# Sterilizing Wood



## joker555 (Jan 8, 2005)

I had some nice wood from an old tank laying around for a while and it fits just perfectly on a spot in a new tank. I put it in the dishwasher for a full cycle (no cleaning agents), did this do the trick or is there another way to better sterilize wood?

Thanks,
Dustin


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## Dane (Aug 19, 2004)

Boiling water will probably be the safest way to sterilze it without any residue. There's likely no way to remove any and all possible contaminants from something like that though.


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## joker555 (Jan 8, 2005)

Dane,

The water my dishwasher uses is just as hot if not hotter than boiling water. My friend who breeds finches uses her dishwasher to sterilize cage furnishings, which includes perching branches. Its just that ghost wood is more absorbent, so there is no telling if the core of the wood was sterilized as well. Or who knows, maybe it did the job...I always like a second opinion either way.

Thanks
Dustin


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## Darks!de (Nov 16, 2004)

This is a pretty good post to read regarding cleaning driftwood:

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/showquest ... fldAuto=34


Luke


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## Guest (Jan 22, 2005)

joker555 said:


> Dane,
> 
> The water my dishwasher uses is just as hot if not hotter than boiling water.


Unless this is some sort of super-pressurized dishwasher, the water would not be hotter than boiling water, or even 100 degrees celsius for that matter.. Dishwashers generally use straight hot water from the tap, as I do not beleive the machines heat the water in any way. 

I think boiling the piece of wood is your best option.


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## Dunner97074 (Sep 19, 2004)

On a side note, what ever your household water heater is set on will typically be the temp of the water used, however there are a few dishwashers with thier own heating elements to raise the water temp 20-30 degrees. That would usually come out to 160-190 degrees so not quite boiling (212f or 100c). But unless there was a gross contaminate on the wood, this would work. Because you can never 100% sterilized wood.
Mike


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## joker555 (Jan 8, 2005)

Double J said:


> joker555 said:
> 
> 
> > Dane,
> ...


Yep, it's pressurized....I still think I'll try boiling it.

Nice signiture btw :lol:


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## Guest (Jan 22, 2005)

if it means anything, i try to boil everything. the best pieces of wood are always to akward or big to boil though. in these cases i bake them in the oven at 220* for 20 minutes. ive never had trouble exhcanging wood, from one viv to another.


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