How Do I Sterilize An Old Piece Of Bogwood?

[Starfishpower]

its mopani (sp?) and its kinda big too. about 20" L and 14" W. it has this purple gossamer stuff on it like maybe it was algea at one time and it got stuck on it as it was removed from the tank a long time ago and has now dried out and turned purple. any advice?

 

[Colin_T]

if you can hose it off, leave it to drain for a day, and then put it in the oven at 150C for an hour that should kill everything on it.
Otherwise put it in a bucket of super saturated salt water for a few days, then soak in freshwater for a day before rinsing and using it.
You can also leave it to dry out completey for a few weeks and that will kill most things on it.

 

[Starfishpower]

great, i think ill go with the salt water option. thanks

 

[white-worms]

How about putting it in the microwave? Not sure what would happen, but it sure would zap and kill the bugs

 

[Soaup]

I wouldnt do any of that, i have heard that toxins from the water can and do get absorbed in the wood, It becomes extremely difficult to sterilize after that.

I wouldnt do any of that, i have heard that toxins from the water and environment can and do get absorbed in the wood, It becomes extremely difficult to sterilize after that.

 

[Starfishpower]

I wouldnt do any of that, i have heard that toxins from the water can and do get absorbed in the wood, It becomes extremely difficult to sterilize after that.

I wouldnt do any of that, i have heard that toxins from the water and environment can and do get absorbed in the wood, It becomes extremely difficult to sterilize after that.

so what are you suggesting? that i discard it and get a new one all together. i dont really like the shape of it particularly and my friend who gave it to me actually kinda want sit back so im not partial to it. though if it has toxins in it i wuldnt want to give it to him either. what kind of toxins are you talking about by the way? i wouldnt think that it would ever have any on it since its been in a fishtank. unless of course it picked up something while sitting in the garage.

 

[Soaup]

Its been sitting in a garage? If its been used in a fish tank before then just a general cleaning will do. I didnt know if this was something you found outside and said wow that would look great in my fish tank.... Well if your friend wants it back then it might be his for the taking but otherwise, my mistake... You should be fine in that case.

 

[Starfishpower]

yep, its been used before.

 

[Lateral Line]

If he wants it back, well I'd give it back. I have all manner of old wood from various sources given to me , always given it a good scrub and hose and left it to soak in a rain barrel for a few months, scrub and hose, into the tank. Never had any issues.