Old algae on driftwood

[Sara]

Hi Everyone,

After about a year out of the hobby (four moves tends to make it difficult to keep fish!), I have started setting up my 29 gallon tank again (and all of my other tanks, but that is another story entirely).

My main concern is about my old driftwood - it has been sitting dry since last summer, but there are some areas that have leftover algae. It is not the kind that can be flaked off (like on rocks and plants), but it is almost as if these areas have been infused with algae - it cannot be scraped off and the wood is 'dyed' green.

The wood is currently soaking in boiling water and I have used a toothbrush to scrub the green areas, but I am unsure if I am going to be able to get it all off.

My question is: will having some old (and presumably quite dead) algae on my driftwood encourage new algae growth once my tank is set up? I had an ongoing battle with algae in my old tank, and I want to do whatever I can to keep it from growing again. I'd hate to have to get rid of all of this driftwood, but I don't want to increase the risk of yet another algae battle...

A photo of the driftwood in my old tank set-up from last year

Thanks in advance! Now off to read the several hundred thousand posts you all have made in my absence

 

[toddnbecka]

If you've boiled the driftwood, any surviving algae spores are certainly dead. If you start getting excessive algae growth, just drop in a BN pleco. I have one in my 55, there's very little algae anywhere in the tank. Since I moved him from the 29, it's getting overgrown again. I need another one for the 29 now.

 

[tropicfishman]

IF the boiling didn't kill the algea spores than certainly the lack of water over the years has, a good boiling, scrubbing and soaking is what it needs, your on the right track, thats a pretty killer piece of driftwood

 

[Sara]

Thanks for the replies!

Apparently, you were right - the two blue rams that I brought home yesterday liked their new tank so much...they just finished laying eggs on the driftwood! I'm pretty sure that the eggs will be eaten overnight...but at least I know that everyone is comfortable in there!

Thanks again!