# Dip Live Plants



## random_alias (Jun 28, 2005)

I get good results with:

20 parts water to 1 part bleach, dipped for 2 minutes then removed and submerged in clean water, clean water poured out and refilled, plant submerged in fresh water again. Then placing the plant in the aquarium. I've never used dechlorinator but I always rinse very well. 

I used to do 3 minute dips but found it was really hit or miss, too high a chance of melting the plant. 2 minutes in the 20:1 seems to kill the algae, etc without hurting the plants much.

No matter what method you use it's advisable to dip one sample and watch it for a few minutes afterwards to see what the solution and concentration is doing to it. Hate to kill of an entire group of plants before realizing something is wrong.


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## BigDaddy (Aug 30, 2005)

PP has much less adverse effects than a bleach dip. From my own experience, some plants can't even manage 30 seconds in a 20 to 1 solution of bleached water.


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## florafan (Jan 21, 2006)

Where can one get PP? I've asked around the various pharmacies around me (small ones and big chains) and no one seems to carry the stuff? Is there a source on line?


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## jhoetzl (Feb 7, 2005)

If you can find Jungle's Clear Water Extract, it is in there.
I think Jungle's "Net soak" is it as well, as it is a purple liquid, but not sure on the ingredients there.

Also, some stores sell it with the water softners - to clean them.

But yes, KMnO4 was thought to cause medical problems, etc...who knows, what doesn't these days.

However, makes me think...it is some sort of oxidizer...

Anyone know if a dip in "OxyClean" would do that same?


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## DarkCobra (Jun 22, 2004)

*Florafan*: I've seen potassium permanganate for sale on Ebay. What isn't? 

*Jhoetzl*: Oxyclean, hmm. It's an oxidizer, like bleach or hydrogen peroxide, so it should work. But I'd think it's also mixed with detergents and other stuff, which may or may not cause a problem.


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## aspen (Apr 26, 2005)

bleach is better, pp won't kill snail or fluke eggs as easily as delicate plants afaik. i use 1/50 bleach dip. i pour 3 buckets of water, all the same temp. the first one gets the bleach. plants go in for 5 mins, then lifted out and as much dripped off as possible. then into the second then to the third and add de-chlor. the water is the same temp to reduce plant stress.

there's a lot of hangers on that can come in with new plants. i hate to see some of the fish and snails i see in lfs plant tanks. i had 1 pond snail infestation once- never again i say.

pp is not as harmful as they say. i asked my doctor about it, and he told me he used it in his socks for athlete's foot when he was a teenager. he is over 60 now. bleach is another matter- dioxin. use gloves.

for plants that i purchase that don't look good enough to last a bleach dip i q them and get them growing more thickly. exp with this method will help you judge whether a plant will or will not be destroyed by treatment. fine plants like rotalla walachii, you gotta be real careful.
rick


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## eds (Feb 12, 2003)

I was on another forum and a guy (who seems pretty knowledgeable/experienced) recommended dipping in "alum."
I'd never heard of the stuff.
Have you?


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## tazcrash69 (Sep 27, 2005)

eds said:


> I was on another forum and a guy (who seems pretty knowledgeable/experienced) recommended dipping in "alum."
> I'd never heard of the stuff.
> Have you?



Isn't that the stuff Jerry puts into Tom's mouth to shrink it so Tom can't eat Jerry? 

I've heard that you can find that at your local Mom & Pop pharmacy, but never tried myself.


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## eds (Feb 12, 2003)

Here's a site discussing alum and some aquatic uses.
Gotta love the hip background tunes, as well as their citation to "The Straight Dope" as authority!
http://www.perigee.net/~jrjohns/aluma.html


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## lumpyfunk (Dec 22, 2004)

eds said:


> I was on another forum and a guy (who seems pretty knowledgeable/experienced) recommended dipping in "alum."
> I'd never heard of the stuff.
> Have you?


Alum is a meat tenderizer, it can be found with the spices. It can also be used on cold sores, works great but it tastes terrible.

Never heard of it being used for plants though???


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## frloplady (Jan 7, 2006)

PP doesn't kill snails very effectively. I have heard that copper will. Couldn't copper be used like a bleach dip rinsing them off?? I have heard of using it for pond plants to rid snails being sure to rinse them.

Can the aquarium plants take it?


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## jake (Feb 20, 2004)

Alum is used for canning a lot as well. It's basically good for killing snails and snail eggs, but it's not particularly anti-parasitical or anti-bacterial. Also, it's not a short-time soak lasting 20 minutes or so, but more like a day or more affair.

You can usually find it with the spices at the grocery store.

I prefer PP myself. You only add enough to turn the water a very slight pink. I usually have snails drop right off and I never get pest snails, so if it doesn't work for eggs as well then I guess I'm just lucky. You dump a little hydrogen peroxide in the tub to neutralize it and it's done and over with. I got mine at Sears by the water filtration area, as apparently it's used to recharge some sort of iron filter. My little kennmore brand PP bottle has lasted me months and I'm in no danger of running out. It really barely takes more than a few grains.


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## dudleystinks (Apr 9, 2005)

hmm i never have dipped my plants and everything has gone fine. I wouldnt dare do it anyway in fear of damaging the plants or my fish's health


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## jake (Feb 20, 2004)

A lot of nasties can be transferred from tank to tank by plants, including parasites, insect larvae ( dragonfly nymph anybody?), ich, etc, not just snails and algae. 

I would only consider not dipping a plant if I received it from someone I know and trust, or at the very least someone with a very good reputation. Otherwise I would quarantine the plant just as I would any other aquaria if the plant could probably not survive the dipping.


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