How to Clean Driftwood for an Aquarium

Opt for natural decor in your fish tank instead of artificial plants or rocks for a visually pleasing aquarium look. Real plants and wood can also form an important substrate and food source for some fish species. Incorporate driftwood into an aquarium as an important element of your aquarium's natural decoration. Driftwood is easily obtainable and, once properly cleaned, can be easily added to any fish tank.

Things You'll Need

  • Pressure washer
  • 1 gal. water
  • 1 1/2 cups household bleach
  • Gallon-sized plastic bucket
  • Large pot
  • Plastic bin or trash can
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Instructions

    • 1

      Choose a piece of driftwood that will fit your tank and add visual interest and a useful habitat for your fish. For example, a branch may give fish multiple hiding places while a large block of wood can be useful for visually separating a tank. Driftwood can be found on the shores of many beaches, as well as along the banks of some rivers, swamps and streams.

    • 2

      Spray down the driftwood with a pressure washer. The hard spray will dislodge any physical debris caught in the driftwood and acts as a preliminary rinse.

    • 3

      Pour a gallon of water into a bucket. Mix in 1 1/2 cups of household bleach. Submerge the driftwood into the bucket. Soak for 1 minute to disinfect the wood and kill any bacteria and parasites that are on the wood. Remove it from the bleach solution and rinse it again with the pressure washer.

    • 4

      Soak the driftwood in a large plastic tub or container filled with plain water. Soak it until the wood no longer leeches tannins, a plant dye that is naturally present in most wood. The time it takes to soak varies according to the type of wood that the driftwood consists of, as well as the driftwood's size. Change the water whenever it turns light brown.

    • 5

      Boil a pot of water and submerge the driftwood in the pot to accelerate the leeching process. You may also want to boil already leeched driftwood to make it more waterlogged so that it sits on the bottom of the drift tank. Empty the water as it turns brown and replace it with fresh water. Continue to boil until the water remains relatively clear and the driftwood doesn't rise to the surface. This may take several hours.

    • 6

      Place the driftwood in the aquarium. Arrange your plants and gravel around the driftwood so that it appears natural. Some aquarium enthusiasts use silicone to adhere the wood to the bottom of the tank. You may consider this if you have active substrate feeders, such as catfish, that may push the driftwood around in search of food or hiding.