preventing mold in water based incubator

So I started setting up a d.I.u. incubator that I saw and thought would be easy. Problem is it creates a lot of mold because of the still water. Its the kind where u heat water and put the egg tub inside the other tub resting half inch or so in the water. After a couple days it started molding real bad. Is there anything safe I can put in the water to prevent this? Ive thought about vinegar or maybe a water filter, but wasn't sure if the vinegar would be safe or off the water filter would cause fluctuations in the temp. I've seen the flaw in this incubator and will be switching to a different style, but am stuck with this for now.

I would try the vinegar first, if that does not work, and you fear for your eggs I would try a few drops of Chlorhexidine or nolvus.

Elevate the eggs with something that allows airflow under the eggs, like a light diffuser, and have air moving with a fan. If the eggs got good airflow they shouldn't mold. Now that they already have mold, you may have to clean them for the rest of the incubation, i have had success cleaning mold off of eggs with white vinegar.

is the mold in the tub that contains the eggs, or under it / outside of it?

im not sure im getting where exactly the mold is.

also im doubtful about vinegar. the fumes are more volatile than water vapor, so it can evaporate and then condensate elsewhere. Also the bacteria could view the vinegar as food and metabolize it; many animals can get nutrition and calories by properly metabolizing vinegar, who is to say bacteria cannot?

is the issue is between the two tubs, meaning between the larger and smaller tubs? If it is, just clean it as good as you can. (bacteria need to eat something, so there must be some residue, they can even eat dishwasher residue). after cleaning, wash with clean fresh water. and then table salt may do the job. At least the salt wont move through the air from one body of water into another, so outside the egg container itself, table salt may work nicely.

Luckily no I don't have eggs yet, but will here any day, the mold is in the water it didn't get into the egg tub itself. The vinigar I thought would work because it's a safe way to clean and sterilize cages and I know doesn't harm live snakes, so I doubt mold can feed off it since it is used to sterilize and kill bacteria

Vinegar is basically a bit like alcohol or sugar.

No bacteria can survive or even eat honey, whiskey, or concentrated vinegar, because the concentrations are so high that it just kills the bacteria. However, if you dilute it with plenty of water, bacteria will love diluted vinegar just as much as they would love a sugar solution or alcohol at 3%.

Vinegar kills by acidity, if the acidity is too low bacteria will start a party and eat it. the energy content is illustrated by the fact that extremely highly concentrated vinegar is flammable.

also i fear vinegar could just be too volatile and move too much, a snake in contact with vinegar will just metabolize the vinegar that gets into its system for energy, just like we metabolize vinegar in our food. i dont know if a large egg with a weak tiny embryo inside can do the same, or if it will be defenseless and turn acidic over time and suffer. If it would be about chicken eggs, the vapors from the vinegar would just destroy the eggshells. Vinegar evaporates easier than water and is attracted by non-acidic water.

Salt hurts bacteria no matter if the concentration is low or high, and it doesnt evaporate in one place and condensate somewhere else, so when you have salt in the water outside the actual egg boxes, none of it will go to the eggs. and the salt will just stay there forever, even as water evaporates and you refill it with fresh water. Vinegar evaporates quickly, allowing the bacteria to bounce back as the concentration runs low and then even feeding them, requiring more vinegar.

just dont use too much salt, if its too concentrated it may become so attractive to water that your egg boxes get dry while the amount of liquid at the bottom increases. aim for a bit more salt than sea water contains, maybe around 5%.

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Originally Posted by Pythonfriend

Vinegar is basically a bit like alcohol or sugar.

No bacteria can survive or even eat honey, whiskey, or concentrated vinegar, because the concentrations are so high that it just kills the bacteria. However, if you dilute it with plenty of water, bacteria will love diluted vinegar just as much as they would love a sugar solution or alcohol at 3%.

Vinegar kills by acidity, if the acidity is too low bacteria will start a party and eat it. the energy content is illustrated by the fact that extremely highly concentrated vinegar is flammable.

also i fear vinegar could just be too volatile and move too much, a snake in contact with vinegar will just metabolize the vinegar that gets into its system for energy, just like we metabolize vinegar in our food. i dont know if a large egg with a weak tiny embryo inside can do the same, or if it will be defenseless and turn acidic over time and suffer. If it would be about chicken eggs, the vapors from the vinegar would just destroy the eggshells. Vinegar evaporates easier than water and is attracted by non-acidic water.

Salt hurts bacteria no matter if the concentration is low or high, and it doesnt evaporate in one place and condensate somewhere else, so when you have salt in the water outside the actual egg boxes, none of it will go to the eggs. and the salt will just stay there forever, even as water evaporates and you refill it with fresh water. Vinegar evaporates quickly, allowing the bacteria to bounce back as the concentration runs low and then even feeding them, requiring more vinegar.

just dont use too much salt, if its too concentrated it may become so attractive to water that your egg boxes get dry while the amount of liquid at the bottom increases. aim for a bit more salt than sea water contains, maybe around 5%.

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thanks pythonfriend I will try a little salt