Dealing with mould

[Gravelanche]

So as some of you know i did a test run of my BRB tank about a week ago and have let it sit to monitor how the conditions would stay over a while.

this morning i noticed CONSIDERABLE mold growth after only a week, i know there is always a risk of it but a week seems too short, its a fuzzy layer across almost the whole cage too.

was it too moist? am i missing something? it was just exo terra plantation soil without peat moss.

[ilovemypets1988]

can you post a pic of the mold

[Gravelanche]

http://sphotos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/856804_10151307238151239_112713609_o.jpg

[ilovemypets1988]

wow that is bad, this would be a result of water pooling up within the substrate, thing is when you have heat and water on a soil substrate, it becomes a breeding ground for bacteria, hence the mould.

as the tanks for a BRB, id suggest you stick with a very dry substrate and just have a moist hide in there (using spaghnum moss), after seeing this after only a week, its what i would do if im honest as there will always be a risk of this happening again, you will need to clean the entire tank as its had a mold growth to get rid of all of the spores

[SpOoKy]

mold=excessive moisture

[Gravelanche]

ok, now one thing to be said, i did screw up on the initial setup and didnt let it dry enough, but yeah im not the biggest fan of this substrate, would you suggest aspen instead?

also how would one build a proper moist hide? just put the moss in the hide and keep it misted?

im kinda back to square one with only 10 days to get ready

[ilovemypets1988]

ok, now one thing to be said, i did screw up on the initial setup and didnt let it dry enough, but yeah im not the biggest fan of this substrate, would you suggest aspen instead?

also how would one build a proper moist hide? just put the moss in the hide and keep it misted?

im kinda back to square one with only 10 days to get ready

well i would use aspen or wood chips, never had a problem with them, aspen especailly tbh.

making a moss hide is fairly simple, use a suitably sized plastic tub, put a hole in it for access, ad damp sphagnum moss and mist twice a week or as required :D

[SpOoKy]

No aspen, it will mold even quicker. I would scoop out the mold parts and leave the enclosure open with the lights/heat on to dry it out a bit.

[Gravelanche]

ok, well im going to be trashing this whole batch of substrate, i have another brick im going to mix but this time im going to do 2 things, first im going to drain it in a sheet and ring out as much water as i can, then im going to mix in some sphagnum/fir peat moss to absorb some of it, think that will do it?

[ilovemypets1988]

that will help, you could try using some old or an old fish net to help strain it aswell

[jarich]

Hang on now, there are a few issues with this thread. No need to throw the whole thing out and start again!

No mold is not a sign of excessive moisture, and is not a result of bacteria. Well, not in a negative way anyhow. Its a sign that you have a consistently moist substrate with not much of a bioactive system yet. You just took a baked brick and gave it water. You are seeing the first stage of bioactivity. First thing you can visibly see is that the molds will come, then other things will come that will eat those, and on and on and on. Its good that you set it up prior to introducing your animal so that your substrate has time to 'grow'.

However, there are some things that will help this cycle that seem to have been missed. One is to mix the plantation soil with some other things. Sphagnum is a good start, also add in some fern mix, some topsoil, a bit of sand and some activated charcoal. Second, make sure you have proper drainage under the soil so that the soil can drain the excess moisture away and you dont have to worry about it being too wet. This is usually accomplished with about an inch of gravel at the bottom. Third, get some bugs and plants in there to help with soil growth and cycling. Isopods, African earthworms, springtails, etc will get things moving in the right direction, plants will help cycle the nitrogen too.

Setting up a good bioactive substrate is not just throwing a brick of moistened coir and walking away, but it is pretty simple if you do it correctly. And once you do have it set up you will not have to worry anymore about humid hides or any other issues like that. Not to mention cleaning becomes a breeze and they look great! ;)

[Snakesitter]

Wow.

The best way to manage humidity for this moisture-loving species is as follows:

A. Select an enclosure with limited ventilation. Things like screen tops or dozens of air holes will only allow your hard-won humidity to bleed off into the room.

B. Choose a mold-resistant and moisture-absorbent substrate. Orchid bark is a popular choice. It will catch spillover from the water bowl, and can be misted every now and then for extra humidity. (Was the above substrate really damp to start? It should be slightly damp, not soaking.)

C. Choose a low, flat water bowl. You are going for surface area, as that gives the evaporation process more space to work. Place the bowl partly on the heat, as the higher temps will facilitate the process.

D. Add a moist moss hide. Basically, you add pre-dampened peat moss to a moisture-resistant hide. The snake will make frequent use of it.

Unless you want to try and cycle the substrate as suggested above, I would toss the current load and wipe the tank down with mild bleach, then start over with something less wet and more mold-resistant.

Good luck!

[Gravelanche]

interestingly, by letting some of the moisture out the mold dissapeared overnight. but im still going to clean out the tank and do it right