Wild Driftwood Preparation

I wouldn't use bleach around aquarium at all. Once, a few years ago, I
bleached some african driftwood and after quite a bit of rinsing I put it
back in the aquarium again. Some time later, my fish started dying. I
removed the driftwood, soaked it in water for weeks, then put it away. About
two years later I decided to put the driftwood back in again, and the same
thing started happening again.
Now the driftwood is gone and I have no more problems. Knock on wood.

Martin

"Kodiak" wrote in message
news
Anyone have experience collecting wild driftwood?
What processing steps do you need to take? Boiling
with salt, disinfecting etc. Is this a dangeroius proposition?
Bought Store driftwood is bloody expensive.
...Kodiak

I think the key is to not use bleach on anything which is porous, or
cannot be properly rinsed. My own random mutterings on driftwood are
here http://www.2cah.com/netmax/basics/dr...riftwood.shtml . Very
valid point on the slate interfering with planting unless you have very
deep gravel. Using a thin sheet of Plexiglas would work better, but the
wood would need to be less buoyant to start with (or you could first
waterlog it a bit by soaking & boiling). I haven't tried melting lead
into bores yet. Not even sure where I would buy lead. I wonder if the
lead used for plant bunches is pure lead, or perhaps a zinc, tin mixture.
--
www.NetMax.tk

"Martin & Karen" wrote in message
...
I wouldn't use bleach around aquarium at all. Once, a few years ago, I
bleached some african driftwood and after quite a bit of rinsing I put
it
back in the aquarium again. Some time later, my fish started dying. I
removed the driftwood, soaked it in water for weeks, then put it away.
About
two years later I decided to put the driftwood back in again, and the
same
thing started happening again.
Now the driftwood is gone and I have no more problems. Knock on wood.

Martin

"Kodiak" wrote in message
news
Anyone have experience collecting wild driftwood?
What processing steps do you need to take? Boiling
with salt, disinfecting etc. Is this a dangeroius proposition?
Bought Store driftwood is bloody expensive.
...Kodiak

|| I haven't tried melting lead into bores yet. Not even sure where I would
buy
|| lead. I wonder if the lead used for plant bunches is pure lead, or
|| perhaps a zinc, tin mixture. --
|| www.NetMax.tk

I can't say what the weights are, but the lead I'm using is bars of lead
used as muzzleloader balls, .44, .45, .50 caliber guns I occasionally
shoot...

My father has a melter that he used, and one day I was wondering.... it
works, but I seal up the end with silicone, covering it with gravel or wood
chips, and even sand, so you can't even tell it's any different....

--
RedForeman ©® future fabricator and creator of a ratbike
streetfighter!!! ==========================
2003 TRX450ES
1992 TRX-350 XX (For Sale)
'98 Tacoma Ext Cab 4X4 Lifted....
==========================
ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸¸,ø¤° `°¤ø,¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø


is that better??

Isn't lead in the water bad for fish?
....Kodiak

"RedForeman ©®" wrote in message
...
|| I haven't tried melting lead into bores yet. Not even sure where I
would
buy
|| lead. I wonder if the lead used for plant bunches is pure lead, or
|| perhaps a zinc, tin mixture. --
|| www.NetMax.tk

I can't say what the weights are, but the lead I'm using is bars of lead
used as muzzleloader balls, .44, .45, .50 caliber guns I occasionally
shoot...

My father has a melter that he used, and one day I was wondering.... it
works, but I seal up the end with silicone, covering it with gravel or
wood
chips, and even sand, so you can't even tell it's any different....

--
RedForeman ©® future fabricator and creator of a ratbike
streetfighter!!! ==========================
2003 TRX450ES
1992 TRX-350 XX (For Sale)
'98 Tacoma Ext Cab 4X4 Lifted....
==========================
ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸¸,ø¤° `°¤ø,¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø


is that better??

|| Isn't lead in the water bad for fish?
|| ...Kodiak

Maybe in some form, but the lead I'm using is probably mixed with tin, and
is pretty mallable, also, I cover the exposed part with silicone... not sure
if it matters, but I try...

--
RedForeman ©® future fabricator and creator of a ratbike
streetfighter!!! ==========================
2003 TRX450ES
1992 TRX-350 XX (For Sale)
'98 Tacoma Ext Cab 4X4 Lifted....
==========================
ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸¸,ø¤° `°¤ø,¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø


is that better??

I checked most of my books but couldn't find any supporting evidence to
my recollection that tin is more toxic to fish than lead. Perhaps I'm
thinking about zinc (which is definitely toxic!). Is tin considered a
heavy metal? The only heavy metal I know comes from my speakers ;~).
In any case, sealing with silicone should mitigate any trouble (imo).
--
www.NetMax.tk

"RedForeman ©®" wrote in message
...
|| Isn't lead in the water bad for fish?
|| ...Kodiak

Maybe in some form, but the lead I'm using is probably mixed with tin,
and
is pretty mallable, also, I cover the exposed part with silicone... not
sure
if it matters, but I try...

--
RedForeman ©® future fabricator and creator of a ratbike
streetfighter!!! ==========================
2003 TRX450ES
1992 TRX-350 XX (For Sale)
'98 Tacoma Ext Cab 4X4 Lifted....
==========================
ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸¸,ø¤° `°¤ø,¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø


is that better??