# Bamboo Wood-Mold?



## viper69 (Dec 14, 2014)

Quick question peeps. I only use cork bark. But I've seen people use Bamboo wood as hides. How mold resistant is Bamboo wood? It certainly is pretty and looks like the perfect shape for a T hide.


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## Galapoheros (Dec 15, 2014)

I don't know but if it's that you're wondering if the mold would be bad for the T, I think it doesn't matter much.  Terrestrial fungi/molds don't seem to be neg for at least most of these inverts.  I have molds and mushrooms pop up often, I think they look OK and run their course with no apparent neg impact to tropical inverts, they live around this stuff.  But if you're only curious about mold and bamboo, I'm going to guess that it's only moderately resistant to mold being a semi-soft wood/grass type, even though it's used in "wood" floors now.  I used to be kind of interested in bamboo and even went to some bamboo shows.  I learned it is actually in the grass family, I could relate to that after I heard about it.


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## The Snark (Dec 15, 2014)

Simply put, bamboo harbors every mold, mildew and fungus on the planet. The bamboo is extremely hardy. As Galapoheros stated, a grass. More precisely, Neanderthal grass from hell on steroids. It is able to ignore the most severe infections from molds for many years before becoming blighted.

Looking closely at these 4 inch green stripes you can see rust, orange, white, grey, green and black molds/fungi. I doubt the average homeowner can get entirely rid of the infections as they penetrate the wood which is exceptionally hard, as well as live in the hollow insides. The mostly yellow stem on the right is only a few months old and has yet to become badly infected. Only that lateral stripe of rust mold so far and a mild dose of black mold giving it that dirty look.
Bringing any bamboo into the house, or even brushing up against the leaves, infects the entire place. The wood doors quickly become covered in a white powdery fungi that plays hell with your lungs, the tub, toilet and sink grow green and black mold, and inside the toilet bowl grows rust fungus. Such is a fact of life in the tropics. The common method of getting rid of infections in bamboo wood is pressure treating with a powerful fungicide.
For your trivia, certain bamboo varieties season and grow tougher for 10 to 20 years after being cut down, eventually assuming a tensile strength many times that of the equivalent weight in steel. That is the bamboo they make floors and other hardwood furniture and furnishings out of.

Reactions: Like 2


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## The Snark (Dec 15, 2014)

BTW, if someone could tell me or point to info on why bamboo is such a perfect host for spores I'd appreciate it. I don't think I've ever seen, heard of or read about any host or location that sports such a wide variety.


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## viper69 (Dec 20, 2014)

Thanks for the input people!


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