bradleyheathhays Posted January 22, 2023 Share Posted January 22, 2023 I've used this wood before in a previous freshwater setup, but it's been outside (not on the ground) being rained on and in damp conditions for a while now and I need to sterilize it before putting the pieces back in the tank again. These pieces are too big to get into a pot to boil so I was wondering if I could sterilize them by heating in the oven. I don't use the oven much so it wouldn't be a problem leaving them in for an extended period of time if that's what it takes. Thanks for the advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer V Posted January 22, 2023 Share Posted January 22, 2023 I have read that you can bake it but I had an odd thought. @Guppysnail @Odd Duck @OnlyGenusCaps if Reverse Respiration kills harmful organisms on plants, would it work to sterilize driftwood? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lennie Posted January 22, 2023 Share Posted January 22, 2023 I personally boiled my pieces by turning over each side in case they were too big to fit it all at once. If still not an option; the belowmentioned video is what I think might help you. I came across the video while searching for different methods for my new tank. I ended up boiling again 😄 here is the video: 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lefty o Posted January 22, 2023 Share Posted January 22, 2023 even just letting it dry out 100% will kill off most things that may be living on/in it. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppysnail Posted January 22, 2023 Share Posted January 22, 2023 On 1/22/2023 at 5:06 PM, Jennifer V said: I have read that you can bake it but I had an odd thought. @Guppysnail @Odd Duck @OnlyGenusCaps if Reverse Respiration kills harmful organisms on plants, would it work to sterilize driftwood? Yes absolutely. It will penetrate but you need a pot or tote large enough to put the wood in. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer V Posted January 22, 2023 Share Posted January 22, 2023 On 1/22/2023 at 3:49 PM, Guppysnail said: Yes absolutely. It will penetrate but you need a pot or tote large enough to put the wood in. Awesome! @bradleyheathhays this might be a great option for you to try! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJenna Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 (edited) You definitely can bake it, low and slow. 200 F if piece of wood is about 6" bake for 2 hours. If it fills your oven 12 hours. Because it dries the wood out it may take longer to sink. You can put it in your dishwasher and run a heavy cycle without any soap or drying agents like Jet-Dry. Helps if your hot water is turned all the way up on your heater. I never used the dishwasher in my house, I had 4 human dishwashers, so mine was soap free. If you use this route you may want to run an empty cycle with some vinegar to eliminate any soap residue. Used to live very close to Lake MI and would take the kids to hunt driftwood to sell to lfs for pocket money. The store owner taught the kids these tips. Edited January 24, 2023 by JJenna Added cleaning dishwasher with vinegar 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwcarlson Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 I just bake everything at 200*F for a couple of hours. Probably totally unnecessary, but I'd feel pretty dumb if I skipped such an easy step and all my fish were belly up because of it. So it's more for me than anything else, I think. Doubly so if it's going in my discus tank. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odd Duck Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 I usually try to boil small pieces, or I soak large pieces (and sometimes small pieces) in my outdoor, black plastic barrel during the summer, in Texas. That water gets hot! I usually soak for a few weeks, sometimes much longer. I haven’t gotten a new wood piece since the RR info came out but there’s a pretty good chance I’d use that after doing the hot water barrel soak, but wouldn’t worry about it after boiling, of course. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Procrypsis Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 I've poured boiling water over very large pieces. It does help get rid of some of the nasties and clean the wood. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradleyheathhays Posted January 24, 2023 Author Share Posted January 24, 2023 Thanks for the advice everyone. Now what's this 'RR info' Odd Duck? Haven't heard of this before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMP Posted January 24, 2023 Share Posted January 24, 2023 Like the video linked recommends, hydrogen peroxide. I use it on wood and new plants. On wood you can use it for an extended period of time. On plants I soak them for a few minutes to kill off algae, snails, and unwanted biological contaminates. With wood I soak it submerged for a few hours then rinse off a few times and it’s good to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odd Duck Posted January 24, 2023 Share Posted January 24, 2023 On 1/23/2023 at 10:22 PM, bradleyheathhays said: Thanks for the advice everyone. Now what's this 'RR info' Odd Duck? Haven't heard of this before. Reverse Respiration. Check this link. https://forum.aquariumcoop.com/topic/24465-reverse-respiration/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now