# Driftwood... floating...



## snuffy (Oct 19, 2007)

Hi guys,

The driftwood I want to use in my tank is well... drifting... The bigger pieces I can work with, because they float but not much. Bury them in the substrate and they stay. The smaller pieces I can't work with. They're pretty buoyant. I'm really tempted to just superglue them to a rock and incorporate it into the scape. I bought it from someone a while ago, so I kinda want to use them to get my monies worth =/

I've read from a site that I should have bought bogwood not driftwood for aquascaping.

Any tips on keeping driftwood down?


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## ryan10517 (Apr 28, 2010)

If the pieces are small enough u can boil them in water and that usually makes them sink. If they're bigger than that I usually screw a piece of non glazed ceramic tile to the bottom and bury the tile under my substrate (make sure you use stainless steel screws tho cuz others may deteriorate underwater). I had a big piece of cypress knee wood that wouldn't sink for the life of me so I screwed a big price of tile to it and set it in a plastic tub full of hot water for a few weeks weighted down with some big rocks. Hope that helps.


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

If you can wait long enough they will eventually sink.


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## Gordonrichards (Apr 28, 2009)

Usually takes 12-24 hours or longer for the wood to soak. Have no fears.


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## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

Actually, 12-24 days is more like it. If it has not gotten water logged in that time, attach it to something heavy. Ceramic tile is good, then bury the tile at the bottom of the substrate.


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## snuffy (Oct 19, 2007)

How long should I boil them for?


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## orisuechris (Aug 14, 2010)

I would just boil it for a couple of hours to get most of the tannins out and then screw the piece to a ceramic tile as mentioned above.


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## gearhead65 (Aug 9, 2010)

Putting them in the dishwasher is also recommended...so I've read.


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## flashbang009 (Aug 6, 2009)

I just stack a bunch of slate on top for a few weeks in the tank. Eventually it sinks and you can take the slate off.


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## Scrupie (Jul 9, 2006)

I drilled some holes on the underside and stuck in lead fishing weights. Only on bog wood. I had tried boiling soaking that help but took to long.


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## Ekrindul (Jul 3, 2010)

Scrupie said:


> I drilled some holes on the underside and stuck in lead fishing weights. Only on bog wood. I had tried boiling soaking that help but took to long.


Lead is toxic to fish, as info. Not too good for humans either.


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## snuffy (Oct 19, 2007)

Argh... I did it to myself, but I tried to short cut the whole boiling process...

I boiled the wood for about 45 minutes... so they still float a little and I guess I didn't get all the tannins out. YELLOW water!

Time to reboil and water change I guess -____-


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## TAB (Feb 7, 2009)

gearhead65 said:


> Putting them in the dishwasher is also recommended...so I've read.


not if you want to be able to sleep and night...

My wife is very skilled with objects...


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## majstor76 (Feb 11, 2010)

snuffy said:


> Argh... I did it to myself, but I tried to short cut the whole boiling process...
> 
> I boiled the wood for about 45 minutes... so they still float a little and I guess I didn't get all the tannins out. YELLOW water!
> 
> Time to reboil and water change I guess -____-


Instead of lead use chrome, its safe(er). Iv got whole tree in aquarium weighted with chrome pieces


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## ddavila06 (Jan 31, 2009)

too many suggestions but if the wood does not want to sink then just tie it to a piece of rock (or superglue it) and let it be! lol. i did something similar to a fairly large-tick-log like but hollow piece and about a year later when rescaping i took the rock off and the thing somewhat started to float again.....=/ its been like six more months since and now it is down all the way! finally!!! lol


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