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question regarding the boiling of driftwood

Discussion in 'Aquarium Equipment & Decor' started by Anonymous, Nov 22, 2008.

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  1. Anonymous

    Anonymous Thread Starter Guest

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    Anyone have experience with boiling drift wood? I got some awesome pieces from the Potomac and just starting boiling them. I guess the bigger pieces will go soak in the tub(shhh, girlfriend just cleaned it). How long should they soak?
     
    Anonymous, Nov 22, 2008
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  2. LemonDiscus

    LemonDiscus Active Member

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    Bigger pieces in the oven at about 200-230 for several hours.... no need to boil them and the bathtub soak wont work much.

    The smaller ones boil in a pot for 3 hours or so.
     
    LemonDiscus, Nov 22, 2008
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  3. Anonymous

    Anonymous Thread Starter Guest

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    Make sure they are not pine or sassafras (you will be making root beer in your bathtub lol).
     
    Anonymous, Nov 22, 2008
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  4. Anonymous

    Anonymous Thread Starter Guest

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    but wont the oven dry them out? then they won't sink correct?
     
    Anonymous, Nov 22, 2008
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  5. LemonDiscus

    LemonDiscus Active Member

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    I would be more worried about sterilizing them then them sinking now. Yes you will need to sink them.... but a clean log is better than getting nastys into your tank!

    It will make it harder to sink being dried out.... but honestly, my big piece sunk in 1 day after baking.... Depends on the porousness of the wood and how saturated it was before being found. Drying it out does not keep it from sinking... just may take a day or 2 longer
     
    LemonDiscus, Nov 22, 2008
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  6. Anonymous

    Anonymous Thread Starter Guest

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    so then how do i sink it? just put it in the tank or do i put it in a container until sinks?
     
    Anonymous, Nov 22, 2008
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  7. LemonDiscus

    LemonDiscus Active Member

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    When I do it I put it in the tank after the bake and hold it down with a heavy rock.... it may be weeks before the rock can come off but that is how I do it. A month or so not looking as good as it could (because of the big rock on the log) is well worth when the rock comes off.

    You could do the container too..... the baking wont add much time to sink it though.
     
    LemonDiscus, Nov 22, 2008
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  8. Anonymous

    Anonymous Thread Starter Guest

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    ok cool! have pieces in the oven and boiling. ill post pics when it all sinks. thanks for the help!
     
    Anonymous, Nov 22, 2008
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  9. LemonDiscus

    LemonDiscus Active Member

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    No problem! Sounds like my house last weekend :D

    Nothing like the smell of cooking logs :)
     
    LemonDiscus, Nov 22, 2008
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  10. Anonymous

    Anonymous Thread Starter Guest

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    Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 9:51 pm
    you disgust me. :|
     
    Anonymous, Dec 30, 2009
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  11. LemonDiscus

    LemonDiscus Active Member

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    Posted: Sun Nov 23, 2008 12:28 am
    You sound like my wife :)
     
    LemonDiscus, Dec 30, 2009
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  12. MOD_Dawn

    MOD_Dawn Active Member

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    Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2009 4:24 pm
    to sink--> use a stainless steel screws and mount the driftwood to a base, then the cover the base with substrate/or tuck it under. That's how I have mine staying down.
     
    MOD_Dawn, Dec 30, 2009
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  13. Guidoman888

    Guidoman888 New Member

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    Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2009 4:25 pm
    Thats a great I'd I could do that in the future I dont like rocks because the're to ''Visible'' on top of the driftwood
     
    Guidoman888, Dec 30, 2009
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  14. LemonDiscus

    LemonDiscus Active Member

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    Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2009 4:26 pm
    Im too scared to do the screw thing.....
     
    LemonDiscus, Dec 30, 2009
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  15. MOD_Dawn

    MOD_Dawn Active Member

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    Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2009 4:26 pm
    I think along those lines too Guido...reason I mounted it, can't even see that it's mounted!
     
    MOD_Dawn, Dec 30, 2009
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  16. Anthony

    Anthony Active Member

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    Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2009 4:27 pm
    A galvanized screw should be fine.
     
    Anthony, Dec 30, 2009
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  17. LemonDiscus

    LemonDiscus Active Member

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    Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2009 4:28 pm
    I never said it would not be... I see it when I go to the Pet Store. They have their driftwood bolted to a piece of slate.

    I am just scared to do it.
     
    LemonDiscus, Dec 30, 2009
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  18. Leslie

    Leslie New Member

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    Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2009 4:29 pm
    where can i get slate??
     
    Leslie, Dec 30, 2009
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  19. MOD_Dawn

    MOD_Dawn Active Member

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    Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2009 4:29 pm
    that's how I did mine and it's fine Lemon? What's the worry in doing so?
    & leslie you can get slate @ landscape store (homedepot), lfs (not a petsmart or petco)
     
    MOD_Dawn, Dec 30, 2009
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  20. LemonDiscus

    LemonDiscus Active Member

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    Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2009 4:30 pm
    I just see me doing something stupid like put a copper bolt in.... or something else boneheaded that will leach heavy metals and kill the fish.

    That heavy metal is nowhere as good for fish as some good ole Pantera :)
     
    LemonDiscus, Dec 30, 2009
    #20
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