White stuff on coco fiber

[Celebrimbor]

I've soaked my coco brick and put it in an unused aquarium(no lid) to dry on the wall radiator.

A few days after I've noticed white stuff on it. I've read up on it and some people say it's salt residue ( if I remember correctly ) and that I should just scrape it off and I'm good to go.

Any ideas ?

 

[SC Tarantulas]

Looks to just be mineral deposits from the water after evaporation. Are you using tap water?

 

[The Snark]

Just hang that photo over the enclosure and compare for a few days. If the white expands there be a fungus among us. If so a few sprays of Hydrogen Peroxide, NOT getting it on your animals - irritant, will keep it knocked down. Almost impossible to fully eradicate without an autoclave in that fiber though. H2O2 leaves no harmful residue.

 

[Celebrimbor]

Looks to just be mineral deposits from the water after evaporation. Are you using tap water?

I did use tapwater, and indeed it's not the best it can be.

 

[Celebrimbor]

Just hang that photo over the enclosure and compare for a few days. If the white expands there be a fungus among us. If so a few sprays of Hydrogen Peroxide, NOT getting it on your animals - irritant, will keep it knocked down. Almost impossible to fully eradicate without an autoclave in that fiber though. H2O2 leaves no harmful residue.

No animals are in it, I just "prepared" it for future use. I'll try spraying it, I'll see how that goes

 

[The Snark]

Well H2O2 will blow up the fruits, the white stuff, and what of the rhizomes it can reach undiluted but it's not a permanent solution and it will bleach, whiten, the fiber.
If it doesn't cause the material harm, maybe doing a small sample run, and it's feasible, baking the stuff in an oven up around 400F for a half hour should kill everything. Add a pan of water to increase heat penetration.

 

[SC Tarantulas]

No animals are in it, I just "prepared" it for future use. I'll try spraying it, I'll see how that goes

My tap water does the same thing. I switched over to using spring water several years ago and no longer have these mineral deposits after the water evaporates.

 

[beaker41]

Ultimately if you provide a warm wet environment exposed to air but not much ventilation you will develop some amount of mold or fungus eventually.The best permanent fix is to have a good population of spring tails going, they will eat it all up as well as any future bolus.

 

[The Snark]

Ultimately if you provide a warm wet environment exposed to air but not much ventilation you will develop some amount of mold or fungus eventually.

Not even that much. Once established it can be a friend for life. The white fungus gets going in the rainy season here, impregnates the wood on the doors and thrives right through the cold and dry season.
Combating the gunk with natures own, critters eating the stuff, sounds like the solid plan.