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Mold on dock

Posted:
Wed Nov 09, 2005 5:49 pm
by Gorwooken
I've had my turtle for a month and a half or so, I've got a floating zoomed dock and I recently noticed some spots of mold on it where it sits under the water.
Should I attempt to clean this area with bleach or should I just go out and get a new dock?
I'm not sure what its from, I keep the tank pretty clean, I usually do full water changes every week.

Posted:
Wed Nov 09, 2005 6:19 pm
by steve
Do you mean algae? Sunlight and many other forms of light can encourage the growth of algae. Some people scrub their platforms, some leave it alone. In my personal experience, algae likes to multiple so I get rid of it when it comes up. I'm not sure how well the Zoomed takes to cleaning, but most people use a toothbrush to gently scrub their platforms.

Posted:
Wed Nov 09, 2005 6:29 pm
by Gorwooken
It probably is algae, however the tank isn't exposed to any direct sunlight. Just the uva/uvb bulb and an incandescent bulb.
I'll try giving it a good scrubbing with a toothbrush and see what that manages to do, thanks.

Posted:
Wed Nov 09, 2005 8:35 pm
by marisa
Using a little white vinegar when you scrub and rinsing well afterward would be good. It cleans better than just the water and may keep the algae from coming back quite as quickly (but it will return). And the vinegar is not toxic to turtles. (Light, heat and nutrients in the water from decaying matter all help algae to form, btw.)