Pre-planting

[Lynnzer]

I'm likely to get my hardscape bits and pieces tomorrow and make a start on planting it into my new tank.
I have another smaller tank though that was a complete rebuild from scratch that's now infested with bladder snails that must have hitch hiked on some new plants. I really don't want the same thing to happen again. I will more than likely be buying the plants in the tubs which are pest free, however some will be bought from the larger trays that aren't guaranteed to be pest free.
What can I do with these when I get them home to kill off any snails, eggs etc

 

[connorlindeman]

I'm likely to get my hardscape bits and pieces tomorrow and make a start on planting it into my new tank.
I have another smaller tank though that was a complete rebuild from scratch that's now infested with bladder snails that must have hitch hiked on some new plants. I really don't want the same thing to happen again. I will more than likely be buying the plants in the tubs which are pest free, however some will be bought from the larger trays that aren't guaranteed to be pest free.
What can I do with these when I get them home to kill off any snails, eggs etc

Give them a chlorine dip. I think that its 1 part chorine 10 parts water. (Somebody correct me if I'm wrong.)

After the dip rinse them in dechlorinated water and you should be good to go!

 

[connorlindeman]

oops not chlorine. Its supposed to be bleach. Sorry

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Bleach is basically chlorine and the standard dip is 19-1 not 10-1.

However, some plants do not do well being dipped. Usually it is the finer leaved plants are the ones that may have issues. I dip plants like anubias for 2 minutes or a tad more. I have well water an do not need to dechlor it, but after I rinse the plant off I still drop it into a bucket with dechlor for a a minute or so to be sure it is safe to put into a tank. If you normally use dechlor, then be sure you dip the plant in a bucket with a strong dose before putting it into a tank.

Other things to investigate which will work are Alum and Potassium Permanganate. I use the bleach because it alos kills algae. I cannot say that these two treatments will do that as I have not used them

 

[Lynnzer]

Yeah, I already bleach some plants to kill any algae so I guess that's the way to go. I just wondered if the snail eggs would also be taken care of by this method. They do seem to be pretty hardy.

 

[Uberhoust]

I find the vals and hornworts do not do well with the 20/1 bleach dip at 2 minutes. They recovery but you lose some active growth.

 

[j j m]

i just give mine a good wash in warm water