algae and wood decoration

Question
HI,
I am starting a new 45 gal planted tank, I have no fish yet. I have put in some
drift wood (purchased at Pet co) and a large piece of heavy wood, cant
remember name but very heavy and dark brown. Anyway, The tank has been
running for 4 days, I have added iron and tank bacteria by recommendation
from a pretty good fish store. Now I have a layer of white algae? on the drift
wood from Petco. I have to say I didnt think to scrub it before I put it in, I
read a previous question that seemed similar and he said he had scrubbed
the wood... but that advice had to do with over feeding and I have no fish yet.
My ammonia is just a tad high the ph this am was <7 . 6.5 or so and the
nitrate and nitrite was normal /ie non existant.  I have a canister(natural) co2
unit running, an air bubbler and flororite substrate under fine gravel. What is
this do you know? What can I do to get rid of it?  Thank you!!!

Answer
Hi Kelly

Well first, the driftwood from Petco is fine, but the other piece of wood needs to come out of the tank. Real wood will rot when it gets wet and break into small particles that float in the tank and the fish eat and die. I never put any type of real wood in any of my tanks, only simulated driftwood.

The white stuff is not actually algae, but a mold. It needs to be scrubbed clean. Sometimes new tanks get this in the gravel, because the gravel at the store was stored under or near their aquariums and had become moist. In your case, it is likely feeding off the nutrients in the chemicals the twit at the fish store told you to add to your tank. I've been doing this a very long time and I've never put any type of additives in any of my tanks other than Aquarium Salt and water conditioner like StressCoat and Aquasafe. I've never lost a fish to New Tank Syndrome or disease.

I would think twice before revisiting the store that told you to add iron and bacteria to your tank, it is obviously owned and employs a bunch of twits. Feel free to drop by and tell them I said so ;-)

Good luck!

Richard