# [Wet Thumb Forum]-Help! Mold?



## bozistheboss (Aug 4, 2005)

I just recently set up a new 20 gallon tank for plants. It's been up and planted for about 4 days now. I noticed today that the surface of any dead leaves or parts of leaves that are dead, as well as my driftwood, is covered in what I assume is mold. I've never seen this phenomena before... if anything covered anything in my tanks, it was algae and never mold. I suppose fungus growing on decaying matter is natural, but is it normal? What can I do to get rid of it? 

Also, my DIY yeast reactor CO2 injector spit some foam into my tank (I'm still working on the proper 'recipe' for my yeast reactor), which clouded it for a few hours (it's fine now). The sand underneath the CO2 output/bubble counter is now covered in white stuff, and white specs are sprinkled around the tank a bit. Is this terribly unhealthy for the water? Also, could this have contributed to the mold? 

I'm getting pretty frustrated. Feels like I'm starting all this off on the wrong foot. *sigh*

Any comments would be appreciated.


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## imported_russell (Sep 14, 2004)

as for the yeast mix, it might be that you filled the bottle up too much? you have to leave a lot of space for the foam to rise.

i can't really help with the mold/algae since there is no picture. i don't think it would be mold, but you never know. all i can say it just try to trim the infested leaves off.


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## bozistheboss (Aug 4, 2005)

Yeah, you're right Russel. The space I left wasn't proportional to the amount of yeast/sugar I added.

I'll try to take a picture when I can. Someone is borrowing my digital camera at the moment. 

Ah, and the stuff is gray in color. This is why I assume it is mold. Also, it grows only on dead stuff. Leaves and parts of leaves that are still healthy are free of it.


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## imported_russell (Sep 14, 2004)

i would say for now just remove all you can, and hope it doesn't come back.


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## bozistheboss (Aug 4, 2005)

Thanks for the advice. I've trimmed off a lot of dead plant material and wiped off the driftwood. I also threw some snails from my 75 in there. Hopefully they can clean up a bit as well.


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## bozistheboss (Aug 4, 2005)

Updating my own thread, in case anyone is following this or has similar problems. Quite simply, 2 water changes later, removal of some dead leaves, and the addition of snails to the tank has everything in pristine condition. The snails, apparently, eat the mold (which showed up as a gray film on the driftwood / dead plant material) and went straight to work soon as I put them in.


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## imported_russell (Sep 14, 2004)

that's great bozis, is it all gone now?


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## bozistheboss (Aug 4, 2005)

Yep, tank is totally clear now and new growth is noted to all plants. I was beginning to sweat it for a while. Now I just have to wait for the bacteria to get going.


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## dissident (Sep 6, 2005)

What you had/have is a bacterial fungas. It is quite common and smaller the tank usually the quicker it will clear up. I have had it happen in 2 of the tanks I have set up with new filters (uncycled). What really cleared it up was taking the filter sponge from an established filter and cleanding it out in the tank. The water was crystal clear in a day and the fungas was gone.

It can also occour if you add a bunch of fish at once and really increase the bio load before the filter has cycled long enough. It is not harmfull to the plants/fish IME just ugly.

BTW was your water coulded as well?


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## IZM (May 24, 2003)

Shouldn't plants negate the cycling of a tank? I though I read that the plants in a tank can readily absorb ammonia directly from the water thereby bypassing the need to cycle the tank?


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## bozistheboss (Aug 4, 2005)

Yeah, the water was cloudy as well and it did clear up quickly. I kind of panicked, but then I realized this was an entirely fresh setup. Normally I move filters from tanks that are already set up and bypass the cloudy stage


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