# bog wood



## cockneyguy77 (Sep 11, 2007)

i have just bought some bog wood can i use any exterior varnish but not yatch varnish


----------



## Guest (Oct 7, 2007)

why do you want to use varnish? If its going in your tank just boil or soak, maybe bleach it. If you bleach it, treat it with chlorine remover afterwards.


----------



## cueball (May 24, 2005)

a a big boilin pot for bout a hour or so ....


----------



## cockneyguy77 (Sep 11, 2007)

cockneyguy77 said:


> i have just bought some bog wood can i use any exterior varnish but not yatch varnish


cant remember who but they said varnishing would save waiting for it to soak, i have two large pieces and i have been soaking them for five weeks and the orangy brown water has'nt started to fade yet, how long does the process take, thanks for your help


----------



## cueball (May 24, 2005)

get stainless screws and screw it to a flat rock

or you could pin it down with a few rocks or somethin


----------



## Guest (Oct 13, 2007)

cockneyguy77 said:


> i have just bought some bog wood can i use any exterior varnish but not yatch varnish


cant remember who but they said varnishing would save waiting for it to soak, i have two large pieces and i have been soaking them for five weeks and the orangy brown water has'nt started to fade yet, how long does the process take, thanks for your help
[/quote]
It takes a long time for it to go away, it takes less time if you boil it. I would not use varnish since it can come off and the last thing you want to do is introduce chemicals to your tank. I would just thrown the wood in the tank and deal with the tannis.


----------



## Uncle Rico (Sep 4, 2005)

My malaysian driftwood leached for about 4 years, and does very slightly even now (though if I notice it now it also means I haven't done a water change as scheduled). The only way to remove the color is with carbon, and you definitely do not want to do that because carbon will remove the ferts from the water as well(and do other unwanted things). As was suggested previously, it is something you just have to deal with. You can try to get out as much as you can by boiling, but I bet it will still leach no matter how much you boil it. It's just part of having wood in a planted tank. Eventually, it will leach slow enough that the water changes will keep the water pretty clear, though it will always leach.


----------

