Weird white stuff on wood

[Fiori]

I have just set up a new tank and used old filter media and water to cycle. All water parameters are good

ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 5

I noticed that my bogwood has this weird whitish stuff growing on it, which appeared really quickly. I boiled the wood for a few hours before adding to tank.

Is is algae or something else? It looks

 

[WILDER]

Just give it a scrub with a toothbrush in salt water then rinse it well, nothing to worry about.

 

[Fiori]

Thanks Wilder - I'll do that

 

[Bignose]

It is fungus growing on the wood, and as mentioned, nothing dangerous, just unsightly. It is feeding on the decaying wood. Normally biofilm bacteria will out-compete the fungus in enough time, but since the tank is firly new, all these competitions have not been played out yet. The toothbrush idea is fine, just try not to disturb too much around it so that the bacteria nearby will tkae over in a short time.

More info on the Skeptical Aquarist's page

 

[Griz]

I've had the same thing growing on one of my pieces of driftwood for about 2 months. After reading a previous thread here and getting the same advice, I scrubbed it every one in a while. I have noticed that this week the fungus is gone, or at least it has slowed growing considerably. Keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[Fiori]

Thanks guys, for all your advice. I have'nt seen this before and it looks yeurK!! I'm treating a sick molly in that tank and I did'nt want any contaminants to hinder the process. Added to that I'm going away for a couple of days and did'nt want to come back and find the tank overgrown with some hideous blob thing

Thank you