# How to remove java moss from driftwood



## lildark185 (Jul 7, 2006)

I have a large piece of driftwood with a lot of unwanted java moss growing on it. How do I remove it all now that some of the moss has grown into the wood and to ensure that it doesn't grow back?


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

If you just pull it off it will grow back. 

You can either dry out the wood OR bleach the wood, killing the moss You'd have to really OD the wood with Prime or something like that since the wood is porous and will absorb the bleach.


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## lildark185 (Jul 7, 2006)

I forgot to mention that there's fissidens growing on one end of the driftwood. Also, wouldn't bleaching make it hard for me to use the wood in the future unless I soaked it for a while again?


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

lildark185 said:


> I forgot to mention that there's fissidens growing on one end of the driftwood. Also, wouldn't bleaching make it hard for me to use the wood in the future unless I soaked it for a while again?


Bleaching would kill it all. Prime or some other dechlorinator would make DW safe. Just OD it. Maybe you could use a droper and try to only get where the unwanted moss is....


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## imeridian (Jan 17, 2007)

Common hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) would be a safer alternative to bleach, without the need to waste so much Prime afterward. In high enough concentrations it'll quite likely kill the moss. Personally I'd just scrub it off, unless you have some sort of mutant variety of moss that really ought to do it.


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## lildark185 (Jul 7, 2006)

imeridian said:


> Personally I'd just scrub it off, unless you have some sort of mutant variety of moss that really ought to do it.


Not a bad idea, maybe I'll use an old toothbrush.


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## imeridian (Jan 17, 2007)

A toothbrush dedicated to the aquarium is a great thing to have! The bargain basement ones work the best, none of that specially contoured bristles or color changing business.


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## lildark185 (Jul 7, 2006)

Never heard of color changing toothbrushes, where can I get some!?


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## imeridian (Jan 17, 2007)

Hehe, the ones that have the blue bristles that turns white, like that strip on razor blades.


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## wicca27 (Oct 13, 2008)

if you can boil it that will also kill it and dry with a hair dryer will make fast work of it or pop in a low temp oven for a few to dry it out


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## lildark185 (Jul 7, 2006)

I ended up using a scrubbing sponge to get most of it off. There is no doubt some small strands are mixed in with the side of the fissidens but I'll manually remove those when they get longer.


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## wicca27 (Oct 13, 2008)

that is the best way to do it when its mixed. im am always pulling it out of the gravel of one of my tanks i have redone


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