Waterlogging driftwood for low TDS, low pH tank

[LooksLater]

I have a problem. I bought a new piece of driftwood for the new 6g bowfront (finally going to do my 'tree' with some fissidens fontanus), problem is: it doesn't want to sink. Here's the thing- this tank is a low pH, low TDS tank. I don't want to add rocks, etc that will pull up the TDS.

I left it in the tank, weighted down by another waterlogged piece of wood, for a week or so- no go. I pulled it out and boiled it in RO for 4+ hours, no go. It's still floating and doesn't seem to be any closer to getting waterlogged.

Does anyone have any tricks for speeding up this process that I'm not considering? I've heard of drilling or gluing the bottom to a piece of slate, but am not sure how this will effect my pH/TDS levels. Anyone have any experience with this? Same with weighing it down with rock, or drilling a hole through the 'trunk' and stuffing it with rebar, etc... I'm totally new to low pH/ low TDS tanks and don't want to mess it up being impatient with this wood!

Any advice is really appreciated!!

[Ballinxalex]

I have same problem also

[sunkenmetal]

drill it and screw it to a piece of slate or tile

[sunkenmetal]

or just keep boiling it lol

[Ballinxalex]

I don't have any screws that are safe or what ever

[sunkenmetal]

I don't have any screws that are safe or what ever

buy some

[Ballinxalex]

What are they called and why cant I just use the reg screws? Thanks for the info not to jump on his thread

[sunkenmetal]

stainless steel wood screws

[Ballinxalex]

Thanks

[LooksLater]

Yes, but the question there was, will the slate leach off and raise my TDS?

[Totenkampf]

if you get a quartz based slate or tile it will be inert. for small aquariums like you are talking about i will find a piece of tupperware and cut the sides down to about an inch high and then screw it into this with SS wood screws. The substrate is tylically heavy enough to keep everything down.

[Totenkampf]

Yes, but the question there was, will the slate leach off and raise my TDS?

if it is a quartz type it will not leach solids

[LooksLater]

if it is a quartz type it will not leach solids

Cool! Thanks. Is that what is commonly sold at home depot, etc?

Good idea on the tupperware, but I'm not convinced it would hold. This wood is fighting to get to the top, and the brightwell substrate is light, light, light- it gets blown around so easy. I can try it, but not sure that'll work in my situation.

[Totenkampf]

they have stuff in all different matierials at HD, i have never purchased it there though since i would normally by quartz at a landscape supply. it would prolly be to thick there for your nano though.

you are probably right on the brightwell or any of the other low pH soils, they dont seem very heavy

[LooksLater]

Thanks for your help, Jeff! I appreciate it. This is my first soft tank, so I have never really done the research on what rocks/ materials are inert and which aren't, and now that I am trying it's confusing the hell out of me! And YES- that brightwell substrate has surprisingly little weight. I know it'll pack down eventually, but right now water changes are a PITA, it's like having a tank full of feathers.

I'm hoping to keep the TDS almost nonexistent, for raising CBS in there. As I understand it, that'll help the breeding rate. I'd also just like to see if I can do it, because I'm curious...

I think I have a better idea of what we're looking for- most igneous rocks, quartz and quartz based sandstone, and slate but not shale...right? hahah. I think we'll also do what one website suggested and pick up some acid from the pool supply store so that we can do acid-drop tests on the rocks to be sure.

Here's a couple of good sites I found, if anyone else, like me, has no idea how rocks and metals can effect your water chemistry and would like to brush up:

http://watershed3.tripod.com/rocks.html

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/rock_metals.php

One thing I haven't been able to find yet is- would ceramics/clay tile be inert? Anyone have any idea?