One of the most common pre-purchase questions is simple: will the root sink?
The short answer for Tuskwood is yes. All Tuskwood roots sink once they become waterlogged. However, this does not mean that they all sink on the first day. Wood is a natural material, and even a very old and compact bogwood sometimes needs time to fill with water.
Approximate time for Tuskwood
As a practical rule of thumb, consider this:
- Thinner parts, up to about 4 cm, often sink after about two weeks.
- Thicker parts may need more time.
- Most Tuskwood roots sink after about four weeks.
- Some heavy roots may need another week or two.
We have not come across any example where a Tuskwood root has still retained buoyancy after two months submerged under water. It is also important: Tuskwood is not the kind of wood where the root can continue to float for six months or a year.
Why does the root float first?
A root does not float because it is bad. It floats because there is still air in the material and because the wood is not fully saturated with water. When the root is under water, water slowly penetrates into pores and cracks. The thicker and more compact the part, the longer this can take.
Tuskwood is old, dense and stable. This is a great advantage in the aquarium, but it also means that water saturation is sometimes slow in the strongest parts.
How to keep the root in place in the meantime
The easiest thing to do is to weigh down the root until it sinks by itself. It doesn't have to be complicated.
For example, you can place one or more stones on the root. If the stone is stable and not in danger of falling against the glass, this often works well. You can also tie a stone with fishing line. It's discreet, easy to remove and doesn't affect the aquarium.
Another solution is to glue a rock to the root with aquarium silicone or cyanoacrylate-based superglue. If you use silicone, it should be aquarium-safe and allowed to fully cure before the root is placed in the aquarium. Superglue is often used in aquascaping, especially for smaller attachment points.
You can also glue the root directly to the rock or to a flat surface in the tank. In some aquariums it is also possible to fix the root to glass or the bottom, but you should think carefully about the placement first.
For larger roots, bags of gravel or pebbles work very well. A laundry bag, cloth bag or similar can be filled with gravel and placed over or next to the root. When the root sinks by itself, remove the bag.
Can you put the root directly in the aquarium?
Yes, it is often possible to put the root directly into the aquarium and weigh it down there. If you want to be extra careful, you can first water the root in a bucket, tub or separate container. This is particularly useful if the root is large, if it is going into an already finished aquarium, or if you want to see how much it colours the water at the start.
Change the water once a week during soaking. This helps the root to get started and ensures that any initial release of humic substances takes place outside the aquarium.
In short
Tuskwood sinks. Thinner parts can often be ready after about two weeks, while thicker roots sometimes need four to six weeks. The important thing is that the root is kept under water during this time.
If the root floats the first day, there is nothing wrong. Weight it down with stones, fishing line, gravel bags, aquarium silicone or superglue, and let the material do its job: fill with water and become a stable part of the aquarium.
Read also our care instructions for Tuskwood.