Second Hand Bogwood

I have purchased a piece of second hand bogwood, told it was from a disease free tank but have to take their word for that, it's a lovely big piece too big to boil though is there anyway to make it safe for tank, i have no fish in as im about to fishless cycle it.

If there are any fish diseases still on it, they should die off during the cycling process because of all that ammonia you'll be adding, and because without a fish to infect they won't live long anyway.

The other possibility is the more likely contamination. Do you have anything big enough to soak the wood in, a large bowl or some such? Soaking with repeated water changes should get rid of any contamination. Or in the shower as biffster suggests.


You shouldn't actually boil wood as it speeds up the breakdown of fibres. Pouring not quite boiling water over the wood is the better way.
And as the wood has been used before, most of the tannins should already have leached out so you don't need to soak it for that reason.

It depends on what they did with it after they removed it from their tank. If I put mine in the garden to dry out it would probably end up covered in weed killer the way my husband keeps his weeds under control. He does a weekly 'weed walk' and zaps any offending greenery with a spray gun.........

i think it was pathogens that aquamaid was
more bothered about like little nasty's on it   

But weedkillers available to the public break down after a few hours exposure - no access to the really strong stuff these days 

I still wouldn't risk it!
Any wood that had been standing in our garden for any length of time would get a good wash.

Yes a good scrub with boiling water then i think, thanks all