Any idea as to what this grey fuzz is?

I've taken the wood out several times to clean it from diatoms, yet each time it is put back it triggers this grey fuzz. It's not tufty enough to be bba so how should I deal with it? Any suggestions?

Now im pretty sure I had this same problem when my wood wasnt submerged all the way but I just wiped it off and left it to sit. Have you boiled it? that may help.Also is your wood submerged all the way.

Thats new wood you just put in? Its normal and will go away all by it self, If you want you can take the wood out and scrub it but the stuff will come back,

Hahah Nick it seems you werent fast enough!

That is a fungus. Many have found it harmless, but there are toxic fungi (I had one that killed fish). There is no way to tell which species of fungus it is, without examination by a microbiologist.

I've had the wood totally submerged in the tank since May. It only went like this after taking it out recently, as I had a diatom bloom after changing from T5 to led lights. The last time I took the wood out I painted the branches with Excel and left it for a couple of days to dry. I put the wood back in the tank on Monday and this fuzz has grown in 3 days. BTW I bought 6 otos yesterday to help the diatom problem and they don't seem to mind being on the wood amongst the fuzzy stuff - hope it's not toxic!

Probaly the excel did that should go away like Nick said

On the subject of wood...anyone know why diatoms are more attracted to wood than plants? I mean the plants do appear brown in places but the wood in 3 of my tanks seems to get lots of diatoms. I've increased flow, increased water changes, but it's been months...

Maybe cause its bigger?

Do you have a pleco in that tank? I'm pretty sure a bristle nose would love to snack on whatever that is. It would probably take care of the diatoms too

Demeter32 said:

Do you have a pleco in that tank? I'm pretty sure a bristle nose would love to snack on whatever that is. It would probably take care of the diatoms too

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No but I'm discovering the joy of otos

Fish-mates said:

I've had the wood totally submerged in the tank since May. It only went like this after taking it out recently, as I had a diatom bloom after changing from T5 to led lights. The last time I took the wood out I painted the branches with Excel and left it for a couple of days to dry. I put the wood back in the tank on Monday and this fuzz has grown in 3 days. BTW I bought 6 otos yesterday to help the diatom problem and they don't seem to mind being on the wood amongst the fuzzy stuff - hope it's not toxic!

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What is shown in the photos is not diatoms, it is probably a fungus. Daitoms are a type of algae, fungus is totally something else.

Fungus can be present in the wood, and take time to leech out. Fungus can also be caused by something on the surface of the wood.

As for the toxicity, I was only mentioning this, not suggesting this fungus is toxic. There are many species of fungus, some are toxic, many are not. If fish have been living in this tank during this outbreak of fungus, for several days, it is not likely toxic, but I am only surmising, I am not a microbiologist. The toxic fungus I had on a piece of grapewood (I think that was what it turned out to be) bought in a fish store turned the water slightly hazy within a few hours, and fish began faster respiration. I got rid of it. I know of others who kept it longer, and fish began dying off within a few days; corys seem especially sensitive. But again, this was one type of fungus, it was whitish and sort of slimy.

Byron.

Sugars and or starches leach out of certain woods and create what you see. It is not harmful. It will go away on its own

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Thanks everyone for your input, it's really great to know you're all out there. I'll do a water change tomorrow and try and knock it off when I syphon the water.