driftwood good?tank divider and gravel

[prodrumernate]

i went on craigslist and got about 150 pounds of AQ gravel as well as some huge lava rocks and a lot of driftwood..they are really big pieces.the guy has like a 100+ gallon tank and im assuming thats there everything came from and he got new stuff..

all i have is a 10 gallon and a 20 gallon hex as well as a 2 gallon...thought about cutting down the driftwood to fit in my tanks..

is it actually a good idea to cut it down and beneficial to my fish?i know its good for bettas..i dont know if the tannin i still in it..but if any1 thinks its worth cutting down and putting in my tanks..i want to do it..

and with the gravel i want to replace the gravel i have in my 10 gallon.rite now its white and i want to use the blue i got after i clean it..would that cause any problems with the BB and my cycle since it has finished?

plus any ideas on a DIY tank divider other than using mesh canvas #7..im down to my last dollar literally and its pennies.. i do have tons of old water bottles.

[pyro fiend]

well id think itd be safe to cut it down for your fish.. but then again you dont know whats in it. so maybe yu should sanitize it. theres a 50% chance he had a nice tank and a 50% chance he had realy sick fish. id use like 10% bleach mixture n soak. but thats just me.. if hes used it theres prob no tannin. but youl find ut if you put in the bleach water.. id prob do the same with the rocks. you cant be too sure what he had. or what happened with the rocks. as you didnt watch him pull them out of a thriving tank..

[prodrumernate]

thank you..i agree.and im glad u told me about the mixture of bleach.i wanted to do it but really wasnt even too sure how much bleach to use.i live on the end of an apartment on top so i have a balcony also to let them soak in the desert sun to try..

i know the rocks have been out for a while.sitting outside.they have accumulated leaves and the driftwood and lava rocks where inside.he pulled them out as my dad and i carried the big container of gravel to our car.ill bleach them then soak them in the sun to be extra safe as well... thank you for the advice :)

[pyro fiend]

no prob. im sure 10% bleach is fine as its not too much. but i know reptile keepers like me use a 10% bleach solution to clean everything. 15% max sometimes. [tho 10 should be fine] well just incase id wash the gravel clean many times. just for safty but a soak and then one decent dry out, should be fine for the wood and rocks..

but im not 100% but im sure some bacteria can stay on rock and things even when out of whater for a long time. but not sure if im mistaken there. ik they stay on filters for a little while..

[prodrumernate]

i know TB can stay on rocks and everything else and its pretty much impossible to get rid of.ive always heard to throw everything away or u can take a chance of using bleack to kill it as well as vinegar...and baking rocks and gravel.the tank can be put in a dishwasher with no soap..

but im going to do as u suggested and go with the bleach.my only concern would be soaking the wood.if the wood would actually soak in too much.but i can regulate it and soak it in fresh waster as well to help clean out the bleach

[pyro fiend]

indeed the wood if thick may take a wiel. bleach soak it for day or so. being AZ it might dry quickly. then you can soak in normal water, dry, untell smells compleatly gone. r till you feel safe. iv never had a problem bleaching with such a low percentage and iv used for turtle tanks, amphibians but never any betta tanks o.0 and yes the animals in question are still alive ;P

tho i heard baking rocks and gravel on high [id guess 500deg plus] kills all bacteria. im not forsure im not a microbiologist. but it does seem very plausable.

[prodrumernate]

thats what ill do then..just to be safe..heat kills a lot of things.though there are things that thrive on heat..but as for aquarium diseases.nothing will survive that long that i know of

[pyro fiend]

nothing aquatic will live in 300+ id hope. tho i dont think id try baking the wood ;P LOL

but once the bleach smells gone, your good. :P

[prodrumernate]

i would think at over 300 the wood would brown or burn..i might try that tho.

maybe ill let it dry for atleast 2 days to make sure its safe :) again thank you.

[pyro fiend]

no prob. not sure about dividers that dont involve the plastic mesh maybe someone elese here could help there :(