Mold

[insert name here]

I found some mold growing in my Pygmy tank on a sandblasted manzanita branch all near ground level. Should I just take the branch out and bake it? Or just kind of wipe it off while it is still in the tank? Is it dangerous?

 

[Sang]

insert, the mold is due to constant warm temps and a 70% humidity.
creating a good amount of air flow/movement of air through the enclosure will stop mold from coming back. but i don't know how that will affect your pygmies *drafts and what not*

if you disturb the branch, the mold spores will spread, carefully take it out scrub the branch down . you can treat it with a bleach mixture .. and rinse it really good.


Mold in most cases is harmless. Some can be really bad for you.

if its the typical black powder mold that grows alot in arizona there isn't to much to worry about, but i wouldn't keep it in the enclosure anymore.

 

[insert name here]

So just kind of scrub it then maybe bake it a little?

 

[Sang]

baking the branch will destroy the mold, but you will have to get it pretty hot.

i don't see much reason for keeping the branch though, alot more natural plants some that maybe vine out like pothos or even some miniture palm species.

 

[insert name here]

I have quite of few plants but they like the branch as a highway to each side of the tank and stuff.

 

[Malicious]

The bleach solution will kill the mold, and there would be no need to bake. Just rinse it well and allow it to dissipate the bleach odor prior to re-installing. I also think a bio style vine would be a great alternative to the manznita piece. It is not porous like the manzanita, and would tie in with the rainforest decor well.


Good luck either way you go.

-Jay

 

[Sang]

we don't use bleach on any of our mold removal jobs.
we use a product called microban, its specifically made for killing all mold, some molds bleach won't kill.

 

[Malicious]

Sang,

Thank you for bringing that to my attention, I have been under the impression that bleach would kill the mold and have come to find out its not that simple. I learn something new everyday on here.

I read a few articles and this is one that I found to be quite informative.


Of all the questions asked about mold and the treatment of mold, the one most often asked is: Does bleach kill mold? Bleach does NOT kill mold. It doesn't even disinfect mold spores. The only thing that bleach does is change the color of the mold by damaging the roots of it. Bleach is not an effective way to kill mold and provides only a temporary solution by slowing its growth.

What Does Bleach Do?

Like all types of plants, the only way you can really kill mold is to destroy the roots. When you use bleach, the only thing you're doing is saturating the roots with a chemical that doesn't destroy them, but only damages them enough to slow growth. To effectively get rid of mold, it's necessary to disinfect the materials the mold grew on. Chlorine bleach does not do this since it doesn't kill the spores.

Some may find this surprising since bleach has been known to work well in killing viruses and bacteria. One of the reason's why chlorine bleach doesn't kill mold spores is that bleach is made mostly out of water. Water is a main requirement for mold growth and trying to get rid of it with a product that is 99% mold (ie. bleach) isn't very effective.

To recap: Never use bleach to kill mold. If you try to use bleach to kill mold, you may be unwittingly putting your health at risk because you'll think you've destroyed the mold even though it continues to thrive.

Effective Mold-Destroying Methods

For your health and safety, it is essential that you act quickly as soon as you realize that you have a black mold problem. First you'll want to dry out the area the best you can. Next you will need to use a detergent or soap (preferably a non-ammonia type) and thoroughly scrub the infested area. If you discovered the mold growth on wood, you'll probably need to sand the area to guarantee that you've completely removed it.

Once you know for sure the mold has been removed, then you can use a bleach and water solution to disinfect the area. Remember that bleach doesn't kill mold, so only use it once the mold has been completely removed.

Finally, you need to take steps to make sure the mold doesn't grow back. To prevent further mold growth, make sure you keep the area very dry. Keep your eyes open and always be on the lookout for mold growth, especially on organic materials like soap scum, paper, dirt and wood.

 

[Sang]

yes. i can get microban for people, if you really want it. but it requires a bunch of certifications to use it.

i have them.

the thing is with microban is its made out of phennel seed oil *liquorish* its extremly potent when mixed with Alcohol, it evaporates fairly quickly and is safe to be used around cats and dogs after it dries.


allthough i shouldn't hand out microban cause its not cheap, if someone really wants me to get some I can.

 

[Dunnigan]

I found some mold growing in my Pygmy tank on a sandblasted manzanita branch all near ground level. Should I just take the branch out and bake it? Or just kind of wipe it off while it is still in the tank? Is it dangerous?

I had this problem and what i did was i got a small fan (a little larger than a computer fan) and set it on a timer that has it run for 15 minutes every 2 hours starting the hour after i mist their cage. The fan is about 6 inches away from the edge of theor cage and is abut 4 inches higher than the top of it and it blows across the top, not into the tank.

So...

Lights 8am

fan (on for 15 minutes) at 10, 12, 2, 4,

I mist again at 5:15 ish daily