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Is there something with which I can decontaminate newly purchased plants before placing them in my aquarium?

Hi,
As far as disinfecting plants, I've heard of two ways.
One is to swish them around in saltwater (the same
mix [specific gravity] as if it were for saltwater fish).

Other folks use a dilute solution of unscented clorox
but that is very rough on plants, and could be fatal
to some very delicate ones.

The best way is to wash them off under running water
that is about the same temperature as that of the
aquarium into which they will go.

Do each plant, one at a time, running your fingers
along each leaf, to feel for and remove snails and
snail eggs.
Brush the root system between two fingers along the
length of the roots, to remove any brown, dead, or
dying roots. Lastly remove any yellowing or dead
leaves.

Frank


Last edited by FRANK at 20-Oct-2004 18:26

-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

I remember hearing something about dipping plants into permanganate...

Hi,
Yup! YOu are right Cup! I'd forgotten about the
dilute permanganate bath early this morning (0300)!
Thanks,
Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Is Permanganate readily available in pet stores? Is it sold under some sort of trademark name?

Another great dip is a tablespoon of Alum (Aluminum sulfate) per gallon of water. It kills protozoans, bacteria, and larger parasites. The mixture has a low enough pH that it will kill snail eggs and knock adult snails off the plants very quickly. I've heard that some dip their plants for several hours, but a five minute dip does the same job for me.

Here in New Zealand Potassium Permanganate is available in chemist stores (pharmacies? dunno what you call them over there... :%))

I use the alum soak for anywhere from 1-2 days, depending on whether I see snail eggs. The gel the eggs are in can take longer to dissolve than just 24 hours. Also noteworthy, is that I've not lost any plants to an alum soak. The plants don't seem to mind even a 1-2 day treatement. The most i did was 3 days and the hornwort handled it quite well.

After rinsing well in room temp, conditioned water, I put them in a Potassium Permangenate dip using pre-conditioned water that is aged a few days and at room temp. I use only enough of the Jungle Clear Water (active ingredient is potassium permangenate) to make the water a deep purple and the soak is only 10 minutes.

I plan to add one more step to future plant "readiness" for aquariums. That is, to dip it in a solution with Prazi-Pro. This is a new medication that has praziquantel in it and it is highly safe for plants. It is intended for aquarium use to kill gill/skin flukes, as well as intestinal worms. It is highly effective and safe for all fishes, including young fish. Ads by Hikari-USA in recent fish magazines indicate it as a preventative treatment for plants.

I use alum mainly for snails and hydra, clear water for bacteria.

Here is Prazi-Pro and Clear Water.

http://www.hikariusa.com/prazipro.htm

http://www.epinions.com/content_141947276932

Note that Clear Water isn't advertised for plant sterilization. However, it is an easy source for potassium permangenate. Even if you found the powder, the recommended dose is "enough to make the water a deep purple". In either case, it is to be treated in a bucket and rinsed well. Also, when I checked with my pharmacist, I was informed that PP can be dangerous to keep in the home in large amounts (which is the only way I could purchase it). THis was ditto'd by a material science engineer who read some of the precautions I had printed from the web. In the US, it must be transported as "hazardous" and shipping is expensive. That's why I just buy Clear Water.

Anytime you use any form of potassium permangenate, watch the color of the water. Once it turns brown, it is no good. I find this happens if water conditioner was just added to the water. This is why I pre-condition my water in jugs a few days ahead of time.


Last edited by Cory_Di at 31-Oct-2004 10:03