# Help!!! Permanent background wood is quickly molding!!



## Sadiemae (May 20, 2021)

Hello! I’m very new to vivariums, this is my first one. I started this 12x12x18 tank for thumbnail darts about a month ago but only added anything live last week. The background is spray foam and with a few branches sticking out. I know mold in a vivarium is very normal and almost expected but I’m worried I messed up using non remove able branches in a humid environment. I’m unsure of what kind of wood this is and I’m worried it’s the wrong kind and the mold won’t go away. I have some springtails and I have more on the way to add plus isopods. I’m wondering if this looks normal and will go away or if I have to take apart the whole thing and redo the background? I really hope not. So if anyone has some suggestions that would be great!! Thank you! Also I included some pictures for reference.


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## fishingguy12345 (Apr 7, 2019)

The mold will eventually go away, in all likelihood. 

Some (most?) wood will rot quickly in a humid environment such as a dart frog tank.


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## JasonE (Feb 7, 2011)

Totally normal. All tanks go through mold cycles. Make sure you have springtails in there to keep the mold in check.


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## JasonE (Feb 7, 2011)

fishingguy12345 said:


> The mold will eventually go away, in all likelihood.
> 
> Some (most?) wood will rot quickly in a humid environment such as a dart frog tank.


Most right? ghost wood and cork bark are the only two that hold up long term right?


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## fishingguy12345 (Apr 7, 2019)

JasonE said:


> Most right? ghost wood and cork bark are the only two that hold up long term right?


Manzanita and mopani are both reputed to last a long time as well. 

I've noticed no deterioration on mopani wood in vivariums that have been going for 2 years. The cork bark in those vivariums is in less great shape than the mopani.


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## JasonE (Feb 7, 2011)

I've never used mopani. I tossed out one type of wood I was using early that I thought was manzanita (I was wrong) because it constantly molded and felt like it was breaking down very quickly. I've had tanks 5-6 years old (and one that is still going for someone at 9 years) with ghost and cork that are still standing. I feel like cork holds it's form but will easily fall apart if you just give it slight pressure after a couple of years. I will definitely look into mopani for future builds.


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## fishingguy12345 (Apr 7, 2019)

Here's a thread where we discuss types of wood/pods/etc. for use in frog tanks. 

Types of pods / seeds / wood


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## JasonE (Feb 7, 2011)

Yeah. I just looked it up. Manzanita and ghost wood are the same thing.


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## Kmc (Jul 26, 2019)

Check your mopani on the dark coney side. There can be burl points as sharp as roofing nails on some pieces. If they are leaned against walls or create inviting hiding crevices they are capable of harm. Esily clipped or ground down.


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## fishingguy12345 (Apr 7, 2019)

Kmc said:


> Check your mopani on the dark coney side. There can be burl points as sharp as roofing nails on some pieces. If they are leaned against walls or create inviting hiding crevices they are capable of harm. Esily clipped or ground down.


I sand all my mopani wood before use for exactly this reason. Plus I actually cut myself on some mopani wood which really told me I need to sand it.


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## darts.in.a.den (May 2, 2016)

op's wood looks like what we call here Spiderwood (not sure what its called in the states) , one trick to help prevent mold is submerse it for a while before using it in any tanks. Although, mold is almost inevitable.


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## Encyclia (Aug 23, 2013)

Malaysian driftwood from the local fish store has also held up extremely well for me. Really, of the commonly available wood for purchase, the main troublemaker for me has been grape wood. I learned pretty early on that this is not a good humid vivarium wood. That is true of cholla "wood", too, though most folks are unlikely to mistake it for a wood that does well in humid vivaria (unlike grape wood that looks like it might work  Oh, and I just remembered that I have had trouble with cypress knees rotting quickly (which doesn't make much sense to me). 

As others have said, though, visible mold in a new tank is nothing to worry about. You won't really know if the wood will hold up for a year or more. If it lasts a year and is still not soft, brittle, or overly flexible, you are probably good for the long term.

Mark


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## fishingguy12345 (Apr 7, 2019)

I've had this tank going for about 3 weeks now, and it's still moldy, but I'm not worrying about it at all .


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## JasonE (Feb 7, 2011)

The only time you really have to worry about mold is if you ever do a buttermilk moss slurry. That shit will mold to the point of creating a bad environment for plants. And of course your animals but you would never add animals at that stage.


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## Encyclia (Aug 23, 2013)

JasonE said:


> buttermilk moss slurry


I live close to Boulder, CO. Pretty sure this is on the menu at a smoothie place down the street!

Mark


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## Sadiemae (May 20, 2021)

JasonE said:


> The only time you really have to worry about mold is if you ever do a buttermilk moss slurry. That shit will mold to the point of creating a bad environment for plants. And of course your animals but you would never add animals at that stage.



Thank you all for the reply’s I really appreciate it! I was planning on getting a moss slurry but would you suggest that I don’t do that?


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## JasonE (Feb 7, 2011)

Sadiemae said:


> Thank you all for the reply’s I really appreciate it! I was planning on getting a moss slurry but would you suggest that I don’t do that?


Not with the plants in there. If you want to pull them and put them in a grow out tank for 6 weeks then go for it. I'm getting some great results


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## Sadiemae (May 20, 2021)

JasonE said:


> Not with the plants in there. If you want to pull them and put them in a grow out tank for 6 weeks then go for it. I'm getting some great results


Ok thanks! the only plants in there now are air plants that can be easily removed. everything else is in quarantine containers so might actually do that.


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## JasonE (Feb 7, 2011)

Sadiemae said:


> Ok thanks! the only plants in there now are air plants that can be easily removed. everything else is in quarantine containers so might actually do that.


No better time than the present. I got my moss from neherp. I'm sure there are other sources. Feel free to dm me if you have any questions


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## davecalk (Dec 17, 2008)

fishingguy12345 said:


> Manzanita and mopani are both reputed to last a long time as well.
> 
> I've noticed no deterioration on mopani wood in vivariums that have been going for 2 years. The cork bark in those vivariums is in less great shape than the mopani.


Spider wood is also pretty decent. You can also search the web for wood that is used in aquascaping. All of the above is used.

The research I have done shows that Mopani & Manzanita some of the best woods that are long lasting and which have many other benefits to us, our tanks, and our frogs. Besides being long lasting, they are good because they leach tannins into the water. The aquarium hobby tries to get rid of this as the water is tinted brown in color, not clear. For us, our frogs, and our tads, tannins are good. We often make tadpole tea to add tannins and organic acids to keep fungus and bacteria down as we raise tadpoles because tannins have antifungal and antibacterial properties and they are natural. Here's a link to Tadpole Tea . They are also extremely dense / hard. I have had to use carbide blades, bits and grinders to reshape a flat cut to make it look much more like a stump. But they do look great when they are done. The tannins and density are probably why the wood lasts so long in the tank without rotting.

Mopani & Manzanita wood is a tad expensive, but because they are long lasting in humid and wet environments and because they add lots of positive benefits to the tank they are often well worth it.

Grapevine wood does initially look great, but it molds and rots away quickly.


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## davecalk (Dec 17, 2008)

Encyclia said:


> I live close to Boulder, CO. Pretty sure this is on the menu at a smoothie place down the street!
> 
> Mark


That is funny and so true. 😂


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