Being that I live near the ocean, I've decided to start collecting the driftwood to decorate my GF tank. How do you make it safe to put in the tank? I'm sure that after floating around in the Atlantic for awhile, it has to be pretty yucky and full of salt... right?
Thanks!

Heres some info for you:)

http://kokosgoldfish.com/forum/index.php?s...42&hl=driftwood

Thanks for the link. As I understand it, all I really have to do is soak it in fresh water for awhile, right? Yeay! Looks like my dog and I are going for a walk on the beach tomarrow...

Seems to me like a piece of wood that has been floating around in the ocean would have quite a bit of absorbed salt. Now, I have no idea whether floating it in fresh water will completely remove the salt, but it seems to me like you would still have quite a bit of salt left in the wood afterwards....maybe I'm wrong though...

I put in a request to floridadriftwood.com. I asked them what they do to prepare the wood they sell. No response yet. It's the weekend, so maybe I'll hear something this week. I personally can't bring myself to experiment on my fish by throwing in an unknown element into the tank. On the other hand, salt is a natural disinfectant for many types of parasites. I'll be sure to post any response I get from floridadriftwood.com

Thanks! I'm leary about just adding any old thing to my fish tank, but plan on looking for interesting pieces anyway just in case there _is_ a safe way to sterilize driftwood. If not, I'll have something cool to hang on my wall or decorate the outside of the tank (currently just has a model of a submarine sitting on the filter cover). I can wait to hear your news! Keep us posted!

You could let it soak in a bath of pottasium permanganate. I have found pure pp at home depot or you could get a bottle of "jungle clear water". Just make sure the water stays a nice deep purple for a day and that should kill everything. Also be careful when using this product since it is a potent oxidizer and can be harmful too you if you come in contact with it.

If the piece is relatively small, or if you have a pot big enough, you can boil the driftwood rather than disinfecting it with bleach or PP - this is what I do when size permits.

***UPDATE***
No word from floridadriftwood.com - I'm not entirely surprised. jetman73, have you used potassium permanganate before? Is it expensive? Is it a natural product/byproduct? I have a nice chunk of driftwood I'd love to get into my tanks...

Hmm... I'm not being updated as to replies to my posts anymore. Thanks for your ideas. I've been reassured by my biologist/chemist-fater-in-law that PP should kill everything, but a nice bath of boiling water for a few hours couldnt hurt either. I adore and admire this man, and because he's never lead me astray before- I trust his opinion. So maybe I'll give it a try. I'll hafta see exactly how cold its gotten (in SE Conn.) and maybe go for a walk on the beach today. Or, better idea, I'll go visit my in-laws this weekend and find something in the freshwater resivior in their back yard...
I mean... natural driftwood has to come from _somewhere_, right? Otherwise, how does it get to the pet stores, rendered safe to put in a fishtank?
Thanks guys!

I have found pottasium permanganate at the local Home Depot although for some reason they don't carry it at lowes. I paid around $7 for a 1.5 lb. jar of the pure crytals. This will be enough too last you a lifetime. If you can't find it you can by "Clear Water" that is made by jungle at wal mart. It is just a diluted version.
Be careful when using it and don't get it on your skin or especially in your eyes since it is a potent oxidizer. I put a little in the water until it turns deep purple. Try too keep the water this color for 24 hours(overkill) and you will rid the wood of anything that was living. If the water starts too go pink or brown just add some more too keep it purple. Once you are done with the soak you can deactivate the pp with hydrogen peroxide.The water will go brown and then you will know that it is not active. Then give it a nice scrub and you should be good to go.

Thanks! Now if only this yucky weather would let up....