Mold in sump cabinet

[Baldy]

Hello,

I have recently noticed mold starting to grow in the cabinet under my tank where the sump is located. I had no ventilation in there before, and added a fan a couple weeks ago. ive been running the fan intermittently to try and avoid excessive evaporation, but im worried that this mold is going to become a problem

any advice?

[The Grizz]

Sounds like you might need to re seal your stand after a good cleaning & possibly a little sanding. I found that if a wood stand is not completely sealed the wood will soak up the moisture and eventually mold.

[MarkoD]

Sounds like you might need to re seal your stand after a good cleaning & possibly a little sanding. I found that if a wood stand is not completely sealed the wood will soak up the moisture and eventually mold.

and if its MDF it'll bubble and fall apart

[The Grizz]

and if its MDF it'll bubble and fall apart

Ya & that too

[monocus]

wash the cabinet with diluted bleach and reseal

[Baldy]

The unfortunate part is the tank is up and running, and I have nowhere to put everything to tear it down. I was more thinking of a way to get the mold off the wood. Would a rag soaked in bleach solution be ok?

I'm not really attached to the cabinet. If I set up a new tank or move this one, ill be building another as its not optimal for having a sump

[mseepman]

What is suggested as the right sealer for inside cabinets?

[MarkoD]

What is suggested as the right sealer for inside cabinets?

Paint. Waterproof paint is best.

I use a waterproof masonary paint and it works perfectly. And it's kind of rubbery it seals any cracks or seals.

[jostafew]

Best thing I came up with is marine grade paint. It smells pretty strong while it's curing, but it's the kind of stuff they use outdoors in wet situations. Once that's on there, no more worries about spilled water! I'd bet that if you simply remove as much of the surface mould as you can and dry the area well, simply putting a couple coats of that marine paint over top would seal it all in. Once that's done it's a matter of fixing the source of the problem by ensuring that the cabinet is be well ventilated. If you're worried about evaporation, build a lid for the sump. Might be overkill but my sump is completely covered (DT is open top though) and the cabinet is ventilated by a fan 24/7. I want to make sure that my electrics aren't damaged by moist salty air.

[monocus]

use a sponge to wash the mold off,and drape your sump with some poly.hard to reach places,you could put the solution in a spray bottle