using wood from beaches here in the states. If she really wants to use it I'd suggest boiling, or baking it. Any organisms living on it aren't exactly the best to be adding to your tank. After sanatizing it you can soak it in hot water until it sinks, and any remaining tannins (may not be many depending on how long it's been drifting).
HTH a bit .

^_^

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I agree that it should be boiled, just to be sure.

Another thing you could try is affixing it to a plastic lid of some kind, for example the lid off a large kitty litter bucket. How big is the piece, anyway? Doing so gives you something to bury in the substrate so it stays down and lets you see more of your wood. Hot glue should do the trick. IME it's harmless to the aquarium.

Hey, I might be knit picking, but isn't taking things from the "natural" areas in the states illegal?
Well any ways its is illegal here in Australia, to let some people know. . .

[span class="edited"][Edited by Babelfish 2004-08-17 13:07][/span]

Speeding is also illegal...but people do it everyday as well.

I know this does not excuse (but shows lack of regard) the act itself, but if its washed up on a beach in the middle of nowwhere, its obvious not to many creatures will inhabit it or use it for a shelter. I know here in Canada, the beach is NO MANS LAND. Where you are a target in the middle of no cover. Not to many animals like that feeling.

Chances are, when the county/state/province does their beach cleaning, they mulch it.

If it North American in origin, boil the devil out of it (loads of junk in all the waterways) and then soak it in hot water to remove all tannins.

Gary