So I got this piece of driftwood cleaned alot of the bark off, saw'ed it down to fit inside the tank, and left it until I get the rest of the stuff for the tank. So I checked it out today to find it had mildew on one side of it that had a majority of the left over moisture, what is the deal? Is it not the right kind of wood, is it safe to rinse off and put in a tank?
Driftwood Question - Mildew
- Thread starter Diablos
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Where did you leave it??? Did you boil it at all??? Is it spongy???
I had a piece I collected years ago sitting in my front yard....I think it was maple...It had some spalting on it that was just beautiful...I wirebrushed it...cleaned it...cut it...it was perfect...after 40min boiling on the stove....It fel apart in my hands....I cried...turns out the fungus that caused the spalting had rotted it away from the inside...
I say boil it...if it survives, use it
I had a piece I collected years ago sitting in my front yard....I think it was maple...It had some spalting on it that was just beautiful...I wirebrushed it...cleaned it...cut it...it was perfect...after 40min boiling on the stove....It fel apart in my hands....I cried...turns out the fungus that caused the spalting had rotted it away from the inside...
I say boil it...if it survives, use it
Well piece is to large to boil. However, I did clean it with a wire brush like u suggested and got all the sponged tissue off (bark). After that I use a hack saw to trim it down I did a fair amount of cutting and the inside was like a fresh cut log not spongey at all. I was really surprised
neilanh
Sliced Bread
I hear that baking them in the oven for a while can accomplish the same effects of boiling with regards to killing anything living on it.
jsoong
Aquarium Advice Addict
You can also bleach it, after you remove all loose & soft bits of wood (wire brush/pressure washer).
I soaked all my collected driftwood in 1:20 bleach before use. Just make sure you rinse very well after. I also left them out in the sun for several days after the rinsing to make sure all traces of bleach is gone.
Baking in oven will worktoo, but you can burn the wood. Plus driving all the water out in a hot oven might make it a pain to sink later.
I soaked all my collected driftwood in 1:20 bleach before use. Just make sure you rinse very well after. I also left them out in the sun for several days after the rinsing to make sure all traces of bleach is gone.
Baking in oven will worktoo, but you can burn the wood. Plus driving all the water out in a hot oven might make it a pain to sink later.
IF it's white and fuzzy, I had the same thing on my driftwood, even after the boiling/soaking thing. Apparently, it's pretty common with new driftwood. After much searching, I found this out. From what I've read it's harmless to the fish, some will eat it, and it will go away eventually. You can try to brush it off if it really bugs you. Mine was just a little patch.
After tirelessly scouring the internet to refind the page i had found earlier, I came across this:
What's that fuzz on my driftwood?
Quite often after driftwood is added to an aquarium, a white almost transparent fuzz will grow on it. This fuzz can appear several weeks to several months after the driftwood is added to the aquarium. Popular thinking is this fuzz is either a fungus or a mold. Either way it's harmless, unfortunately it's not pleasing to look at. Some people have had luck just brushing it off. Others have had luck by introducing algae eating fish, as they will actually eat it. Neither technique will guarantee preventing this fuzz from recurring. The important thing is to have faith, as it will eventually disappear.
From this webpage http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/driftwood.php
After tirelessly scouring the internet to refind the page i had found earlier, I came across this:
What's that fuzz on my driftwood?
Quite often after driftwood is added to an aquarium, a white almost transparent fuzz will grow on it. This fuzz can appear several weeks to several months after the driftwood is added to the aquarium. Popular thinking is this fuzz is either a fungus or a mold. Either way it's harmless, unfortunately it's not pleasing to look at. Some people have had luck just brushing it off. Others have had luck by introducing algae eating fish, as they will actually eat it. Neither technique will guarantee preventing this fuzz from recurring. The important thing is to have faith, as it will eventually disappear.
From this webpage http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/driftwood.php
Nice
That's the stuff, the white fuzz, lol. Thx, for the great info I continued to clean and cut the piece down. Sadly it's to big for the oven also
! Lol lots of work to get this tank prepared. I've been giving it baths in warm bathtub water to try to get as much color out of it as possible pictures will soon follow. Again thx for the information.
That's the stuff, the white fuzz, lol. Thx, for the great info I continued to clean and cut the piece down. Sadly it's to big for the oven also
! Lol lots of work to get this tank prepared. I've been giving it baths in warm bathtub water to try to get as much color out of it as possible pictures will soon follow. Again thx for the information.
An t-iasg
Aquarium Advice Addict
Re: Nice
Wow! How big is your tank?
Diablos said:
Wow! How big is your tank?
Jman17H
Aquarium Advice Activist
I am assuming if it is too big for the oven that it is also too big for the dish washer?
I always run driftwood thru the dishwasher on hot 3-5 times (no detergent). It does not sink the wood but I have never had any tannins leached into the tank.
I always run driftwood thru the dishwasher on hot 3-5 times (no detergent). It does not sink the wood but I have never had any tannins leached into the tank.
When I had this white fluff I just took the wood out with each water change and hosed it off with hot water using the sink sprayer in the kitchen. Some slime went down the drain.
It took about four times before the fluff stopped comming back.
It took about four times before the fluff stopped comming back.
squeekness
Aquarium Advice Regular
Wow. That's a serious peice of wood, lol. Though I can tell it will look awesome in your tank. Nice find.
Yeah that sucker is pretty big good thing is it doesnt have a ton of depth so it fits quite well. Been soaking it for close to 2 weeks now almost getting to the point of no brown water However, I did find out it floats so I'm going to home depot for some silcon to keep it on the bottom.
However, I did find out it floats so I'm going to home depot for some silcon to keep it on the bottom.jinmon
Aquarium Advice Regular
Just bought a piece of driftwood (Malaysian) and have been simmering/boiling it for a few hours - keep changing out the water when it gets really dark... this is gonna take a while, huh?
Two weeks and still leaching, huh? Hoo, boy....
Two weeks and still leaching, huh? Hoo, boy....
Jarred Darque
Aquarium Advice FINatic
- Joined
- Mar 24, 2006
- Messages
- 682
What size tank?
