Mopani rotten egg smell

[Lauren A]

Hi,

I’m starting a build on a 7 gallon cube very soon.  I really want to get started on it since my soil comes in tomorrow, but I have an issue (of course).  Maybe someone can help me.

I have this really beautiful piece of wood - I think mopani since it looks like it and sunk immediately.  I will attach a pic.  I soaked it for a week in a bucket.  It was fine.  I then moved it over to my temporary plant/snail bin.  Basically a tank in a plastic 5 gallon bin.  
 

Anyway, it’s been in that bin for over 2 weeks now - growing beneficial bacteria.  I removed it the other day during a wc and it smells like rotten eggs/sulfur.  I did my internet searches and some people say it’s mold (I don’t see any mold) or rot (I see and feel no rotting).

I’m not sure if I should sanitize with H2O2 and water but I will lose the bacteria or if it’s fine to add to the tank?  I do have Prime as a dechlorinator in the water which has that sulfur odor, but I don’t think that would do it.

Any help would be appreciated.  Here’s a pic of the wood from a couple different angles before I filed it and soaked.  Thanks so much!  

 

 

[FlyingFishKeeper]

Hi, I had a similar experience with a piece of mopani a year or two back Based off what I read it could be hydrogen sulfide that builds up in the substrate/low oxygen environments from bacteria until it’s nudged and released. Hope this helps!

[Luciferkrist]

If you have a pot big enough, I would boil it for a while. Rotten eggs is normally anaerobic bacteria, which could very well be the case with such a dense bit of wood. Boiling it will also open up the grains in the wood and help release some of the tannins in it so you won't have your water turn black right away Or sometimes wood just stinks when it is put into water, and will just end up going away once you start cycling your completed tank. But if you're having concerns about H2S, you can get test strips or water for pretty cheap. https://www.indigoinstruments.com/test_strips/water_quality/lead-acetate-test-papers-33810pbac.html

I would just build your cube and scape, and observe your tank very closely before adding any livestock.

[nabokovfan87]

On 11/16/2022 at 10:30 AM, Lauren A said:

I’m starting a build on a 7 gallon cube very soon.  I really want to get started on it since my soil comes in tomorrow, but I have an issue (of course).  Maybe someone can help me.

I have this really beautiful piece of wood - I think mopani since it looks like it and sunk immediately.  I will attach a pic.  I soaked it for a week in a bucket.  It was fine.  I then moved it over to my temporary plant/snail bin.  Basically a tank in a plastic 5 gallon bin.  
 

Anyway, it’s been in that bin for over 2 weeks now - growing beneficial bacteria.  I removed it the other day during a wc and it smells like rotten eggs/sulfur.  I did my internet searches and some people say it’s mold (I don’t see any mold) or rot (I see and feel no rotting).

I’m not sure if I should sanitize with H2O2 and water but I will lose the bacteria or if it’s fine to add to the tank?  I do have Prime as a dechlorinator in the water which has that sulfur odor, but I don’t think that would do it.

There is no issue of treating it with hydrogen peroxide at all.  Boil the wood, soak it, and then let it soak in a bucket until you're ready to use it.  Every day (or every other), dump out the water and add new water.

Potentially when you soaked it you didn't change the water enough?  You can also add an airstone if you need to.  Is it possible the smell came from the snails?

[Guppysnail]

The bacteria releasing the smell is not the same bacteria you need to convert ammonia and nitrite. My understanding is different strains of BB live at different temps so even if it is the same type of bacteria you will most likely lose it if it is going in a heated tank. H2o2 would get my vote. 

Edited November 18, 2022 by Guppysnail