White stuff on floating drift wood

[Mcgolg76]

Have a piece of floating driftwood. Like over night it was covered in this white stuff. Is it harmful? What is it?

 

[Rivercats]

It looks like mold. Can you remove the wood and either boil it for a couple hours or sit it in a sink on paper towels and pour hydrogen peroxide 3% all over it especially on the mold, cover with the peroxide drenched paper towels, and let sit 20-30 minutes. Then just put back in the tank, no rinsing.

 

[Mcgolg76]

Is this mold harmful. Reason I don't wanna boil is because my tap water ph Is a bit high and trying to get the wood to lower it. Heard boiling gets rid of the tannins that lower my ph.

 

[Rivercats]

That is not the same fungus that usually forms on DW and I don't know anything about it so I would want to get it removed. Yes boiling will remove tannins but using hydrogen peroxide won't.

 

[Mcgolg76]

Gonna pick up some peroxide. Amazing how fast that whites stuff grows

 

[BBradbury]

Hello mc...

Looks like the typical fungus that develops on driftwood from food that falls into the small cracks in the wood. Nothing to worry about. I had the same thing on pieces and got some Ramshorn snails from the pet store and they removed it in a couple of weeks.

If you don't want the snails, then just keep the water really clean with large, regular water changes. The extra food will dissolve in the tank water and you remove it through the water change. Once the nutrients are removed the fungus will disappear after a short time.

B

 

[HN1]

Where did the wood come from? Was it prepared in any way for aquarium use? That doesn't look like the typical "fungus" (bacterium) usually seen to me.

 

[Mcgolg76]

Thanks for the replies.



Driftwood i bought at a non chain lfs

 

[molliwopp]

Where did the wood come from? Was it prepared in any way for aquarium use? That doesn't look like the typical "fungus" (bacterium) usually seen to me.

That piece alone if at all wont be able to low the ph. Also Its the tanins in the wood that lower the ph and the wood you have there doesnt look suitable. Also lowering ph by wood is only temperary youre are best using ro or just lettin your fish adjust to a higher ph.

 

[molliwopp]

I have to agree, thats actually quite strange looking mold or fungus but doesnt mean it isnt safe.

 

[Mcgolg76]

The wood did lower the ph in the bucket I used to soak. Obviously my tank is much bigger than that. Had a bit of white stuff last night. Scraped It off and did. 50% wc. Woke up like 6 hours later And driftwood was covered. Whatever it is it grows fast