Easiest Way To Remove Algae From Plants?

[Geoff1991]

Well after leaving my tank mid fishless cycle for a week with sunlight, and 2wpg lighting, co2 ran out had no-one to dose ferts or ammonia i got quite a lot of algae.

Ive cleaned most of the tank just got to get it off the plants now.

Whats the easiest way to clean algae of plant leaves? I remember reading something a while a go about a bleach solution but thats all a blur...

 

[Geoff1991]

Bump?

 

[Curiosity101]

I thought it depended on the algae, some just rubs off if you use your fingers, other types require removal of the affected leaves...

Though there may be a better/easier way. I personally would/have gone with the above method.

 

[Geoff1991]

Well ill give it a go, i need to do some pruning anyway... Just wondered if there was a magical dipping method to save me all the effort

 

[snowflake311]

Rub rub rub. That's what I do with my brown #### in my 2 month old tank. My old tank has no algea now. I just rub the leafs off and use my nail to scrape it off some of them. It's a pain but it's safe and works for the most part.

 

[bagu]

i got the same problem mate; its on my wisteria and when i try to rub it, it snaps the leaves ><

 

[loraxchick]

i dont know if it is conventional, but i have used 10% bleach dips with great success to rid plants of algae in the past...rub off all the algae you can from the plants and then take two pots...mix a 10% bleach solution and put the affected plants in for 5 minutes. in the other pot you should have some heavily dechlorinated water to rinse them and then re-plant. the solution kills the soft algae while not harming your plants.
good luck!

 

[Geoff1991]

Yeah, i knew it was something like that. Only to anyone else thinking of trying this, ido no not to soak the roots in the bleach. Read that somewhere else...

 

[loraxchick]

ive just plopped the whole plant in with no ill effect. but it seems like a better option not to soak the roots if you are worried about it.
good luck!

 

[Geoff1991]

I read it is possible to cause some damage or something... Oh well, whatever works for you works different for someone else in this hobby...

 

[aaronnorth]

the bleach solution is 1 part bleach to 19 parts water. It can damag the leaves or roots of the plants, leaving them sucepticble to algae ttacks anyway

 

[lljdma06]

the bleach solution is 1 part bleach to 19 parts water. It can damag the leaves or roots of the plants, leaving them sucepticble to algae ttacks anyway

Yes, one of the reasons why I do not use bleach or blackouts. Do nothing to weaken the plant. A strong plant will beat out algae any day provided it has what it needs. I would just keep removing it as you see it and keep giving the plants what they need. Also, water changes.

 

[Geoff1991]

Thanks, tomorrow im going to uproot all my plants, get the algae off and give them a prune.

Then set up my fire extinguisher co2