# Presoaking wood



## Hammerstix (Feb 23, 2012)

Ok, so I found this driftwood/log partially submerged in a nearby creek. I'm thinking about using this also, besides my peppered granite.

So I read it has to be presoaked for weeks in water. Fine, I have a rubber tub big enough for this. But how do you kill any parasites that could possibly be embedded in the wood? Sun bleach? Chlorine bleach? Rinse w/boiling water?

Any advice on this from someone that did this would be helpful! Thanks in advance!


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## Woodworm (Jan 3, 2009)

If it is to big to boil whole start by boiling over it then let it soak in a bleach water solution at least for 48 hours (you will have to ad more bleach as it evaporates.) Drain and fill with fresh water and a declor and let soak again repeat the last till your water remains clear. This what I have done in the past with large pieces.


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## Hammerstix (Feb 23, 2012)

Thanks Woodworm! It is too big ti boil so I'm just pouring pots of boiling water ontop of it in the rubber tub. Is is 1 1/2 cups of household bleach per gallon if water? How much bleach should be added for evaporation?

Also, after adding the boiling water the tub water was clear!


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## Woodworm (Jan 3, 2009)

What I do is use a trash can or other container that I know the size for any bleaching that I do then I add 1 gallon of bleach per ten gallons of water capacity. So if I am using a 55 gallon drum I would start by placing the rock or wood (if the wood floats place a large rock or something else heavy on it) in the container then start filling with water and 5 gallons of bleach. I will leave about 5 or 6 inches of space at the top for the addition of bleach latter. I normally will start this Friday after work and then when I get up the next morning I will add another gallon then again before bed. Do the same thing the next day. (I won't say this keeps the ratio the same but it is what works for me.) Monday after work I will dump in a bottle of a cheap declor and then drain container and refill and add another bottle of declor. If I'm doing rock I will just swap out the water every other day till the weekend when I have time to scrub it but for wood I still do it every other day for the first week adding the cheap declor with each change. After the first week I will just change the water every Wednesday and Saturday until the water is still clear even after a week of soaking.


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## Hammerstix (Feb 23, 2012)

Ok, I will change the water twic we per week.

I'm feeling good about this wood since the water is real clear. Thanks. Will post pic as soon ap.


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## Hammerstix (Feb 23, 2012)

Problem: the log wants to float even after a week of being submerged in water w/bleach being added ever 2 days & boiling water being poured over in in my rubber tub!

How long before it is waterlogged?

Im an impatient person, so say I don't feel like waiting...how do you go about placing it in the tank w/anchors? I have siliconed fake plants to rock but not sure if this would work for wood.

Besides just "being patient" what else can be done? The water in the tub is crystal clear so I just want to get it in tge tank. I want to grow some java fern on it & am extremely anxious to begin the process.

thanx for the help!


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## Woodworm (Jan 3, 2009)

:lol: There is 2 ways I know how to do it other then time. The first is to put rocks on top of it if it is possible till it stays down on its own, but you have to be careful since if the rocks fall off for whatever reason you run the risk of the rock cracking the bottom of the tank or if the wood is still really buoyant it might pop up fast enough to bust a lid. The other way is to get a piece of flat stone and drill a hole or 2 through it then position the wood the way you want on it and run a screw into the wood.


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## Hammerstix (Feb 23, 2012)

I knew I could count on you Wormwood for your advice! I'm not willing to riak my tank so I will drill screws though the wood until no longer needed! Thanks!


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## Woodworm (Jan 3, 2009)

No reason to remove the stone from the bottom unless you want to change the angle of the piece. Make sure you use stainless steal countersink screws and even then you might want to coat them with silicon when you drive them in. If you do use silicon alow it to cure for a couple 3 days before dropping in the tank.


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