Proper treatment of aquarium driftwood before you put it in your tank

 Once you have an established aquarium, it is fun to add decorations and ornaments.  A popular choice is often aquarium driftwood.  If you have algae eating catfish in your tank, it is imperative that you add some aquarium driftwood because these fish require it for roughage.  Before you place a piece of wood in your tank you need to make sure that it has been treated properly first.

Untreated aquarium driftwood will leach and release lignins and tannins, chemicals found in wood.  The result will be lower pH levels as well as brown, murky water.  To prevent this from happening you can treat the wood yourself.  One way to treat it is to leave it soaking in a bucket of water.  Change the water a few times a week and once the water remains clear, it is safe to add to your fish tank.

Another way to treat aquarium driftwood is to boil it in water for 10 – 20 minutes.  Repeat this process a second time.  Remove and let cool and place in a bucket of water.  If the water remains clear, you can put the wood in your aquarium.  Smaller pieces should be ready to go after two boils, however, larger pieces may have to soak in the bucket of water for many weeks until the leaching is done.