Jayneb1

I've just discovered I have another problem. The 2 lovely pieces of driftwood I chose for my aquarium, were soaking in a bucket of water outside so that it wouldn't stain the aquarium water later on when I set the aquarium up. Much to my horror, this evening when I checked on it, I found it was covered with a ghastly green mould!!! I suppose I have to throw them out? What a pity I really loved their shapes.

I didn't know that the wood couldn't be soaked. What a waste of money, not to mention fish lives if it were to be used. Does any one know of a way of getting the driftwood to not stain the water so much? I don't mind a yellowy colour, but I didn't really want brown coloured water.

What a nuisance!
Jayne.

capekate

Hi There,
I really see no reason to throw out your driftwood. That can get pretty expensive. Maybe all you really need to do is scrub off all the green algae and possibly boil the wood if you could find a pot large enough? Just keep soaking and changing the water, sometimes it takes a few weeks.Why shouldnt the wood be soaked? Its in water.. same as it will be in the tank. So thats ok.. dont worry about that.
The brown tannins will come out of the wood but it just takes time.

~ kate

FL CommunityFans

Also, another option is to soak the wood in bleach for a few days, come back and let it dry out for another few days, then come back once again and boil it. It's my method at least for guaranteeing nothing piggybacks its way in to the tank.

capekate

I would be really nervous about using bleach... I'd be afraid that I couldnt rinse it all out enough before going in the tank.
When I bought my driftwood online, I just made sure that I got some that were 'tank ready'. It sure saves on time.

~ kate

FL CommunityFans

I guess im just overly paranoid about trusting what folks say. We live on the Gulf of Mexico, and have been using bleach, dry out, boil method since I was a kid and it has always worked fine. Just make sure you let the wood/or anything else for that matter sit out in the sun long enough (my stepmother always lets it dry for 1-2 weeks, depending on the time of year) then boil it to bring out any tannins that are left.

I understand where one could be nervous using bleach though

capekate

Hi FCF
thanks to more detail on how your stepmom treats the wood, I can understand it better. I thought that you used bleach, let it dry for a day or two, then a boil and into the tank. Now that you have clarified that for me, I totally understand the method. Also, nothing like that nice hot sun of the Gulf coast to dry out and bleach wood too!

~ kate

FL CommunityFans

LOL yes sorry. Few days for me, generally is weeks. I'm bad about that sorry!

capekate

... a ok~

susitna-flower

I also read this to say SOAK IN BLEACH.....which is different than the bleaching action of the sun.....

Yes, if you soak something in bleach, letting it air dry in the sun afterward would "probably" dissipate the bleach, but you are still taking risks...

Hot kills just as efficiently as bleach does. So if you can boil it, that should be sufficient.

If the wood was completely submerged in water outside, and it was in the sun, it is not mold, but algae growing on it. I agree with capekate, you should not throw it away. Boiling it will kill the algae, and then don't leave out in the sun unless like FCF, suggested it is drying in the sun...which is counter productive to getting the tannins out....

Jayneb1

Thanks all.

I'ts definitely mould and not algae on the wood. I'm going to try and take a photo of it then post the photo.