how do i prepare driftwood from a creek for my aquarium?

Question

i want to use the wood from the creek near my house in my fish tank

Answer 1

First examine the driftwood. If there are any sharp ends on it you should'nt use it because the sharp end can hurt the fish causing mild injury, or stress.
If your driftwood float keep it in a bucket full of water for 5 days to a week with a weight or something heavy on it (unless you want it to float.) If your wood still floats after a week try another week and if it doesnt sink you cant make it work. After the 2 days you can put it in the aquarium.
But if it does sink you should keep it in a bucket of water for 2 days so that the dirt will come off before you put it in your aquarium.

Answer 2

Curing Driftwood

Though most driftwood will remain submerged underwater, some driftwood remains slightly buoyant until it is fully saturated and "waterlogged." Soak the driftwood in a large bucket as long as possible making sure the entire piece is completely underwater. A minimum period of 1 to 2 weeks is recommended to allow total saturation.

Soaking also allows excess tannins that can darken and discolor the water, to leach out. The discoloration caused by the tannins will not harm your aquarium inhabitants, but it will lower the pH slightly over time. Some hobbyists take advantage of this feature and utilize the tannins to achieve soft water conditions preferred by many tropical fish.

Monitor the soaking driftwood regularly to see if the water needs to be changed. As the water darkens, empty all of the water and gently rinse the driftwood. Fill the bucket with clean dechlorinated or reverse osmosis (RO) water and continue soaking the driftwood. As you repeat this process, you will notice that the water will be less "tea-stained." When you no longer notice any significant discoloration for several days in a row, the driftwood is ready for placement.

Boiling driftwood

Boiling driftwood has several benefits. Just like steeping a tea bag in hot water, boiling driftwood in a large stockpot encourage more tannins to leach out faster, thereby shortening the curing process. More importantly, boiling sterilizes the driftwood, killing algal or fungal spores that can take hold once introduced into the aquarium with the driftwood. Boiling the driftwood for 1-2 hours will sterilize the driftwood.

Answer 3

Most driftwood would float in an aquarium, is that what you want it for a resting spot for the turtles? If so sunning it for a day should be enough to kill most germs and bacteria. However if you can see some color bleeding off you might want to soak it in hot water till it stops bleeding.

Somebody might recommend Thompson's water seal as a quicker method. It takes an hour for a coat to dry.

If you are an artist you might want to try a stain to make it more beautiful. After staining then you need to put on a varnish coat so the color doesn't bleed away...

Answer 4

put it in warm water for a few weeks. It can take weeks and months to fully cure driftwood. The warm water will help the wood release its tannins faster.

Also the warm water is important, because the driftwood can very easily carry in paracites and other creatures that you wouldnt want in your aquarium.

Answer 5

Soak it for a few days and change the water frequently.

Answer 6

no clue