# Sinking Drift Wood



## patrick76 (May 21, 2007)

What is the best way to water log drift wood to sink? How long would it take?


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## evercl92 (Aug 14, 2006)

Link 1
Link 2
Link 3


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## Winkyee (May 23, 2007)

I soak my wood in large rubbermaid tub with heavily salted hot water and change the water every few days for more hot salted water.
After a couple weeks it's usually close to sinking and after a thorough rinsing in the shower, I zip tie rocks to the wood to help and leave them on a month or so.


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## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

Get a trash bin, or rubber maid container and then submerge the wood down with a heavy rock. Could take a few weeks or a month to sink and leach out any tannins (discoloring agent). 

Winkyee, I'm curious how does the saltwater help with the sinking process?

-John N.


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## Winkyee (May 23, 2007)

Saltwater is heavier than straight H2o, every little bit helps.


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## patrick76 (May 21, 2007)

Thanks for the advice.


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## fishfan (Feb 19, 2006)

The time for soaking is also determined by the size. I had a very small piece that took almost four weeks to get water logged but it eventually sank. Just have patience.


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## patrick76 (May 21, 2007)

Ok its been about 3 weeks and seems to still float as much as it did when i got it.


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## Adragontattoo (Jun 3, 2007)

I have a piece of driftwood (ok it's damn near a stump) that after 2 YEARS submerged still tries to float. I gave up trying to get it to sink on its own a long time ago and now I just stack other driftwood and rocks on top of it.


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## swallace602 (Jul 20, 2006)

Where did you get the driftwood or what type? I got the expensive drift wood that comes from Africa at the LFS and soaked them in water for several weeks until the water stayed clear. Every day I would change the water out with hot water. It may be some type of woods are going to be harder to sink unless you just cheat and tie some rocks to them...

Good luck!


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## stepheus (Jun 13, 2006)

I have a large pc of DW that I found buried in a jungle stream which nvr sank too! I ve been having it for 6 years now soaking in my tank and it still nvr sank lol. Got huge rocks holding it down now. I believe its light wood. I ve nvr tried boiling/ soaking it in hot water tho. 

Hardwood always sink given time. I find it quite easy to judge between hardwood and lightwood by just weighting it with my hands. Hardwood is heavier because its more dense, making it sink easier too since less air is trapped in it. 

BTW salty hot water is a great idea! will try it next time. One other notes, leaving it under hot weather completely submerged in water works for me too.


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## BlackTop_Kings (Jan 17, 2007)

Some driftwood will never sink, I got this massive piece that I soaked for 10months and it still dint sink, the center seems to be very dense so that the water dont log it instead it holds air...I drilled it and everything still couldnt sink it so I made a base out of concrete needles to say it went haft way with 25lbs on it. the wood allow wieghts in at about that. So I still had to concrete...what I needed up doing on a desperate and fusterated attempt was to drill the back out really deep and fill it up with concrete...wouldnt you know 40lbs later it floats about 5in of the gravle...LOL....


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## jaidexl (Jan 20, 2007)

I weighted my large driftwood down in a vat of water with iron work out weights. It took ten pounds of weights to sink it, so I found a ~10lb piece of flat rock (non-alkaline of course), drilled a hole in it with a hammer drill and mounted the wood to it.



BlackTop_Kings said:


> 40lbs later it floats about 5in of the gravle...LOL....


Geez, that must be a huge, stubborn hunk of wood. :\


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