Sinking Driftwood

[tootie]

I have a lovely large piece of driftwood I put in my 2 ft tank about 1 month ago with some heavy rocks on it to 'sink it'.

I thought it would have sunk by now , however when I take the rocks out it just floats to the top.

How long does this process take?

Any suggestions of how to make it sink a bit quicker?

Want to add Peppermint BN this weekend.

Should I just leave it as is, or would I be best to remove it and use some smaller pieces?

Thanks in advance.

Tootie

[Wolfy]

Put it in a large pot and boil it for an hour or few, I use an old urn, you can also add a small amount of salt if you wish (I don't).

Changing the water a couple of times can also help remove the tanins and it will also kill any bugs in that that may have harmed your fish.

[Symphy]

My usual way of bogging driftwood down, is by placing in a bucket or tray large enough to house the piece in, & placing an extra large rock(s) to weigh it down. When its ready I place it in the tank.

How long does this process take?

It is can take quiet some time for driftwood too sink as some factors like weight, type & water volume come into consideration. It can take days, even months as I've found out myself. Not necessarily the smaller the piece the quicker as I've stated 'Type & WV' come in.

Any suggestions of how to make it sink a bit quicker?

As Wolfy stated will be fine boiled/boiling water will be a great idea to place it in anyhow.

Should I just leave it as is, or would I be best to remove it and use some smaller pieces?

It really is upto you with this. If I tend to like a piece I would bare with it for as long as it takes.

Overall, after boiling(if done) & it sinks, I would still place an object as security for a week or so.

Regards

Ahmed

[Josh]

Boiling the wood wont help it sink. The only way to make it sink is by soaking it in water. The type of wood and how thick it is will determine how long it takes to sink. I have had wood take months to sink. I have also had a piece that didn't sink ever. It wasnt the usual driftwood or mangrove root that most shops sell.

Josh

[KIMO]

Also depends how "hollow" the piece is. If it has fairly chunky and solid sections, then these would take a lot longer to get fully soaked through and water logged.

You can aid the process by drilling small holes through the really thick and solid sections to help the water penetrate better.

BTW.....boiling the wood "opens" the grain and allows Tanins to be released a lot quicker. This could help waterlog the wood but i'm not too sure about this....i tend to agree with Josh though.