Molding canopy?

[mk_kraje]

Hey guys heres a question.
I built a DYI canopy for my 125 gallon salt water tank. It houses a 440W total T5 fixture. It's been on the tank for just 3 weeks.
While doing a water change today I noticed some mold on the canopy wooden skeleton. This wood was bought from Home Depot, I'm not even sure what kind of wood it is. I took two pictures that I would like to share with you.

I would like to know whether this can be saved and if so how I should proceed. There has to be a way around this since I know many have wooden canopies on their tanks and are perfectly happy with them even after a couple of years.
Is it a question of just staining the wood?

 

[jeremyj0247]

It should be fine. I would just use a good primer on it like Killz. You can get it at Lowes or Home Depot. Maybe try and sand the mold off before you paint.

 

[uncleof6]

Mold is indicative of inadequate ventilation in the areas with mold, or in the entire hood itself. Moisture + lack of ventilation = mold. If you are careful, bleach can be used to kill the mold, (not get any in the water) and ventilate the hood to prevent it. Even with kilz, protecting the wood, mold can still develop eventually. As stated, the mold on this scale will not harm the wood, it just gets to smelling a bit.

 

[mk_kraje]

Thanks much!

Thanks much!

Thanks alot. A bit of work went into this thing and it got me scared I missed something. Ill be taking the hood off the tank tomorrow late evening and staining it with the mentioned product, but I'm going to also be installing a fan to circulate air inside of the hood.