Mold in your BioActive Enclosure: Why it happens and how to treat it. Quick Answer
- Emily A
- Jun 17
- 2 min read
Mold is a natural part of an ecosystem, and it is common for there to be a fungal bloom when you first set up your BioActive enclosure! This is a completely normal part of the cycling process. Mold is a great indicator that your ecosystem is breaking down nutrients in the substrate and decor. Small patches of mold are harmless to your animals and will usually balance out on their own or will be taken care of by your clean-up crew. That being said, too much visible mold being consistent or growing can be a sign that your ecosystem isn't establishing itself properly or that your clean-up crew is struggling. Below, we're going to go over why mold can occur in your BioActive enclosure and how to treat it in your enclosure!
Why does mold occur in a BioActive enclosure?
Mold can occur in a BioActive enclosure for a myriad of reasons, a few of which could be:
Enclosure Cycling: New bioactive tanks often experience "mold blooms" as soil and new wood balance out their organic nutrients.
Moisture Imbalance: Excessively wet substrate paired with warm temperatures creates a prime breeding ground for fungi.
Poor Airflow: Stagnant air and high humidity trap moisture against the glass, decor, and plants.
Struggling Clean-up Crew: Clean-up crews help your enclosure cycle. When it comes to mold, Springtails are your friend. These tiny crustaceans will sustain themselves on mold and fungi spores.
How to Treat and Prevent It
Not all mold will need treating; your enclosure should be able to take care of it with time. That being said, on the rare occasion your clean-up crew can't keep up, we recommend doing one of the following.
Add a Cleanup Crew (CUC) or additional to your enclosure: Your bioactive tank relies on springtails and isopods to eat the mold before it spreads. If you are seeing a sudden explosion of mold, your springtail population may be too low. Consider adding more and feeding them. We recommend feeding your CUC Springtail Isopod Chow to encourage population growth.
Improve Ventilation: Stagnant, humid air breeds mold. If your tank allows, slightly increase your mesh ventilation area or look into installing a low-profile computer fan to keep the air moving.
Reduce Moisture: Back off on misting for a few days to let the surface dry out. Ensure your drainage layer isn't flooded, as sitting water causes root rot and excess evaporation.
Manual Removal: If the mold is overtaking an area, don't wait for the CUC. You can manually scoop it out, wipe it off with a paper towel, or apply a 3% hydrogen peroxide and water mix (1:1 ratio) to spot-treat stubborn patches of cobweb mold.
Remove Old Food: While the CUC handles small messes, leftover animal food and large amounts of animal waste will quickly rot and trigger mold.
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