# Slimy stuff on wood & melting plants



## totziens (Jun 28, 2008)

The tank was set up about 3-4 weeks ago. Converting from NPT to ADA Amazonia. I notice that my plants have started melting this week. Everything seems to turn brown and melting. Even the diffuser, filter and Amazonia soil have turned brown. Not really sure what's going on. Obviously no Seachem Excel has been dosed to kill the plants. The driftwood keeping getting some kind of brown sticky stuff - this is not a typical driftwood bought from LFS I believe. I adopted it from a friend who warned me that it would float - I had little issue with that.

I am sure that this is not BBA on the driftwood because BBA is more stubborn and does not grow so fast - it can cover the entire wood within 1-2 days. This thing is gel-liked and slimy. Does not look like typical brown algae too as it looks thicker like fungus to me. I doubt it's the regular tannin. Maybe I should remove the driftwood. Everything seemed ok last few weeks despite of the driftwood issue. I think it's getting very serious - even Java ferns are melting off.

I have been using the same lighting for the same Java ferns without any issue when the tank was an NPT. I'll consider changing the light tubes this weekend. By the way, the lighting is only 30 watt and the tank is standard 2 feet/15 gallon tank. I didn't have any issue when it was a NPT except for BBA and slow growth of Japanese hair grass. Duration of light is about 7-8 hours. The tank is supplied with CO2. Using Eheim HOB filter.

Last week, I have dosed Seachem Potassium, Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Trace last week after changing the water. The weeks before last week, I only dosed Potassium. I doubt these kill the plants.

If you can identify any suspect, please let me know. I personally suspect the wood and the light.


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## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

Based on the close up of the driftwood:
Clear or white (no color) suggests fungus, not algae or higher plant (these photosynthesize, and have green and other colored materials, so may look green, brown, yellow or other color). 
Based on info in the post:
Brown is most commonly thought of as 'Brown Algae' or Diatoms, and there are many species, so a brown coating on things might just be a different species of diatoms, so looks different than the last invasion. Treatment is the same for all of these. 

I would remove the wood, scrub off the goo and return it to the tank. You may have to do this a few times. 

Diatoms: wipe, remove, vacuum as you wipe so they get sucked out of the tank. Clean the filter so they are not being recycled into more diatoms. Several fish will eat them. (Otos, Mollies)

Plants turning brown: Perhaps ammonia from the substrate?

What are the parameters:
Ammonia (ADA products and some other new substrates give off a lot of ammonia to start with)
Nitrite 
Nitrate
GH
KH (several substrates can remove carbonates, allowing the pH to drop)
pH
How do these compare to tap water (or whatever source you are using to fill the tank)?
How do these compare to tests done before the change?


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## totziens (Jun 28, 2008)

Thanks as always, Diana. :slywink:

I believe the main culprit is the wood itself. It may not be suitable for aquarium. I am not really sure where my friend got it - could be from a nursery that people use it for garden decoration. It's not the same type of wood sold at LFS - not mangrove or bogwood. So, I have decided to remove it permanently. I had scrubbed the wood every week for the past 3-4 weeks but the "fungus" kept coming back within 24 hours.

I have also changed the lighting tubes to new ones. I had not changed it for more than 1 year.

I'll observe the situation and see how it goes. I am not too worried about plants dying as I have my supply of free plants from other tanks as well as a friend.

I don't have any water parameter test kit. Actually, I have them but I think they have expired. I have not used them for 5-6 years, Very reluctant to buy them because they're not the hot items at LFS - they could be expired on the shelves. They are also freaking expensive and I turn them into white elephants (unused).

Will update this thread 1 week later.


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## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

Yes, I understand some wood is very productive of fungi, maybe it is best to give up on it. Another option though, is to sterilize it by boiling. 

Test kits that are old on the shelf before you buy them are not much good, then add 5-6 years... yup. No good.


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## totziens (Jun 28, 2008)

Being a non-cooking person (actually I have been banned from cooking), I don't have any pot large enough to fit the wood. If I buy a new pot, I may create a "world war" at home. 

It's easier to keep the wood out of the water. I have failed to find any decent looking driftwood from the LFS today.


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