Boil driftwood in a crockpot?

[CalmedByFish]

Title. I have my first-ever driftwood coming in the mail. To disinfect it, I was planning to boil it in a pot, as is the norm. But sheesh, I have a kid to take care of.

What if I just stick it in a crockpot on high, and walk off? I could notice when it gets to a low boil, set a timer for an hour, then turn off the crockpot. 

Any obvious problems with that idea?

[Guppysnail]

That should work just fine. I think it’s a fantastic idea. I boil my wood as well. I know all the arguments for not needing to but I do anyway. It makes me feel better. Hope you are setting in well from your move. 

[scott the fishman]

Should work i boil mine in a huge kettle.

[KaitieG]

Seems like a fantastic idea to me! 

If you leave it in 6-8 hours it should come out nice and tender too 😉

[Streetwise]

I would just rinse off any dust and use it. I have more wood than tanks, and none of my pieces has ever caused a problem.

[Brandon p]

I cook the cypress or wood that I don’t want to let tannins out. The others I rinse and leave out in the sun. 

[CalmedByFish]

On 12/3/2021 at 7:53 PM, Streetwise said:

I would just rinse off any dust and use it. I have more wood than tanks, and none of my pieces has ever caused a problem.

This is super interesting to me. I've heard wood can carry "pathogens" and "harmful" things into the tank, but I don't actually remember hearing of anything specific that wood might carry in.

I know "biofilm" is common, and that it's a bacteria some critters will eat. (I'm actually getting the wood in hopes of creating biofilm for my shrimp.) It's easy for me to understand that people think it looks gross, so would want to avoid it. 

I suppose wood might get man-made chemicals on it, and boiling might help somehow?

What about wood can be dangerous?

[Brandon p]

If I have wet cypress I will always boils because I found In a swamp. Same with others woods that I that I find  in standing water. Other wooded that are dry as they are less likely to have active disease or live pest I rinse and put out in the sun. Sun is great to killl microscopic organisms. I would rather not boil if I have a choice. I have a huge cooking pot I got at a yard sale a big one. If I need it. I have 3 giant cypress knees that are over a 100 years old and they have been boiled and soaking for over a year. Boiling is one of the ways people use to help work sink. I t don’t think works well for that. I think sinking it in a bucket or in the tank weighted down is the best for that.

[Flumpweesel]

On 12/4/2021 at 6:05 AM, Brandon p said:

Sun is great

When it's about, I think you have better access to that method than well certainly me. (Not jealous honest)

As to @CalmedByFish boiling can certainly speed up the tannin removal and absorption of the water so if it fits in your pan why not. It will also ensure any critters exit although that shouldn't be an issue with purchased pieces. Once upon a time I boiled all the hardscape before adding  I think there are merits to it especially for manufactured items cause you just don't know where they have been before you got them.

Has anyone used their dishwasher you can sterilise thing in them. I don't have one at the moment but I think I'd certainly consider that if I could.

 

 

[Guppysnail]

On 12/4/2021 at 1:05 AM, Brandon p said:

Boiling is one of the ways people use to help work sink

Yes it definitely helps I’m impatient so love doing it this way  @CalmedByFish crock pot method would definitely be easier to just set and forget for this  

 

On 12/4/2021 at 3:52 AM, Flumpweesel said:

Has anyone used their dishwasher you can sterilise thing in them. I don't have one at the moment but I think I'd certainly consider that if I could.

Unlike dawn dish soap dishwasher soap leaves a toxic residue. This residue is in the dishwasher and could potentially contaminate the wood. I would be Leary