Sterilizing Driftwood

[LEG-IT]

hi,

recently i bought a nice piece of driftwood,

medium size but very unique, around 60cm long, 30cm deep and 25cm high,

well depends on your angles,

Well i was wondering how do i sterilize this peice without getting a pot and boiling it,

It's got tracs of dirt in the gaps and was wondering how do i get them all out, i've used cotton buds, toothbrush and boiling water to scrub it. Is it still safe to put in the water or do i have to scrub the drifwood extremly clean?

On some parts of the driftwood when i scrub alot of brown substances come of, is it either the dirt, the tannins or the wood?

i need help getting rid of the dirt ans scrubbing it clean

cheers

[cooder]

I would scrub it several times and then let it sit in water for a couple of weeks. every so often just tip out the tannin water and replace it.it would probably be both tannins and dirt. I dont think that pure dirt will harm yur tank or fish but get it as clean as possible then let it soak. Use a hard scrubbing brush and as you have been using, a toothbrush to get int the smaller crevices.

HTH Cooder

[LEG-IT]

I would scrub it several times and then let it sit in water for a couple of weeks. every so often just tip out the tannin water and replace it.it would probably be both tannins and dirt. I dont think that pure dirt will harm yur tank or fish but get it as clean as possible then let it soak. Use a hard scrubbing brush and as you have been using, a toothbrush to get int the smaller crevices.

HTH Cooder

thanks for your quick reply cooder, certain parts of the driftwood is extremely clean while others are just still dirty,

Do i put warm water, boiling or cold water?

it floats at the top when i put it in the styrofoam box, as it has not been in a tank for 1-2months

cheers

[Planted]

another good way to clean it is with a high pressure water cleaner like a gerni or similar.

but yep i would soak it for a cpl of weeks.

weight it down with rocks if it wont sink...

[V33Man]

Depending on the type of wood you have, and how careful you are, you can use a high pressure hose (Karcher or the local car wash) to remove the hard to get off dirt, just make sure your only squirting it with water - no soap, and don't get too close or you'll damage the wood.

Boiling water works best, just leave it and change the water over whenever it starts to change colour from the leaching tanins.

If the wood floats in the box you are trying to soak it in, put a brick or a rock on top of it to weigh it down.

Cheers,

Brendan.

[V33Man]

another good way to clean it is with a high pressure water cleaner like a gerni or similar.

but yep i would soak it for a cpl of weeks.

weight it down with rocks if it wont sink...

beat me to it

[LEG-IT]

another good way to clean it is with a high pressure water cleaner like a gerni or similar.

but yep i would soak it for a cpl of weeks.

weight it down with rocks if it wont sink...

beat me to it

what about a bosch aquatak high pressure cleaner?

i dont think the driftwood can withstand the hose, any other ways?

thanks for the replies guys

[V33Man]

another good way to clean it is with a high pressure water cleaner like a gerni or similar.

but yep i would soak it for a cpl of weeks.

weight it down with rocks if it wont sink...

beat me to it

what about a bosch aquatak high pressure cleaner?

i dont think the driftwood can withstand the hose, any other ways?

thanks for the replies guys

What about a normal garden hose with the nozzle on the jet setting?

[Jimmy]

If you are putting it in boiling water then I wouldn't worry about "bugs" very much. It should kill pretty near everything. Another good way to decontaminate it is to use steam. As for the dirt, if you want it clean for asthetics, if you soak it for a couple of weeks to water log it, that should be enough to loosen anything still clinging. Hit it with the hose and scrubber just before you put it in your tank.

Regards

James