# Preparing a large piece of driftwood... how?



## FinnFan (Aug 28, 2007)

I went scavenging by the river on Friday and found several nice pieces of driftwood for my new tank. The first three were small enough that they would fit into a pot, and I boiled them for 3 hours, then baked them at 200 degrees for 2 hours. And of course I scrubbed them, too, with hot tapwater so I think they are safe.

But I also found a lovely large piece, that I think would look really great in the tank. But I can't figure out how to disinfect the thing. It won't fit in the oven and it certainly won't fit into a pot on my stove. I think it's about 3 or 4 feet long. How the heck can I disinfect this thing?


----------



## mousey (Jan 18, 2005)

Large plastic bin or tin garbage can?
pour in boiling water and let soak. maybe add a bit of bleach. 
Then rinse well and add some water conditioner to the rinse water to neutralize the bleach.
i dunno- just a thought


----------



## jones57742 (Sep 8, 2007)

ff:

ms is "right smooth on here".

Several items also:

1) Bathtubs are very "hand dandy" (this is more so true if you have an independent shower!). Draining the cold water and adding hot water is NP.

2) The "maybe add a a bit of bleach" is definitely use a mild chlorine solution.

3) Boiling is good for "leaching tannins" is nice but does the wood still float and have the pathogens been removed as they would be by boiling in a mild chlorine solution?

TR

Please note that when a mild chlorine solution is employed for disinfection soaking the wood in a dechlorinate, as set forth in ms's post, is imperative.


----------



## FinnFan (Aug 28, 2007)

Duh- the bathtub! Why didn't I think of that 

I'm not sure if I can fill it up with "boiling" water but I can run the hottest water that will come out, and add some bleach. How many parts bleach, to water? Would a half cup in a 1/3 full bathtub be suitable?


----------



## jones57742 (Sep 8, 2007)

FinnFan said:


> Duh- the bathtub! Why didn't I think of that.


Roflmao: thanks for that one: made my day!



FinnFan said:


> I'm not sure if I can fill it up with "boiling" water but I can run the hottest water that will come out, and add some bleach.


Just the hotter the water for the longest period the better.



FinnFan said:


> How many parts bleach, to water? Would a half cup in a 1/3 full bathtub be suitable?


 This is "voodoo" due to varying types of chlorine bleaches and tap water parameters. IMHO add a quarter cup of bleach, stir and continue adding bleach and stirring until you observe a very, very mild chlorine odor. (and I do mean very, very mild: ie. if you can just detect the odor you have added "plenty bleach"!)

TR


----------



## FinnFan (Aug 28, 2007)

Thanks jones 
Ah the things we do for our tanks. I can hear hubby now...

"Honey, why are you marinating a giant STICK in the bathtub?"


----------



## mousey (Jan 18, 2005)

the things our hubbies put up with too!
mine came home once and found a very large angry snapping turtle in the top.
last night he came home to a baby mouse that I found. he tolereates what we have, fish ,dog, cats but i am grounded from more pets.I keep a hamster at my friends.He was really upset when he came home and found a pet rat in the sink sleeping until i found a cage.


----------

