Why Not Freeze It?

[Staccat0]

Sorry to bother ya'll, but after reading the sticky about wood I decided to snoop around the net and get more info. I've came across people suggesting you bake the wood at 200F.
I figure boiling is enough to kill most "baddies" but I can't imagine why no one talks about freezing the wood. Do they?
I'm not really suggesting that people should be that worried about it, but if you were couldn't you...

1. Freeze the wood.
2. Boil the wood.
3. Soak it.

I know that you can freeze your pillows to kill dustmites. I just figured it would be safer than baking and deliver a one two punch.

Any opinions on the subject? anyone thought of this before?

 

[The-Wolf]

there are many pathogens/algae/fungi etc that can survive freezing
there are very few that can handle extreme heat

 

[Staccat0]

there are many pathogens/algae/fungi etc that can survive freezing
there are very few that can handle extreme heat

oh, okay. None survive boiling? I mean, know that there are some bacteria that live in extremely hot water. I guess these are the only ones that do survive the hot?
Do you reccomend baking the wood? Or just boiling?

I just asked because I've noticed some people bake in addition to boil...

 

[The-Wolf]

I'm certainly no expert in microbiology, or anything else come to that,
but to the best of my knowledge there are very few organisms on this planet that can survive being boiled.
those that can are mostly found in marine environments, although there are some found in freshwater.

the odds on you having one of these on/in a piece of wood you intend on using is very very low,
so you can assume that boiling the wood is the safest course of action.
as for baking, the end result is the same; the wood is heated a great deal and any 'nasty' should be killed in the process.

another downside I can see with freezing is; when water freezes it expands, if this happens in a small crack of the wood, it could split the wood up,
thus spoiling the ascetics of the desired piece.

 

[SuperColey1]

The boiling also removes a lot of the tannins although you will stil get tea coloured water for a while.

Andy

 

[TarkMalbot]

I didn't boil my bogwood. I just brought it back home from the LFS and soaked it in a bucket of water outside for a few days.. Its been in the tank a few days now and things seem ok. Or are we talking about a different type of wood or wild wood?

 

[SuperColey1]

There are different types but normally even if you soak mopani or standard bogwood or driftwood it will leach tannins for a long time after which is no bad thing as it makes the water more natural for its inhabitants.

Just aesthetically we humans like the water to be super transparent and clear.

Andy

 

[Staccat0]

So... does anyone suggest baking the wood? Is baking going to be any more effective than boiling? I understand that boiling helps release tannins, but I'm more curious about any "hangers-on" the wood may have.

 

[gourami_fan]

I would stick to boiling the wood. Baking the wood would be like asking for a fire to start, since you are burning it in extremely high temperatures. Also, boiling it would probably get through to the inside, while baking would hit the surface and slowly make its way inside.

 

[RadaR]

Just thought that I would add that, boiling the wood causes it's pores to open (because of the heat) and release more tannins. Reducing the brown colouration when put it in your tank.

 

[Tacklebury]

I stuck a massive bit of bog wood in my tank ages ago, i'm taking 18 inches by 10 inches round. Its got lots of cracks and whole for the fish, and it still changes the water colour very slightly!

I thought it was dodgie water at first!!!