blueether Posted March 19, 2012 Report Share Posted March 19, 2012 I recommend soak it for at least 4 months. If you can boil it then it even better. It should extract some salt out of the wood. But you'll still need to left it soak for 4-12months. What is you reasoning behind that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheepsnana Posted March 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2012 4 months... (INSERT TUI ADVERT.) You've seen the photo. How exactly do you plan on boiling that? Soak for 12 months? No. Freaking. Waay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antwan Posted March 19, 2012 Report Share Posted March 19, 2012 I recommend soak it for at least 4 months. If you can boil it then it even better. It should extract some salt out of the wood. But you'll still need to left it soak for 4-12months. that's hella overkill. My driftwood was taken from the beach and put straight into my tank (washed the gunk off with the hose). Lots of pieces too, no problems whatsoever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheepsnana Posted July 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 20, 2012 I recommend soak it for at least 4 months. If you can boil it then it even better. It should extract some salt out of the wood. But you'll still need to left it soak for 4-12months. I owe you an apology. 4 months was almost SPOT ON. It has only just sunk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted July 20, 2012 Report Share Posted July 20, 2012 It depends on the species of tree. Some sink more quickly than others and some never seem to sink at all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godly3vil Posted July 20, 2012 Report Share Posted July 20, 2012 :rotf: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted July 20, 2012 Report Share Posted July 20, 2012 my pieces of Quercus suber haven't sunk yet &c:ry &c:ry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted July 20, 2012 Report Share Posted July 20, 2012 Perhaps you should have used the wine bottle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheepsnana Posted October 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 22, 2012 Yes I know, it's an old thread. My daughter has been to the beach and collected two large bags of driftwood. Some look ok, so I said sure, we'll stick them in a quarantine tank (four of these now :happy1: ), get the Java fern to attach, and then move them into a bigger tank. So what do you use for weighing down driftwood until it sinks? Some people say lead, like fishing sinkers, but I would expect you would go throw two or three bags of sinkers before these stayed down. So what do you use? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F15hguy Posted October 22, 2012 Report Share Posted October 22, 2012 try putting it in a bucket with a lid on it filled to the brim to start it off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted October 22, 2012 Report Share Posted October 22, 2012 Number and size of sinkers depends on size of driftwood. If it is just in a Q tank, put a rock on top of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted October 22, 2012 Report Share Posted October 22, 2012 So what do you use for weighing down driftwood until it sinks? A rock(Or several) on it, or just let it float around until it sinks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Li@m Posted October 22, 2012 Report Share Posted October 22, 2012 I use a nice big rock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted October 22, 2012 Report Share Posted October 22, 2012 just let it float around until it sinks. Thats what I usually do, especially large pieces. If the rock falls off they tend to rocket upwards pretty fast... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheepsnana Posted October 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 22, 2012 just let it float around until it sinks. Tried that, been waiting for two bits to sink since March. The bottom seems saturated but the top still seems almost completely dry. it hasn't lowered much into the water since I started. Thats what I usually do, especially large pieces. If the rock falls off they tend to rocket upwards pretty fast... I tried using cobble stones that I had lying around, which weigh a fair bit. But the boyancy of the wood normally moves the stones and they shoot upwards. Good thing I had them in a poly box at the time or else the stone would have shattered the tank. :nilly: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camtang Posted October 22, 2012 Report Share Posted October 22, 2012 Slightly :smot: but is there any wood that is not safe to use? I have been told pine is a no go. I recently collected a big bit of wood from a beach and this thread has been super helpfull. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheepsnana Posted October 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 22, 2012 As long as it's not rotting, it should be ok. Different timbers will release different amounts of tannins into the water, so colouration can occur. I haven't heard anything about pine being a no-no? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted October 22, 2012 Report Share Posted October 22, 2012 I believe pine is only bad because it tends to rot fairly quickly and be pretty sappy. No reason otherwise AFAIK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camtang Posted October 22, 2012 Report Share Posted October 22, 2012 I haven't heard anything about pine being a no-no? A mate told me not to collect wood from that beach beach it is a pine forrest and pine isnt good for pish, thats as much detail as he gave me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godly3vil Posted October 22, 2012 Report Share Posted October 22, 2012 You still drinking those beers Cam? As far as soaking driftwood I just fill the bath with cold water and lay some big stones or bricks on top of them, that seems to work pretty well. Usually only takes a few days. I have also tied driftwood onto rocks and planted them in the substrate if I am too impatient. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camtang Posted October 22, 2012 Report Share Posted October 22, 2012 You still drinking those beers Cam? one would think so after rereading that last comment of mine. opps :slfg: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted October 22, 2012 Report Share Posted October 22, 2012 I wouldn't use pine or other soft wood for the reasons Ira stated. If you're going to use rocks etc to try weight it then a bucket/drum/bin would probably be a good investment rather than risking a cracked tank. You could try boiling the dry end of the wood to give it a hurry up, if you have a big enough pot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godly3vil Posted October 22, 2012 Report Share Posted October 22, 2012 That is why I use the bath, also makes it nice and easy to change the water that it is soaking in every few days if the wood hasn't sunk yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheepsnana Posted October 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 22, 2012 Hmm, maybe I am looking at this wrong. Would increasing the volume of water that the wood is soaking in, or increasing the depth that it is soaking at, speed up the process? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted October 23, 2012 Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 Hmm, maybe I am looking at this wrong. Would increasing the volume of water that the wood is soaking in, or increasing the depth that it is soaking at, speed up the process? Yup, it would. But I doubt you have a convenient 200 foot deep tank or vacuum chamber. In the average tank the pressure difference with depth is small enough it can be ignored. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.