# Mold? Algae? What is this stuff? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 26, 2019, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mold-algae-what-is-this-stuff/844029 "2019-11-26T21:06:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![A\_Dodgy\_Dude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a87d85/32.png) [@A\_Dodgy\_Dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A_Dodgy_Dude)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2019, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mold-algae-what-is-this-stuff/844029/1 "2019-11-26T21:06:10Z")
I don’t know what it is but it is bright green and definitely growing by the day. Does mold grow under water? I never heard of that before. [[https://i.imgur.com/ar9zFIP.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/ar9zFIP.jpg)]( [![](https://i.imgur.com/ar9zFIP.jpg) ](https://i.imgur.com/ar9zFIP.jpg) ) ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2019, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mold-algae-what-is-this-stuff/844029/2 "2019-11-26T21:38:12Z")
Algae. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2019, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mold-algae-what-is-this-stuff/844029/3 "2019-11-26T23:23:02Z")
Where do you live? Where does your water come from? It’s algae. ---
**Author:** ![A\_Dodgy\_Dude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a87d85/32.png) [@A\_Dodgy\_Dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A_Dodgy_Dude)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2019, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mold-algae-what-is-this-stuff/844029/4 "2019-11-26T23:51:27Z")
I live in the Bronx. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2019, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mold-algae-what-is-this-stuff/844029/5 "2019-11-26T23:54:47Z")
How strange. Bleach it everyday. Creeping algae, gah!!:eek: Horror movie fodder. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2019, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mold-algae-what-is-this-stuff/844029/6 "2019-11-27T00:38:52Z")
What have you been eating? ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2019, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mold-algae-what-is-this-stuff/844029/7 "2019-11-27T01:38:40Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > What have you been eating? Yes, cut back on the asparagus. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2019, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mold-algae-what-is-this-stuff/844029/8 "2019-11-27T02:33:16Z")
If it’s algae, it needs sunlight to grow. I don’t know if keeping the lid down would stunt it or if it that would require total darkness. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2019, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mold-algae-what-is-this-stuff/844029/9 "2019-11-27T02:59:46Z")
Get some plecos or mollies . . . you’re already set up for when they die. CMC fnord! ---
**Author:** ![A\_Dodgy\_Dude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a87d85/32.png) [@A\_Dodgy\_Dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A_Dodgy_Dude)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2019, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mold-algae-what-is-this-stuff/844029/10 "2019-11-28T14:38:36Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > What have you been eating? That’s what I was wondering! 😃 All the usual crap I always eat: Mountain Dew, Pringles, Dunkin’ Donuts, and meat and potatoes. I’ve never heard of algae growing in toilet bowl before. A fish tank, sure, but never a toilet. Either way I have Mr. Clorox on the job now so thanks for the input everybody. ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2019, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mold-algae-what-is-this-stuff/844029/11 "2019-11-29T13:38:48Z")
On a semi related note, Yes, mold will grow under water. NatGeo had a bit some years ago about Aspergillus causing disease and damage to corals and this [wikipedia](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_issues_with_coral_reefs) article gives it a brief mention(all I could find at the mo’, not really enough time to look it up)you have to scroll down quite a bit and be careful, it’s a short paragraph ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2019, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mold-algae-what-is-this-stuff/844029/12 "2019-11-29T13:56:43Z")
It’s _possible_ that it’s fecal stains, and you’ve been eating stuff containing a lot of purple food coloring. The most common purple food coloring will indeed turn your poop green. No matter what it is, though, bleach will probably take care of it.