# Dipping your plants.



## travisk

What does everyone here dip their plants in to rid them of any pests, snails, snail eggs etc. ?


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## kevmo911

A 5% bleach dip works, but can be rough on plants. Potassium permanganate is much gentler (I've used it with moss), though it takes longer. And a tiny pinch of the stuff goes a looong way.


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## Fdsh5

I dip them into a 2:1 hydrogen peroxide to water solution and then I have a 2 1/2 gallon tank with plain water I put them into for a bit to let the plants relax so it's easier to spot nasties before I put them in my tanks.


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## Overgrowth

kevmo911 said:


> A 5% bleach dip works, but can be rough on plants. Potassium permanganate is much gentler (I've used it with moss), though it takes longer. And a tiny pinch of the stuff goes a looong way.


Do you use the liquid PP? I have a bottle of Jungle Clear Water and it is mostly made of PP, but I don't know how much to use or how long to soak. Thanks.


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## Seattle_Aquarist

Hi travisk,

There are several recommended treatments including dips in dilute hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), potassium permanganate, and mild (5%) bleach. All can have some positive effects, but some damage sensitive plants. I have not found any to be 100% effective; especially dealing with snail eggs.

Today I use the quarantine method. I purchase a plant and it goes into a quarantine tank or tray with moderate light above it and water mildly fertilized with a balanced general purpose fertilizer like Seachem Flourish Comprehensive. I also add 2 -3 drops of Seachem Cupramine per gallon of water in the aquarium or tray. The copper in the Cupramine kills the snails, but not the unhatched snail eggs. I continue the treatment for about 4 weeks depending on water temperature to insure all snail eggs have had sufficient time to hatch. If I am treating the water in a tray without filtration I change the water 1 - 2 times a week as needed to avoid surface scum and stale water. Rinse plants thoroughly after treatment to remove copper, avoid using plants treated this way in aquariums containing shrimp or other invertebrates. All of my tanks are Snail-Free.

Better yet, purchase plants from forum members that are snail-free to begin with!

30 Gallon Snail-Free


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## variable

I use an alum dip, 1 or 2 Tblsp per gallon, soak for 24-48 hours depending on concentration (weaker solution soak longer). I only use a weaker solution for really delicate plants, and I've left plants in for longer than recommended with no problems. It's a very gentle dip -- I used bleach once and it was hard on my plants. Also didn't like having to stand over it with a timer! You can get alum in the spice aisle of the grocery store, McCormick sells it.

ETA: also check out this thread: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/s...k-investigates-shrimps-killed-mail-order.html


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## travisk

thanks everyone, what about ridding them in your tanks?


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## somewhatshocked

Have you considered going over ever plant by hand to make sure they're snail-free? Only takes a few minutes per plant to rid them of even the tiniest snail or clutch of eggs.

As far as pests go, even dips won't rid plants of all pests.

I've found going over every leaf and stem by hand to be a solid and safe way to introduce new plants to my tanks.


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## Overgrowth

Does anyone use liquid potassium permanganate to dip plants, like Jungle Clear Water? If so, how much do you use and for how long? Thanks!


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## deaf123

I use the jungle clear water for snails. I use about a teaspoon per gallon in whatever container you are dipping them in. It's pretty mild(much less concentrated than the crystal form). I've left xmas moss to soak in it for half a day without it doing any noticeable damage. As others have said, it takes longer than other dips, but it's worth not defoliating your plants with H2O2, bleach, or excel.


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## eklikewhoa

Peroxide and let them sit in a bucket overnight if they look clean


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## splur

I'd favor H2O2 over potassium permanganate. I overdosed a bucket of PP (way more than suggested) and dipped the plants in for 2 hours. Some of the plants actually died, yet the snails were fine.


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## kevmo911

I got pp from either Amazon or Evilbay. A tiny vial of only a couple grams will last many dips.


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## Alyssa

I use salt water dips.

It's actually very effective for snails and most snail eggs - snails and slugs have very little defense against salt in general.

It works for leeches and dragonflys too - most of those will drop right off a plant if you stick it into really saltyyyyyyyyyyyyy water for like 5-10 minutes. 

It can stress a plant though if it's super salty.


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## shrimpnmoss

Thank God I only stock my tank with plants from other people's tanks. Snails in general are welcome in my tank.


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## Rockhoe14er

I do the H2O2 dip in a 3:1 water to peroxide dip for 6 min. I've done this with very sensitive plants and didn't have any repercussions. It's been helpful to rid some algae that i've gotten when getting plants but again it doesn't do much for snails. I guess i just decided to lose that battle and just accept them as part of a normal habitat. I would also suggest just looking over the plants to see if you can see any snail eggs then remove what you can see and that should work pretty well but probably not 100% effective.


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## tlyons01

Overgrowth said:


> Do you use the liquid PP? I have a bottle of Jungle Clear Water and it is mostly made of PP, but I don't know how much to use or how long to soak. Thanks.


I use that, I just squirt until the water is dark purple and I let them soak for 20 minutes. I then rinse them carefully and place them back in the bucket with extra Prime to deactivate the PP


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## thechibi

tlyons01 said:


> I use that, I just squirt until the water is dark purple and I let them soak for 20 minutes. I then rinse them carefully and place them back in the bucket with extra Prime to deactivate the PP


That's what I do! It's nice that I can deactivate the PP. 

That sounds like something you do to combat someone who pees in the pool... "We have a pool urinator! ARGH! Prepare to deactivate the PP!"


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## noch

Sorry to revive a dead thread (mods let me know if making a new one is better) but, 




Fdsh5 said:


> I dip them into a 2:1 hydrogen peroxide to water solution and then I have a 2 1/2 gallon tank with plain water I put them into for a bit to let the plants relax so it's easier to spot nasties before I put them in my tanks.





Rockhoe14er said:


> I do the H2O2 dip in a 3:1 water to peroxide dip for 6 min....



....Okay, so uhhh which one is it? I've been looking for hours, can't seem to find how to make this dip. This is the closest thing but they two statements seem to contradict each other.


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