Wood Problems

[spongy]

I put some wood in my tank on Sunday, I bought it from a LFS, it was bone dry and ready to go, I soaked it in the bath for 2 days, gave it a good scrub down and put it in the tank.

I came home from work this evening and it was starting to get a white film over it and was starting to sprout mould.

I've taken it back out, scrubbed it down and poured 8 kettles of boiling water all over it, will that be enough to kill off any bacteria?

In an ideal world I would boil it but its just too big.

Will any mould that develops from now on be harmful to my tank?

 

[phantomlink]

Will need someone else to add their input, but I'm in the process of prepping wood myself and I read that the white spots/"mould" will go away on its own. It seems it has its own mini cycle just like your filters. It will go away in time

 

[fluttermoth]

It's just a fungus that feeds on nutrients leaching from the wood. One the nutrients have been used up, it'll go away on it's own.

It isn't harmful to fish, although I know it looks unslightly.

For the record; don't boil wood; it cooks the fibres and makes it release even more tannins/nutrients in the long term, as well as causing it to rot faster.

 

[phantomlink]

It's just a fungus that feeds on nutrients leaching from the wood. One the nutrients have been used up, it'll go away on it's own.

It isn't harmful to fish, although I know it looks unslightly.

For the record; don't boil wood; it cooks the fibres and makes it release even more tannins/nutrients in the long term, as well as causing it to rot faster.

Then just scrub it and throw it in the tank? Now I've seen not to bake it ( for obvious reasons ) and not to boil it. If I dont have to boil it then thank god, cause I got alot of wood and its all too big for my pots

 

[fluttermoth]

Then just scrub it and throw it in the tank?

Yep

 

[spongy]

Excellent thankyou

I was panicking over nothing then as I disturbed a lot of it when I took the wood out

As long as it won't harm my fish it will stay, just hope pouring boiling water over it hasn't ruined it.

But now I've put it back in it doesn't look right, can't get it back the same with the plants around it

 

[fluttermoth]

No, just pouring boiling water over it won't do any harm, in the same way that you can't cook a steak by pouring boiling water over it!

I know that feeling; I can never get mine back in the same position either!

 

[phantomlink]

I know none of the wood will sink at the start, and I dont trust the rocks around here to hold them down. I got some aquarium safe plumber epoxy from home depot, and I can use pure stainless steel metal to stick the wood to to make it sink? I know most metals are a nono for tanks

 

[Aquascaper]

Stainless steel is ok fyi.

 

[phantomlink]

What about sterilization? I wanted to go get some more driftwood tomorrow by the water ( freshwater ) and dont trust that I would be able to remove all the bleach if I used some. Would a quick bake work? I have no intentions of leaving it in the oven for hours like people say

 

[Aquascaper]

A couple of kettles of boiling water should be enough to kill off any nasties along with a scrub down to remove any debris.

 

[spongy]

Some stainless will corrode, depends on the grade, 316 is best as I use it on parts for yachts etc a much purer grade. 304 will corrode over time and 430 will corrode quicker.

 

[phantomlink]

I didnt know there were different grades, when I went to home depot and asked about potted/aquarium safe epoxy I got a weird look. I feel the same will happen if I ask for a specific grade of metal. I just need small enough to epoxy to wood, and heavy enough to sink it

 

[Aquascaper]

How about some slate instead, will be hidden by the substrate anyway?

 

[phantomlink]

YYa all four tanks are sand. What material is the state and where would I find it?