dip treatment for new plants

[cootwarm]

This is another post of mine from last week. Again, I didn't write down the replies.

I was looking for a good solution to dip newly aquired plants in to kill and clear any hitch-hiking snails and hydra. I also want to dip Java Moss and hornwort that is infested with hydra in a couple of my tanks.

Thanks,
Michael

 

[farm41]

Bleach solutions and I believe 'Lime it' is what a lot of people use for plant dips.

 

[2la]

This comes from Steve Hampton, one of the smartest and most experienced aquarists (and genuinely great guy) I know, at The Age of Aquariums:

It is a good idea to disinfect all new plants before adding them to your fish tank. And, sometimes algae gets such an upper hand on your plants that they have to be removed and dip/bath treated. I will describe two dips, please pay attention to the words of caution also.

Potassium Permanganate Dip

The first dip is milder and safer for the plants. It is a Potassium Permanganate dip. Potassium Permanganate is available at Sear's and Ace Hardware in the area where they sell water softener’s and supplies. You can also purchase Potassium Permanganate from chemical supply companies, both local and online.

To prepare a disinfectant dip, use a bucket filled about 1/2 full of water. Add enough Potassium Permanganate to color the water a dark pink. This solution can be saved if covered, and it's a great way to store your nets and tools, soaking the this solution. Back to the dipping. To disinfect and kill most algae a 10-20 minute dip (more like bath) in Potassium Permanganate is very effective. Rinse the plants under tap water thoroughly and add dechlor to your tank...it neutralizes Potassium Permanganate too.

CAUTION: Potassium Permanganate is a strong powerful oxidizer. Treatment should be made outside the tank...it will kill your bio-filter. Like all chemicals you should wear protective eye wear and gloves. Potassium Permanganate will stain clothing, carpeting, skin, etc. Never combine Potassium Permanganate and Formalin, this will result in explosive results and dangerous gases.


Bleach (Chlorine) Dip

This is a more effective and sure-fire way to kill algae. It is also very easy to kill the plant in the process. Regular household bleach (I.e. Clorox) is diluted to a 5% (19 parts water to 1 part bleach) solution in a bucket. It's good to have a second bucket filled with rinse water containing 3X the normal dechlor. Dip large leaf plants for 3 minutes, immediately move to the dechlor rinse water, then rinse under running tap water for a few seconds, if you still smell chlorine, repeat the rinse process again. For small delicate leaf plants and mosses dip for only 2 minutes in the bleach. To be safe, add dechlor to the tank after adding the plants back. Also, if your dipping a lot of plants you may need to add more dechlor to your rinse water.

Remember, the bleach dip is a last resort solution. It can and may kill your plants! Use the same caution handling bleach as recommended for Potassium Permanganate.

 

[aspen]

just to weigh in on this one...

potassium premanganate used at a strength that will not kill your plants will have almost no effect on any flukes eggs, snail eggs or any bacterial or viral agents the plants may have inside of the leaves and stems. you can pick off the snails, but if a single egg makes it through, well, you could have mega snails in the future. therefore, i have stopped using this method altogether and use only bleach dips with all new plants.

the bleach dip is much more efective for this, but care should be taken that none of the bleach makes it to the fish tank. (rinse rinse rinse... same temperature water). i am very paranoid about introducing many new bacterias and viruses to my established tanks, that is why i quarentine all new plants for 2 weeks or more, with no fish or other animal contact. this allows time for the plant to grow out as well, and with bleach dips, algae is of no concern in this amount of time.

rick

 

[cootwarm]

I've got some hydra infested Java Moss attached to a coconut shell. Would the bleach dip be OK for coconut shells and driftwood?

I'm thinking maybe the shell or wood might absorb some bleach that won't rinse out, but later release into the water. I suppose I could soak it for awhile in the last rinse.

Do you think it would be better to soak hydra infested plants in warm water? If so, how warm should the water be? And how long should the plant soak at that temperature?

Thanks,
Michael

 

[tjudy]

After dipping you can always place the piece in a bucket of clean water and use dechlor for a day or so. The plants will be ok, and any chlorine that does soak into the wood or shell will dissipate and be taken out by the dechlor. Aerating will help too.

 

[fishgeek]

salt might be better for hydra java moss coombo's
as java not so good in chlorine

just a thought
andrew

 

[farm41]

I don't know much about hydra, but I know java moss can survive for a month or more outside of the aquarium. You might just take it out of the aquarium, and let it air out for a week or so.

If you lose the java moss, let me know, I have lot's of it. I'll send you some.

 

[cootwarm]

Last month I tried the bleach treatment (1part bleach to 19 parts water) on a large Amazon Sword. Within a couple days all the large broadleaf swords turned a transparent brown except for the viens (it looked like a brown laceleaf sword). The plant didn't die entirely, new swords have grown back and continue to grow.

Anyhow, I thought perhaps I might have left them in the solution a little too long. But the other day I had to pick up another gallon of bleach when something on the label caught my eye.

It said ULTRA Clorox! 8O

I know word 'ultra' on a bottle of detergent means that it's more concentrated than regular detergent. Does anyone know if this is the case with bleach?
The label of the ultra clorox says 6% Sodium Hypochlorite.

Dammed marketing ploys. I guess it just goes to show that commercial names aren't just confusing in the Apistogramma trade! :?

Michael

 

[aspen]

yes, this is not only true for chlorine bleach, but for most of the things we use that are not strictly for aquarium use. f/i, ammonia comes in different strengths and the concentration is usually not listed on the label.

they also make scented bleach too. i wouldn't use this.

rick

 

[ginnie5]

I've done this with my swords too..

and had the same results with regular bleach. I even set a timer to make sure they weren't in it too long. they came back with new leaves though and are fine. I also recently bleached a piece of driftwood that was covered in bba. I figured I had nothing to lose by bleaching it since I had boiled it for over 24 hours with no luck in killing the bba. I did not measure the bleach and water. It's a large piece so I filled the tub till the wood was covered and then added bleach till the bba started turning white. I let it sit for about an hour in this water. Then empteied and refilled and added the contents of my bottle of dechlor. I left it the rest of the day in there, had to take it out that night though so dh could shower. It still smelled like bleach so I set it outside in the sun the next day or two. No more bleach smell! I returned it to the tank with crossed fingers. There have been no reactions to the bleach and so far no return of the bba.