Baking soda to "cure" dirftwood?

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I came across this article...


How To Cure Driftwood
Reprint from Tropic Tank Talk


Going "driftwood hunting" is fun and interesting. Ordinary driftwood such as found near rivers and lakes can become a beautiful and interesting addition to your home aquarium. It's simple and rewarding. Just follow these simple instructions:

1. Scrub driftwood with a stiff brush and rinse thoroughly.

2. Scrub driftwood a second time with non iodized salt.

3. Fill a 10 gallon non-metallic container with water and add a 1 lb. box of baking soda. Stir until thoroughly dissolved.

4. Add driftwood and tie rocks around to make it sink.

5. Let soak for about two weeks, remove and repeat steps 1 and 3.

baking soda? Why? Does anyone know?

[stormhawk]

Probably to sterilise the wood of microbes and another unwanted critters.. woodlice??

[bclee]

I think the writer is using it to neutralise the humic acids in the driftwood.

BC

[stormhawk]

BC, good reason but I think the baking soda has a dual function in terms of curing the driftwood, one of which is to neutralise the humic acid like you mentioned, and the other might be to sterilise the wood of unwanted critters.

[juggler]

I guess you guys are right.

Baking soda is generally used as cleaning agent. It is environmentally friendly as it is non-toxic. Search the net for more of its uses.

Eg. from http://www.eco-action.net/id88.htm

Baking soda is indispensable for the nontoxic home kit. The magic of cleaning with alkaline minerals such as baking soda and washing soda is that they neutralize many stains and acidic odors, are nonabrasive scourers, and dissolve grime and oils.

Just as we use soap (alkaline, right?) to clean our hands of bacteria/germs/grime.

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Damn, I thought it'd make the wood sink faster

Thanks guys!

[Justikanz]

Try boiling the wood for faster sinking?