i want to bleach my new plants

wickerman

wickerman

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Mar 12, 2005
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A few months back i had a horrid case of BBA.
It took over my tank and i had to strip it down and start again.

Now im starting again,but i dont want to just buy plants from my LFS and put them in the tank(incase thay have bba on them)...i think i read on here a whlie back,that you can make a bleach solution up and soak your plants in it,before putting them in your tank.

does anyone know the right way to do this..the ratio to bleach & water and how long to soak etc.
any help would be great
 
The standard ratio is 19:1. There seems to be differing opinions on the length of time to leave them; some will say 2 minutes, others no longer than 45 seconds or so. Next, rinse them well and soak in a solution of water and dechlorinator at double stregnth. It wouldn't hurt to quarantine them for a few days either.
 
I have used a 25:1 ratio and killed off all traces of BBA and every other algae and the plants seem to appreciate the milder solution.
You can go as long as 1.5 - 2.0 mins. with tough plants such as anubia and java fern, but IME 45 secs. will kill anything on them. Tender stuff like Val. should be maxed at 30 secs. or you are really running a risk of losing them.
Have a bucket of fresh water treated with a 2 - 3X strength of 'Tap Water Conditioner' mixed up before you dip anything into the bleach dip.
Dip the plant(s), immediately rinse under the tap and drop them into the fresh water while you dip the rest.
After the dipping is finished dip your hands into the fresh water solution as well, to remove any bleach residue, before sticking your hands back into the tank.
BTW, it probably wasn't necessary to tear up your old set-up to get rid of the algae. There are fish available that eat it and depending on the size of your tank, Flourish Excel may have been a viable option for controlling it.

Len
 
thanks u very much for the help.
i will give it a go
the plant that i will be treating first will be wisteria...at 25 parts water and 1 part bleach.
 
Wisteria = delicate. 30 - 45 seconds should clean them up nicely. Then immediately rinse and into the fresh water solution.

Len
 
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