Washing Plants

[AllenLeicester]

Just wondered when you wash your plants before putting them in your tank,What water do you use ? Tap or Tank ?

 

[Dave Spencer]

Personally, I don`t wash my plants.

Dave.

 

[kewskills]

usually just give em a rinse with tap water

 

[AllenLeicester]

Personally, I don`t wash my plants.

Dave.

What about any snails that might be on them ?

 

[Dave Spencer]

I don`t see snails as a problem. When I set up my first tank I had a population explosion, but once they found there was a limited food supply, there numbers depleted to just a handful.

I have no problems managing snail numbers, and have deliberately introduced them in to my two other tanks. They only eat the detritus laying around, so are doing a good job in my IMO.

If you really dont want any snails, then give your plants a dip in a bleach/water solution to the ratio of 1:10 for a minute, then rinse them thoroughly in warmish tap water and dechlorinator.

Dave.

 

[DarkEntity]

I never wash plants either, you really shouldnt have to if you use Tropica....if you use some random plant bundle then id probably wash them in a 1-10 bleach solution then rinse in clean water and dechlor

 

[nry]

A few of use here have had snails on Tropica plants. I tend to have plants in a bucket for a few days before planting now, for no other reason than I only plant at water changes which with EI are regular. I can spot if there are snails as they can be seen on the bucket etc but generally I don't wash the plants now, just add some dechlorinator to the bucket and being in water for a few days before going in the tank should reduce/remove any chemicals used to prevent snails which can also harm my shrimp.

I'm partly with Dave, in my 15-gallon I have few snails - reducing feeding of the fish helped a great deal here which suggests I was overfeeding them, the snails were happy with this though! I also have a feeling that my corydoras are now big enough to eat the snails but I may be wrong on this! Strangely I am also convinced I saw one of my shrimp eating a snail aswell, it has a snail shell in its 'hands' and was turning it round and round for ages!

 

[JamesC]

It is a good idea to wash all plants first before putting them in your tank especially if you have shrimp. This is because some plant suppliers treat their plants with copper sulphate solution. I know someone who wiped out his entire shrimp population by just putting the plants straight in his tank, and it was only a few plants as well. Unless you are 100% positive that your newly acquired plants have not been treated anywhere along the supply chain then I'd always wash them first.

James