How to cure Driftwood
When adding Driftwood to the aquarium it is important to take time to prepare it to prevent future problems in your fish tank.
Driftwood is like anything when you add it to your aquarium. You need to make sure that it is clean and ready to use otherwise it can introduce harmful substances into your aquarium. And as the saying goes, once you add something undesirable into your aquarium it will always be small traces of it left even after water changes. So lets get it right the first time.
Firstly have a think about what you want your fish tank to look like and how big it is. Then go and buy the appropriate size driftwood.
When introducing the driftwood into your fish tank you will need to clean it. Use a brittle brush that has not been used for anything else and scrub the outside of the driftwood whilst running it under a tap. This will remove any dirt and unwanted substances from the driftwood. Then place your driftwood in a bucket of water for a couple of days to allow it to cure. It may turn your water slightly yellow which is why we are using the bucket.
A lot of driftwood will float and you will know when the driftwood has cured because it will stop floating.
Next step is to put boiling water over the driftwood to sterilize it. This will kill any unwanted algae and any other unwanted bacteria.
Firstly have a think about what you want your fish tank to look like and how big it is. Then go and buy the appropriate size driftwood.
When introducing the driftwood into your fish tank you will need to clean it. Use a brittle brush that has not been used for anything else and scrub the outside of the driftwood whilst running it under a tap. This will remove any dirt and unwanted substances from the driftwood. Then place your driftwood in a bucket of water for a couple of days to allow it to cure. It may turn your water slightly yellow which is why we are using the bucket.
A lot of driftwood will float and you will know when the driftwood has cured because it will stop floating.
Next step is to put boiling water over the driftwood to sterilize it. This will kill any unwanted algae and any other unwanted bacteria.
Once the Driftwood has been treated you can now place it inside the aquarium. Driftwood does not need to be fully submersed and many aquariums have parts of driftwood sticking out of the top. Drift wood can sometimes turn the tank water yellow and this can be rectified with regular water changes.
Many species of fish will benefit from the addition of driftwood because it mimics their natural habitat and helps to create the water chemistry found in their natural habitat.
-Always make sure the driftwood you purchase is for fish
