Old Driftwood Floating

[Niz]

I have had this piece of drift wood in my tank for about 9 months. I purchased from a tank at my LFS which it had ben in there for a few months. Originally it sank and stayed at the bottom until a month ago. Not it is standing vertically like this?! I moved it to my pleco fry tank last weekend and it just wont stay down. Any ideas on why it continues to float? 

[Colu]

It could be trapped air causing it floating 

[TheSwissAquarist]

Maybe try attaching weights to it if you want the quick solution, but normally it sorts itself out within a week.

I guess it could be oxygen formed by bacteria making it float?

[Niz]

On 10/4/2022 at 10:17 AM, TheSwissAquarist said:

Maybe try attaching weights to it if you want the quick solution, but normally it sorts itself out within a week.

I guess it could be oxygen formed by bacteria making it float?

That is interesting, did not know bacteria could do that but it would make sense. The wood is squishy but still intact and not falling apart. I would say it could sort it self out but it seems to be floating more. If you look at the picture it is only one side that floats as well. Just very strange. 

[DaveO]

Since it started to float after you moved it from one tank to another, it most likely has air trapped in it. Try slowly rotating it under water and see if it burps. I would hold the floaty side lower down in the water.

[TheSwissAquarist]

On 10/4/2022 at 5:36 PM, DaveO said:

you moved it from one tank to another, it most likely has air trapped in it.

I must have missed that part ; my bad.

[Niz]

On 10/4/2022 at 11:36 AM, DaveO said:

Since it started to float after you moved it from one tank to another, it most likely has air trapped in it. Try slowly rotating it under water and see if it burps. I would hold the floaty side lower down in the water.

I will try that. It has been standing up in my 90 gallon before moving it over. I might try putting a rock on it for a few days in the tank and see if that helps too. 

I am thinking the wood is just getting old. I have no idea how long it was submerged at the store, they said a few months but it could have been longer. 

[TheSwissAquarist]

On 10/4/2022 at 6:09 PM, Niz said:

I will try that. It has been standing up in my 90 gallon before moving it over. I might try putting a rock on it for a few days in the tank and see if that helps too. 

I am thinking the wood is just getting old. I have no idea how long it was submerged at the store, they said a few months but it could have been longer. 

The rock sounds like a great idea.

I’ve never heard of the age of wood impacting it’s buoyancy.

[Odd Duck]

I’ve had driftwood pieces that were soaked for months in a barrel, then zip-tied to rocks for months more.  When I finally released them from the zip-ties, they floated.  I had to finally attach them to slate pieces to hold them down.  Now I just go ahead and attach any new driftwood to slate before it goes in the tank.  I’ll soak it and give it a chance to sink, but it doesn’t get “placed” until it’s either sunk on its own or held down with slate.

Did I mention that the wood pieces had been in water for almost a full year between soaking them in a barrel of water and having them in the tank attached to rocks?  A YEAR!!!  Check out my link below to my 100 G Nanofish tank if you want to read the entire tale.

[Niz]

On 10/4/2022 at 11:46 PM, Odd Duck said:

I’ve had driftwood pieces that were soaked for months in a barrel, then zip-tied to rocks for months more.  When I finally released them from the zip-ties, they floated.  I had to finally attach them to slate pieces to hold them down.  Now I just go ahead and attach any new driftwood to slate before it goes in the tank.  I’ll soak it and give it a chance to sink, but it doesn’t get “placed” until it’s either sunk on its own or held down with slate.

Did I mention that the wood pieces had been in water for almost a full year between soaking them in a barrel of water and having them in the tank attached to rocks?  A YEAR!!!  Check out my link below to my 100 G Nanofish tank if you want to read the entire tale.

I have seen that and have 2 large pieces in my 90 with slate on the bottom. The strange part is, this piece of wood used to sink like a rock. Now one side floats and it stands vertically. It just does not make any sense and I cannot find anything about driftwood floating after it has been water logged. 

[Odd Duck]

On 10/5/2022 at 7:53 AM, Niz said:

I have seen that and have 2 large pieces in my 90 with slate on the bottom. The strange part is, this piece of wood used to sink like a rock. Now one side floats and it stands vertically. It just does not make any sense and I cannot find anything about driftwood floating after it has been water logged. 

That is strange and makes me wonder about trapped air bubbles or gas pockets developing from decomposition inside the wood like others mentioned.  Or maybe it was gripped just enough by the substrate to keep it at a different angle?  I would certainly take a very close look at it.  Maybe put it in a barrel or tub and shake it well at all different angles, and try squeezing it since it’s getting soft and see if air bubbles come out?  I would NOT squeeze it with fish in the tank since it could potentially be a noxious gas accumulation from bacteria.  If shaking and turning releases a gas bubble, that’s likely just trapped air vs. gas produced secondary to wood decomp.

[Niz]

I have had the driftwood now submerged with a rock for 8 days, put it in a bucket and tried to squeeze it, turned it other directions in the tank and it will still float exactly like the picture above. Tried it in my 90 again and it floats the top of the driftwood only. The bigger end sinks but the skinny side floats.... My mind is blown, again this piece used to sink, it was laying flat for 5 months creating a hide in my larger tank.