Driftwood

[baboo_jenge]

Hi,
I've got some driftwoods that i bought a long time but left outside in the rain and snow. And now i want to put them back. How should i clean them?
Right now i am just drying the wetness in the sun.


Secondly, lake near my house has some really good looking driftwoods. Much Much better than the ones they sell in most stores. I want to keep them in my tank so badly but i know that they are highly contaminated with bacterias and other who knows what.
Is there a way i can some how clean these and use them?

 

[Tolak]

Boiling driftwood will take care of bacteria. As for chemical contaminents, boiling will get some out, there is no way of telling what is in there. The only real way of telling is to put some in a quar tank & closely observe after adding a fish or two. Be ready to net the fish out & put it back in it's regular tank. Chemical contaminents aren't contagous.

 

[baboo_jenge]

the wood from the lake is soft wood.
Will that have much negative effect?
(it just looks too darn good to throw out)

 

[blabadie]

Wood is wood?

 

[baboo_jenge]

...wood is wood?
I suggest you take (or retake) grade 10 biology.
I posted here to get answers. "wood is wood" is not an answer.

 

[fozziebear]

...wood is wood?
I suggest you take (or retake) grade 10 biology.
I posted here to get answers. "wood is wood" is not an answer.

what do you mean by 'soft wood' also would be good to know the species of tree, as certain trees have different chemicals in them some of which can be toxic to fish, the best thing to do with it would be to boil it a fair few times (or soak with boiling water if its too big for a pot) then dry it completely in the sun or by a radiator or something, and just give a test with a few fish like the person above said, you can never be sure what it will do unless you know the exact type of tree it came from so just be tentative.