What The Heck Is Growing In My Tank?

[PepperidgeFarms]

What the heck?!?
I just started cycling my 16 gallon tank. Put in ammonia about 5ppm, have the temperature up to 86 and the lights off and had a piece of wood in the tank. It's been about 5 days and I just looked and THIS is growing on the wood... It looks like lumps of snot with a couple hair looking things in it... How do I get rid of it.

 

[midna]

wow that's disgusting lol
i hope someone knows what it is and how to get rid of it (and that i don't have the same problem when i start my tank up)

where did you get the wood, what kind is it, and did you boil, sanitize, or soak it first, or just put it in the tank?

 

[PepperidgeFarms]

I think it was Malaysian Congo wood? It said it sinks within 2-3 days and I bought it at an aquarium store... I didn't boil it first I assumed it was ready! AGH

 

[midna]

hmm... yeah, i'd do that as a precaution. it probably has to get used to water first.

take it out asap, rinse and scrub all that gunk off under tap water, and then boil it if it's small enough for at least 30 minutes. if it's too big, boil each side for at least 30 mins. let it cool and then rinse off. i would personally let it soak in a bucket for a few days after that, too. you can also pour boiling water over it instead of boiling it directly in a pot.

i just got a chunk of mopani wood and boiled it for 3-4 hours (maybe overkill) and it's been soaking for two days. i'm just trying to leech out all the tannins at this point.

once you've done that, your driftwood will probably get some fuzzy stuff on it after it's been in the tank for a while, but it won't look like that. it's harmless and will go away after several weeks.

 

[Fashooga]

It's like some organics that was left on the wood that the tank is eating it up. It looks terrible but it will go away eventually. If it grosses you out just pull it out, clean it and plop it back in.