Rinse with clean water
Rinse each piece under clean running water and use a dedicated, clean brush to remove loose dust or debris. Skip soaps, bleach, and chemical cleaners entirely.
Aquarium care resource
How to Prepare Aquarium Driftwood: Rinsing, Soaking, Tannins & Sinking
A practical guide for preparing natural driftwood before it goes into an aquarium. Each piece behaves differently, so these steps are careful preparation—not a guarantee of a specific result.
Start with a simple safety rule
Use clean water only. Do not use soap, bleach, detergents, disinfectants, or other chemicals on driftwood intended for an aquarium. Natural wood can vary in buoyancy and tannin release, and no preparation method guarantees that a piece will sink immediately or leave water completely clear.
A careful preparation process
Take it step by step
Soak and change the water
Submerge the wood in clean water when practical, then change the water as it becomes tinted. Soaking can help a piece become waterlogged over time and lets you observe its natural tannin release. How long it takes varies by size, density, and shape.
Expect natural tannins
Tannins are naturally present in driftwood and can tint aquarium water tea-colored. That color is not automatically a problem, but its appearance is a personal preference. Continued soaking and water changes may reduce visible tinting; results vary.
Plan for floating pieces
Driftwood may float until it absorbs enough water. If you need to place it sooner, secure it to an aquarium-safe slate or rock anchor and confirm it cannot shift, fall, or trap fish and invertebrates. Recheck the attachment as the wood changes buoyancy.
Boiling is optional—and size matters
Consider boiling only when the entire piece fits completely inside a clean, heat-safe pot. Never force oversized wood into a pot, leave it unattended, or use a pot with cleaning residue. Boiling is optional; it does not promise to remove every tannin or make a piece sink immediately.
Choose by layout, not an exact piece
Find the right random clearance box
Bonsai Driftwood boxes contain natural random assortments. Exact pieces, shapes, colors, and quantities vary. We pack orders every Wednesday and ship within the Lower 48 only.
Compare Small, Medium, and Large boxesSmall box
Small Random Clearance Box
Good for small aquascapes, nano tanks, shrimp tanks, and customers who want to try a random box.
Medium box
Medium Random Clearance Box
Great for most customers — more room, more variety, and more driftwood pieces than the Small box.
Large box
Large Random Clearance Box
Best Clearance Value. More room, more driftwood variety, and free USPS Ground Advantage shipping.
Preparation questions
Can I use chemical cleaners?
No. Keep aquarium driftwood away from soap, bleach, detergents, and chemical cleaners. Use clean water and a dedicated clean brush only.
Does every piece need to be boiled?
No. Boiling is optional and only appropriate when the entire piece fits in a clean, heat-safe pot. Soaking is the practical option for larger pieces.
When will a floating piece sink?
There is no fixed timeline. It may float until it absorbs enough water, so use a stable aquarium-safe anchor if you need to position it before then.
About Bonsai Driftwood clearance boxes
We sell natural random assortments from remaining inventory. Exact pieces vary. Orders are packed and handed to the carrier every Wednesday, and shipping is available within the Lower 48 only.