Cleaning fake plants... - Aquarium Advice

hb3133 · 09-16-2005, 01:23 AM

Does anyone have any recomendations for cleaning fake plants which have the brownish algae?

**An t-iasg** · 09-16-2005, 01:31 AM

Are they plastic or silk? I used to clean my silk plants with a toothbrush, and then I would soak them in a weak bleach solution. After 6 months or so, the silk plants were pretty badly stained and didn't come clean anymore. For plastic plants, you could scrub with the toothbrush, and maybe use an aquarium cleaner like this one from Jungle. Whichever method you use, rinse well!

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...&N=2004+113161

PsiPro · 09-16-2005, 01:36 AM

I used to scrub them then bleach solution. Approx 1%

**QTOFFER** · 09-16-2005, 02:13 AM

I used to wash them by hand in a bucket of warm water containing a little bleach.
Then rinse, rinse, rinse, rinse, rinse!

I forget who it was, but I once read that someone on this site put fake plants in the dishwasher (warm water, [acronym:220cf7c1ff="Normal Output Fluorescents"]NO[/acronym:220cf7c1ff] detergent, [acronym:220cf7c1ff="Normal Output Fluorescents"]NO[/acronym:220cf7c1ff] rinse aid). They came out like new.

**An t-iasg** · 09-16-2005, 03:09 AM

I think I remember that thread too. I don't know if I'd recommend putting aquarium stuff in a dishwasher. There's bound to be some soap residue in there.

TriviallyTravis · 09-16-2005, 10:17 AM

I don't know if I'd recommend putting aquarium stuff in a dishwasher. There's bound to be some soap residue in there.

Soap residue is worse than a dilluted bleach mixture?

fishyrican · 09-16-2005, 01:24 PM

Diluted bleach mixture (unscented) is little more than chlorine, which is either removed with a dechlor or by dissipating into the air.

PK Tester · 09-18-2005, 07:16 PM

Hey there hb313,

I just recently did the weak bleach solution on my plants and ornanments.

Everything came out pretty well, I will say they seem a little dis-colored, but nothing bad.

I rinsed like crazy...and then soaked them all in a dechlorinator bath that was 3x stronger than recomended.

No fish died from it...and everything seems fine

I hope this helped you!

chelli · 09-21-2005, 05:15 PM

I too believe in the dishwasher method.. [acronym:1e9518ea55="Normal Output Fluorescents"]NO[/acronym:1e9518ea55] DETERGENTS, just hot water, longest cycle and take them out before the dryer starts.. this will dry them out too much and make them crack.. you can also put most tank decorations in there.. I do this once a year for a good hot cleaning.

hb3133 · 09-29-2005, 02:03 AM

Thanks for all the great tips. Last week, I took most of the fake plastic plants out of my tank and scrubed them with hot water. After about a week or so, I noticed the buildup of the brown algae. I think I will try the Seri Clean that somebody recommended in a previous post. If that doesn't work, I guess I'll try a bleach solution. Is it common to have to clean the plastic plants so frequently?

09-16-2005, 01:23 AM	#1
hb3133 Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Flagstaff, AZ Posts: 148	Cleaning fake plants... Does anyone have any recomendations for cleaning fake plants which have the brownish algae?

09-16-2005, 01:36 AM	#3
PsiPro Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: FL Posts: 546 Images: 2	I used to scrub them then bleach solution. Approx 1% __________________ The Aquarium Wiki! Affordable Webhosting by Psi Productions

09-16-2005, 01:24 PM	#7
fishyrican Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Posts: 642	Diluted bleach mixture (unscented) is little more than chlorine, which is either removed with a dechlor or by dissipating into the air. __________________ Freedom is the sure possession of those alone who have the courage to defend it. -Pericles Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of Liberty -JFK

09-21-2005, 05:15 PM	#9
chelli Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Greenville, AL Posts: 77 Images: 3	I too believe in the dishwasher method.. [acronym:1e9518ea55="Normal Output Fluorescents"]NO[/acronym:1e9518ea55] DETERGENTS, just hot water, longest cycle and take them out before the dryer starts.. this will dry them out too much and make them crack.. you can also put most tank decorations in there.. I do this once a year for a good hot cleaning. __________________ Got fish?

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

09-16-2005, 02:13 AM	#4
QTOFFER Aquarium Advice Addict Community Moderator Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Kew Gardens, NY Posts: 3,701 Images: 30	I used to wash them by hand in a bucket of warm water containing a little bleach. Then rinse, rinse, rinse, rinse, rinse! I forget who it was, but I once read that someone on this site put fake plants in the dishwasher (warm water, [acronym:220cf7c1ff="Normal Output Fluorescents"]NO[/acronym:220cf7c1ff] detergent, [acronym:220cf7c1ff="Normal Output Fluorescents"]NO[/acronym:220cf7c1ff] rinse aid). They came out like new.

09-16-2005, 10:17 AM	#6
TriviallyTravis Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Columbus, OH Posts: 81	I don't know if I'd recommend putting aquarium stuff in a dishwasher. There's bound to be some soap residue in there. Soap residue is worse than a dilluted bleach mixture?

09-18-2005, 07:16 PM	#8
PK Tester Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Ohio Posts: 482 Images: 1	Hey there hb313, I just recently did the weak bleach solution on my plants and ornanments. Everything came out pretty well, I will say they seem a little dis-colored, but nothing bad. I rinsed like crazy...and then soaked them all in a dechlorinator bath that was 3x stronger than recomended. No fish died from it...and everything seems fine I hope this helped you!

09-29-2005, 02:03 AM	#10
hb3133 Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Flagstaff, AZ Posts: 148	Thanks for all the great tips. Last week, I took most of the fake plastic plants out of my tank and scrubed them with hot water. After about a week or so, I noticed the buildup of the brown algae. I think I will try the Seri Clean that somebody recommended in a previous post. If that doesn't work, I guess I'll try a bleach solution. Is it common to have to clean the plastic plants so frequently?

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Which fake plants are the best?	manoosie	Freshwater & Brackish - General Discussion	4	03-23-2007 02:23 PM
Why are my fake plants really dirty????	Polaris_Rider	Freshwater & Brackish - General Discussion	12	09-15-2006 04:44 PM
real plants vs fake plants	Tukie2kie	Freshwater & Brackish - General Discussion	11	08-26-2006 10:08 PM
fake plants can look good to!	mr funktastic	Freshwater & Brackish - General Discussion	11	04-20-2006 09:59 PM
Fake Plants ?	pondmom	Freshwater & Brackish - General Discussion	3	10-19-2003 11:02 PM