# Large Amounts of Driftwood



## wmayes (Oct 22, 2007)

I just purchased a single piece of driftwood. It was the base of a large tree (trunk ~2 feet in diameter) with its network of roots attached (which widens and becomes ~3 feet in diameter).

The piece was almost 4 feet tall.

I'll estimate that the full tree was close to 30-40 feet.

I have split it into three pieces so that it can actually FIT into my aquarium. I've cut the roots off (they remain intact) and I'm going to place these in the center of my 200 in such position as it seem you are looking 'up' into the tree. The roots are very decorative and the tangles and are beautiful.

The remaining piece (the trunk) was split into two equal sized pieces.

Each of the these two pieces will be placed slightly farther back that the system of roots and to the either side of it. All three pieces are such a size that I do NOT expect them to float because of sheer wieght HOWEVER I will be taking necessary precaution anyway.

Each piece will have around 2-3 inches taken off the top so that it will fit under the acrylic at the top of the aquarium and I will use wedges to keep all three pieces in place. So if some minor floatation occurs it will be cut off by these wedges (if you have any concerns over this method please voice it). I am slightly worried that the acrylic will not be able to hold the driftwood down...!

The sheer size of the (now three) pieces will cut the water volume down to around 125 (accounting for the hollow portions of all three - if they weren't hollow the figure would be more like 95-100 gallons).

What do you think?

(pictures soon)


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## Guest (Jul 29, 2008)

The driftwood should sink after a few weeks once it becomes waterlogged...

You could also try and weigh it down using rocks...


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## wmayes (Oct 22, 2007)

I have had driftwood over the years and currently have some in my 75. I thought everyone knew driftwood sank eventually? :thumb:

I just was assuming that because of the sheer weight of each piece (30+ pounds each) that they would just sink even without my lodging and wedging them into place using the acrylic overhang at the top of the aquarium. These pieces are so large that I doubt if they didn't sink immediately that it would take a year or so to waterlog them. Do you think that my utilization of the acrylic overhang will cause the overhang itself to break or break off if the pressure created by the wood floating up against it is too great?


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## Guest (Jul 29, 2008)

I say don't put anything on top that the wood could push against until you get it anchored or it sinks by itself.

And about what you said, sorry it's just that naturally I assumed you never used driftwood before.


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## wmayes (Oct 22, 2007)

Nah - it's okay! 

So they definately won't sink immediately under their sheer weight? 
Darn, that's too bad. :?


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## Guest (Jul 29, 2008)

wmayes said:


> Nah - it's okay!
> 
> So they definately won't sink immediately under their sheer weight?
> Darn, that's too bad. :?


Well they could, but I doubt it... From what I know logs will float on water...

It really depends in my opinion when you actually put them in...

It really should in a matter of weeks though. If you decide to put fish in though I'd keep the cover open if it hits it/pokes out of the tank, but maybe cut eggcrate to fit around the wood so you can keep fish from jumping...

~Ed


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## Intermision (Sep 14, 2007)

The easiest way to get it to sink is to atach the wood to slate tiles with decking screws.


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## ArcticCatRider (Jul 13, 2007)

Boil a lot of water/get lots of really hot water, 
and put the driftwood into a big tub, and have another tub ready full of cold water, like 60 degrees or whatever like that.Pour the hot water all over the driftwood, turn it over a little bit, leave it for a minute or two, then pick it up with gloves, and put it in the tub of cold water.
The hot water opens up the pores, then the cold water fills them, and this really helps. Or bake the wood in a big commercial oven or something, then put it in cold water.


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## dialicious (Oct 18, 2007)

Lumber mills used to rely on heavy wood staying afloat when they sent it down the river from the forest to the mill 
I have a root system in my 110 that was sawed out of a bog then left to weather for 10+ years. Dry, it was absurdly heavy. To my boyfriend's amazement it still float. It was also buoyant enough to rip itself from the silicone he used to attach to to the base of the tank. 
In the end he agreed to my original plan and we drilled the beast and attach it to a big marble block.

I'm looking forward to these pictures. Root systems look so **** amazing in tanks.


