Miles And Piles Of Free Potential Driftwood From Hurricane Irma

[Donnerjay]

I survived Hurricane Irma in South Florida. But many trees did not. Today I explored for potential driftwood. In my neighborhood alone, we've lost more than 100 trees.

I collected live oak branches, as well as some mahogany branches and roots. After I strip the bark and let the wood dry out some more, I plan to boil it thoroughly. Would boiling the wood take care of any pesticide residue? I don't think any were used on our trees but just want to be sure.

Do any of you have experience with these two hardwoods? How about other Florida Fishlore members -- have you given any thought to using potential driftwood from the storm?

Flowingfins

 

[James17]

All this wood is not driftwood yet, I wish we could all use it to make something out of it but...
Driftwood has to soak and have sun to leach all it's sap out of the wood, it just takes time. The wood you have can be boiled but I would be very careful, these things take time.
Maybe I'm missing something, I'm not sure

 

[Donnerjay]

All this wood is not driftwood yet, I wish we could all use it to make something out of it but...
Driftwood has to soak and have sun to leach all it's sap out of the wood, it just takes time. The wood you have can be boiled but I would be very careful, these things take time.
Maybe I'm missing something, I'm not sure

Point taken. I used "potential driftwood" throughout my post, but not in the title (now edited).

That said, I want to ensure that these woods, properly prepared, are aquarium safe and suitable.

 

[James17]

Point taken. I used "potential driftwood" throughout my post, but not in the title (now edited).

That said, I want to ensure that these woods, properly prepared, are aquarium safe and suitable.

I'm sorry I was a little off last night, I'm better today.

 

[Donnerjay]

Thank you, James17 I appreciate this comment. And I am glad you are feeling better!

 

[maeh22]

Hmm I'm not a driftwood expert but if you boil the heck outta that wood it should be safe I think. Maybe leave it out in the sun for a week or so, let it get rained on, dried out again by the sun. Then bring it inside and boil the heck out of it. Maybe get a plastic bin from walmart and get a sponge filter or use an extra filter and fill the bin with water, no fish. Put the driftwood in and let it stay in there for a while to make sure it won't rot and mess up the water parameters. That's what I'd do but then again, I'm no expert at all so don't take my advice too heavily.

 

[Ed1957]

If you go to the shoreline I am sure there is a lot washed up.

 

[KirkyTurkey]

Yeah I went exploring the beaches for some the day after Irma and got a few good pieces...I also went scavenging around town for some branches and stuff as well, but like mentioned earlier, it takes a long time for it to become driftwood, so I just put cool pieces in my garden area for my vines to grow into. Maybe after some time of sitting out in the sun and baking it, I'll try seeing if it can be waterlogged for the tank, but who knows! I say check your beaches after any storm if you wanna find driftwood

 

[UnderwaterGalaxy]

Can the process be sped up by baking the wood pieces at lower temps? Say 200 degrees or so?

 

[KirkyTurkey]

Can the process be sped up by baking the wood pieces at lower temps? Say 200 degrees or so?

I feel like that would kill everything (good) but take out all water so it would float, that's why people say boil instead of bake

 

[MrsRaccoon]

Does sandblasting the wood help? We still have so much debris in this area.