Getting Spider Wood To Sink?

[Isobelle]

I’ve had a small piece of spider wood in my 20 gallon (fishless) floating for about 2 days with no signs of sinking. It sat in a bucket of hot water (held under with a colander) for a few hours the first day. Any tips on getting it to fall faster? Thank you!

 

[Fishy McGee]

Sticking into the substrate for a while helps it waterlog faster, then you can pull it out and place it on the substrate surface as desired. I had the same problem in my 10 gallon!

 

[Isobelle]

Sticking into the substrate for a while helps it waterlog faster, then you can pull it out and place it on the substrate surface as desired. I had the same problem in my 10 gallon!

Thank you! Unfortunately I forgot to mention the substrate is sand.... so not really getting along with me, haha.

 

[spicegirls5ever]

Thank you! Unfortunately I forgot to mention the substrate is sand.... so not really getting along with me, haha.

Try tying a small rock to it, or a couple of rocks so that it sits how you like. I had to place a few smaller rocks on my driftwood for a month or two as it soaked up enough water to stay on the bottom by itself. Fishing line would work for this, or use rubber bands. Both should be safe temporarily. You could also glue the rocks to it but that makes it harder to rearrange it later of course.

I recently bought a few smaller pieces and they sunk on their own within a day, but I suspect I just got lucky with those.

 

[Fishy McGee]

Haha well if you press it in enough it still works, you will just get wet hands and the wood will be covered for a while... but don’t press it completely in, just enough to cover some of those crazy branches

 

[Isobelle]

Thank you! Here is the feisty offender doing his thang.

 

[DoubleDutch]

Patienceeeeeeeee

 

[Fishy McGee]

You always crack me up DoubleDutch XD

 

[TheFishArchitect]

I'd sink it in a different area before putting it in your tank.
For example, trying to sink it in a container with a heavy object holding it down, (i.e. a pot with more water or rocks from outside) it should make it easier for it to sink in your tank.

 

[-Mak-]

Boiling will water log it much faster

 

[Isobelle]

Boiling will water log it much faster

Thank you, this was my first idea but it’s a bit too big for any of my pots :/ patience it is haha

 

[Wraithen]

Thank you, this was my first idea but it’s a bit too big for any of my pots :/ patience it is haha

Mine floated for about a week, then sat sideways for another week, then was super light for a week, then covered in fungus for a month. Not encouraging I know, but it sank fine after that and was a cool little weird tree for a while before I got bored with it.

 

[DoubleDutch]

The only reason wood sinks faster by cooking is it damages woodcells.
Cause that also makes it earlier to rot I wouldn't.

It is quite "fresh" wood / root of a Rhodondendron btw. It might start to fungus for some.time (don't panick)

 

[-Mak-]

Thank you, this was my first idea but it’s a bit too big for any of my pots :/ patience it is haha

Hmmm some people sit theirs in a sink or tub with the drain stopped and just pour boiling water over them continuously. Bit labor intensive but I think I myself will be doing this soon for my newest scape :')

 

[CoryB]

I’ve had a small piece of spider wood in my 20 gallon (fishless) floating for about 2 days with no signs of sinking. It sat in a bucket of hot water (held under with a colander) for a few hours the first day. Any tips on getting it to fall faster? Thank you!

Any luck getting the spider wood to sink? I'm on day 2 with mine. yesterday I boiled it for about 1 hour, now it's been in the tank with a rock on top keeping it down but if I remove the rock it still floats.

 

[DarkOne]

I usually put new wood in a bucket with hot water for about a week. I change the water for the first 3 days with hot tap water and then every other day for the rest of the week or until it sinks.

 

[Isobelle]

Nope no luck, it’s been in hot water changed out twice a day for probably 3 days and I’m boiling it on the stove right now. We’ll see I guess!

 

[Fishy McGee]

I’m sorry for your luck!

 

[Wraithen]

I super glued the bottom of mine to a rock. After a week I took the rock off and it still floated so I decided to let it make itself look stupid. A few days later it was almost vertical in the tank, and after another week it sank... crooked. It sorted itself out after that and sinks great now! It may be annoying for a while, but will eventually work out.

 

[Isobelle]

Update- boiled it for about an hour and it’s actually somehow MORE buoyant now

 

[Fishy McGee]

Oh my!

 

[Wraithen]

Best to chuck it in some deeper water and forget it exists for a few weeks. The boiling likely opened up the fibers and got air pockets.

 

[Nappers]

Do you know anyone with a pressure cooker?

 

[Isobelle]

Best to chuck it in some deeper water and forget it exists for a few weeks. The boiling likely opened up the fibers and got air pockets.

It did hiss a little out of one spot, haha.

Do you know anyone with a pressure cooker?

I do! But it is a bit of a tough piece as it has this one branch that sticks out the top (I was going to tie anubias to it, haha) that makes it pretty impossible to fit in anywhere.