driftwood floating, a problem

[dvo112]

if there is anyone out there that can help me, i have a piece of driftwood but it won't stay at the bottom. I heard of putting suction cups on it but are there any other ways of doing this?

 

[Matt Nace]

-Soak it for weeks to monthes in a bucket.
-Tie it with fishing line to a rock
-Use a non -rusting screw and screw it to a piece of slate.

8)

 

[scrimman]

If you've got an undergravel filter, tie it to it.  Or tie it to a big rock.  Or make a frame out of small bits of 1X wood, attach it to your driftwood, then bury that.
I don't reccommend the soaking method.  You might be there for a very long time.

 

[Matt Nace]

scrimman-
people not only soak in a bucket to well let it sink but some people dont like the tanins it may put out into the tank.

 

[scrimman]

Understood, MaleRubyBarb.  I'm currently leaching a hunk of native ebony to get some of the tannins out.  It's been soaking for quite a while, and still making "tea". It was dense enough to begin with to keep it from floating.  Somewhere here on this board there's a post that details it. ;D

I was worried that he'd try to water-log it to keep it from surfacing.  That doesn't always work.  I know an old cedar (or what we call cedar around here) stump that proves that even after 20+ years you may not ever water-log it enough to keep it down.  It's older that the tank it's currently in and still has to be tied down. I wasn't dumping on you or your advice, it's just that I know that all woods aren't created equally when it comes to keeping them in place underwater.

 

[ronrca]

scimman, try boiling the wood. It takes the tannins out much faster than letting it soak. I did it in my tank (check the pics out). I boiled it for several hours, let it cool, then put it in the tank. The water is slightly tea colored but you cant really notice it.

 

[Matt Nace]

oh yeah, thanks ronrca, I did that too to mine..oops. Left that out. 8)

 

[ryanp15]

[glow=Blue,strength,width]You can also use some aquarium glue and glue the wood to something. I did that with a large piece of slat. Boiling it really helps get the tannins out.


     Ryan ;D[/glow]

 

[Fish Monger]

I can't really suggest using a screw.  Even if you get a stainless steel screw, odds are, it isn't 100% stainless.  A good test of this is to hold a strong magnet up to it.  If it sticks, it's not 100% stainless, if it doesn't stick it is 100% stainless.

I use aquarium silicon to attach it to a piece of thin slate, bury the slate in the gravel so the slate is actually resting on the bottom glass, and viola!  You don't see the slate, or the silicone holding it as the siliconed part is hidden under gravel!

 

[Cillana]

I bought a piece of driftwood and boiled it and soaked it for weeks but it still wouldn't sink. I glued some rocks to it that I already had. Silicon glue is great! You should glue a piece of slate to the bottom and bury the edges under the gravel like the others said. ;D