Stone, wood and baffles...help meh!

[GunsABlazin]

3 questions.

1. I have a couple really cute decorations made out of cut stone, they have a polish on them. I really wanted to put them in my tank, can i do this? i know their is a way to test if the polish is safe...but i dont know what it is. Ideas?

2. My brother brought me a couple pieces of drift wood from the ocean. How long to i boil/soak them to make them safe?

3. I know how to baffle the outlet on a filter...but how to i baffle the intake? I have more trouble with my boys tails getting stuck against the intake then anything else...the filter i need this for is a Top Fin Power filter 10...it doesn't have the setting to adjust the power.

[lessandler]

I don't know with certainty about the first 2 questions.

I personally wouldn't use a stone carving with a polish that I was not aware of what the coating was. I hear some clear epoxys and resins are safe, but not sure if that's what you have. Also make sure the stone itself won't affect your water parameters, particularly in terms of ph and kh.

One test I have used on all stone items is to take the product "ph down" and pour some on the rock to make sure it does not fizz. At least then you have some idea of whether or not it will raise ph, which in my case is a concern.

As far as driftwood from the ocean, I am not sure how to get all the salt and minerals off. Perhaps someone with more experience on these 2 matters may chime in.

But the filter is a pretty easy fix at least! :) I use these on my HOBs
http://www.amazon.com/Hagen-A1387-Fl.../dp/B002LL32RY

But you can find them cheaper at your LFS. Otherwise other brands aquarium filter sponges can be rubber banded or somehow tied to the intake. You intake looks like it may be smaller than the edge filter so you may need to modify it to fit as well. I find that just by sponging the intake it definitely slows down the current as well.

Good luck on your projects. They sound intriguing!

[sorrelhorse1]

I have a similar question about drift wood. But the wood I found is from a fresh water lake near my house. I would like to use it but should I let it sit outside in the sun (it's been in the triple digits)or boil it?

[lessandler]

I just found this in wikipedia under the search "bogwood"

"Driftwood found by the seashore will be saturated with salt and is usually considered unsuitable for freshwater aquarium use unless a lengthy soaking and rinsing process is carried out to remove the salt."

I think the stuff found in freshwater is more usable. I would look at planted tank forums and other searches to find how to properly sanitize it. That being said I am pretty sure that boiling and/or a decent quarantine period are required for any found driftwood.