Help! Mold Won't Go Away!!!

thomas_tompkins90 · #1 (**permalink**) 03-25-2008, 02:24 AM

A new story entry has been added:

HELP! MOLD WON'T GO AWAY!!!

Quote:

I have a Tokay Gecko in a 42 gallon corner unit terrarium. I have some fish rock at the bottom to hold on moisture with coco husks on top of the fish rock. I have no real plants or soil, but I have a white mold growing on a log and it won't go away. I've washed it off with water, scraped it with steel wool, scraped it with a knife, but it keeps coming back within a couple days.

phil · #2 (**permalink**) 03-31-2008, 05:56 AM

Hi Thomas,
I would say firstly that nearly all new viv"s will get some mould in them to start with. Its the perfect enviroment - warm, moist, still etc. It usually settles down after a short while, but if it does not ,try adding some ventilation into your viv, perhaps in the form of a small pc fan, wired to a mains 12v transformer.I find this also benifits all my inhabitants, including plants.If all else fails, take everything out of your viv, soak it in a weak solution of bleach (excluding pets)( 1 part bleach to 10 parts water ) leave it overnight, & then rinse, rinse & rinse again & let it air dry.
Hope this works for you.
Phil
ps. you only want slight air movement in your viv. A 3 inch pc fan should do the trick.

edwards23456 · #3 (**permalink**) 04-04-2008, 05:47 AM

Mold is very normal in a viv. The pc fans are great. You could also try adding some spring tails. They will eat the mold and unwanted bacteria in your tank.

thomas_tompkins90 · #4 (**permalink**) 04-05-2008, 02:05 AM

Can that white mold hurt the animals?

edwards23456 · #5 (**permalink**) 04-07-2008, 07:31 AM

I don't think so. I have it in some of my vivs and it doesn't seem to have any ill effects. What kind of wood is it? Grape vine is known for molding you might want to try another kind of wood.

Rainfrog · #6 (**permalink**) 04-09-2008, 06:27 AM

Ya, Grape vine looks so neat but in a wet environment it foes to fuzz real good

whitesarana · #7 (**permalink**) 04-12-2008, 12:25 PM

Ive read that you have to let it soak in hot soapy water for about an hour and then bake it in the oven till its all dried out. I dont know how well it works though because ive never had such a problem.

froggsong · #8 (**permalink**) 06-18-2008, 01:50 AM

I know it's been a while, but I have to add something about the mold on branches issue. Scrubbing the branch clean of the mold and then baking until it is dry (be careful, it can go from dry to on fire pretty quickly) works very well. I bake my branches when I do a full clean or redesign my vives. I have only gotten mold on my branches once since I started doing this, and it was when my husband moved the water filter and it fell over onto the branch and poured water down it for almost two days. I also bake any new branches that I find for a while to be sure they don't have any pests (or if they do, that I kill them off).