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## mithesaint (Oct 31, 2006)

How fresh is it? If it hasn't sat outside for years, I'm sure it will float. If I were you, I'd soak it in a large tub of water for awhile to get an idea of the buoyancy before you bother sticking it in the main tank. If those pieces are as large as you describe, I bet you'll have to weigh them down for a looooong time. Maybe they're preconditioned.

Pics please. opcorn:


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## wmayes (Oct 22, 2007)

Update: Tank is back up and running (it took so long because I had to get another tank up and running and purchase alot of new stuff to do so and then I modified some things on the 200 before I even messed with the driftwood). Taking pics later today. Will upload ASAP. No issues with the driftwood - they sunk immediately just as I suspected. I think because of the lack of pictures everyone wasn't really getting how big they actually are - the largest piece barely fit into the aquarium and had to be wiggled and 'greased' with water.

They look beautiful. I took the Acarichthys group out and am letting them live in the tank that I set up to move everything into. Another 75 - don't worry they haven't even reached the four inch mark yet... I'm sure once they hit 4-5 inches some higher aggression will begin but until that point the 75 is fine for them.

As for the 200 - I have my severum and a friend gave me his oscar... Not sure whether I'm going to keep him or not but he sure is nicer looking than every single oscar I've ever seen.


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## wmayes (Oct 22, 2007)

Keep in mind that the tank is a 6' bowfront,
The water color at the moment looks almost exactly like tea. I've already done one water change since I put them in - yesterday. And they've only been in for two days total. It takes literally just one-two hours for the water to return to being colored like tea.

I expect that it will take far longer than any other piece of driftwood that I've ever had to stop leaching tannins. The pieces were far to big to soak in anything I had or for that mater to boil in anything at all. I expect to just do water changes more often now...


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## LJ (Sep 12, 2007)

I am pretty sure the driftwood sinking had nothing to do with its size, but instead because it was preconditioned. Weight is of no importance to sinking, density is of absolute importance.

Regardless, I think the driftwood looks beautiful and think this tank has a lot of potenital. What are your stocking plans? I am excited to see where this project ends up.


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## wmayes (Oct 22, 2007)

Well, right now there is a single med-size Severum a single large Oscar and a group of 10 med to small-size _Amphilophus robertsoni_. The Severum has been mine since before the re-do. The Oscar and the _Amphilophus_ were given to me by a friend who has just decided that economic stress called for an exit of the hobby (along with the single _steindachneri_ - interesting fish - in one of my 75s). The Oscar is very beautiful and I think I may very well keep it but I will definately get rid of the _Amphilophus_.

I doubt I will ever move my _heckelii_ back into the 200 as I have changed from sand to a small pebble as substrate.

As for what I can keep with an Oscar and a Severum I was thinking a group of something medium sized. 
Perhaps (as many of the local LFS ruitinely have them in stock) I will eventually move my single _C. dimerus_ into the 200 and go purchase 4-5 more.

***EDIT***

If I decide to get rid of the Oscar I'll probably up that number to 6-7 more.


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

Beautiful placement and driftwood, even the color of the water is nice. Perfect rio ***** tank. My dwarf pikes would love it! :thumb:


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## wmayes (Oct 22, 2007)

I LOVE tannins. Just not in the amounts that these three pieces are giving out.


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## wmayes (Oct 22, 2007)

I'm also planning on adding three plants. One in between each of the pieces and one of the very left in the back to hide the edge of the driftwood that I had to cut. Not yet sure on fake or real though.


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## D-007 (Jan 3, 2008)

Have you got carbon working in there also? It would help you reduce the tannins along with your water changes.

Love those pieces and the placement.

Regards,
D


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## marge618 (Mar 12, 2006)

wmayes said:


> I'm also planning on adding three plants. One in between each of the pieces and one of the very left in the back to hide the edge of the driftwood that I had to cut. Not yet sure on fake or real though.


The tank looks good just as it is. I think it will look even better with the added plants.
Please take more pictures along the way so we can follow it's development.

Later,
Marge


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