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TW
Thu Jan 21, 2010, 01:55 PM
Hi all

I have some driftwood in one tank that I am trying to sterilise before putting in the wild's tank. The pieces were in a tank with fish that were effected by some strange disease last year. They got sick but are the only 3 discus out of 18 that died. I don't think I "cured" them as such, but that they got the sickness, recovered & now might be carriers.

So, I don't trust those discus or the driftwood ..... but I do want to use it.

I've scrubbed them really well. Right now, the pieces are soaking in the laundry tub & I added around 3 litres of bleach, which I will later neutralise with fresh water & prime. They are too big to boil properly, but I thought I would boil water in the largest pan I have & put the wood in. The water won't keep to the boil though, as the lid won't fit on the pan once the driftwood is in it.

Will this be sufficient to make the wood safe. I think it should, but confirmation would be good.

Any better ideas for sterilising it?

Thanks in advance

ILLUSN
Thu Jan 21, 2010, 10:45 PM
Should be fine after the bleach just sundry them before they go into the tank.

TW
Fri Jan 22, 2010, 07:21 AM
Drat and double drat !

..... I now have white driftwood ..... guess i should have expected that, but I didn't ... hope it will darken up again



Should be fine after the bleach just sundry them before they go into the tank. Thanks Jothy

ILLUSN
Fri Jan 22, 2010, 09:38 AM
LMAO

once it gets wet it turns brown again it doesnt stay white

Old Dave
Fri Jan 22, 2010, 10:36 AM
Ditto!!

TW
Fri Jan 22, 2010, 12:49 PM
:ug

Dan s
Sat Jan 23, 2010, 04:13 PM
Hello Robyn,

If I need to sterilise bogwood I use a really strong PP bath for atleast 24 hours if not longer.

PP will also darken it up again. I also tend to leave it in a water butt afterwards for 48 hours with a constant trickle of fresh water.

Dan

TW
Sun Jan 24, 2010, 12:20 PM
Thanks Dan - good tip !

After emptying bleach water mix Friday night, it has been soaking the rest of the weekend in several changes of fresh dechlorinated water - staying white through it all.

Dan, Before I read your post, I decided to try a bit of good old elbow grease. After much scrubbing, it's now more or less back to it's original colour ..... probably would have gone back to that colour eventually on it's own in time, or the PP idea would have done it with much less work .....

hampson
Sat Feb 13, 2010, 08:37 AM
Hi all
PP ?

hampson
Sat Feb 13, 2010, 08:39 AM
Hi all
PP ?

rwel4809
Sun Feb 14, 2010, 08:21 PM
pp = potassium permanganate - you can get it from a pharmacist.