cleaning silk/plastic plants and decorations - Aquarium Advice

prettyvacant · 02-27-2005, 09:50 PM

I just have a quick question...
Today I was cleaning my tanks and noticed that my big grey/blue and pink/white rocks are really dirty...sorta brown. Also, my silk plants have become brown and especially my nice, tall green plastic plant. How can i clean these up? I have tried several times before, soaking them in hot water and attempting to scrub them...but it doesn't seem to work. Do any of you have any tricks on getting this stuff off?

Thanx

TomK2 · 02-27-2005, 10:05 PM

Dilute bleach usually gets stuborn algae off. Of course, then you have to rinse, rinse, rinse and then rinse again. Then, before putting it back in the tank, you must rinse again!

frog girl · 02-27-2005, 11:11 PM

I was having real trouble with my [acronym:b2a1f99415="Hang On Back"]HOB[/acronym:b2a1f99415] filter - it was not sucking up water well & going really slow. I kept scrubbing it but the brown slimy (I assume bacterial colonies) wouldn't come off & it didn't seem to help though I repeated this process over & over.

So I put all the parts in hydrogen peroxide & now my filter works like new. Hydrogen peroxide will break down & or kill living cells so I bet it would work on algae too. You have to rinse well but it doesn't seem to be quite such a problem as bleach & is not so toxic. When it breaks down it just releases water & oxygen.
Might want to give it a try. However, it might bleach you silk plants a bit - though bleach will do that too so . . .

**Fishyfanatic** · 02-27-2005, 11:17 PM

I use vinegar. Take the plants out of the tank, soak them in a bowl or bucket over night and they should be clean the next morning. Dilute it though. I think I used maybe 1 cup of Vinegar and filled up a mixing bowl with water. Be sure to rinse and re-rinse before putting them back in the tank.

Pufferpunk · 02-28-2005, 01:09 AM

Oxyclean works fantastickly (is that a word?)! I wouldn't want to kill off everything in my filter.

Mazdaman · 02-28-2005, 05:42 PM

every week i clean my the plants that in the section that I gravel vac that week. I use a toothbrush and the "dirty" removed tank water. I just use the toothbrush to scrub and in the tank water I don't have to rinse and rinse and then re-rinse. Works really well for me. The toothbrush is good too because it can get into all the little cracks and tight spots.

RoK · 02-28-2005, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pufferpunk

fantastickly (is that a word?)

It is when you spell it 'fantastically' lol. Not making fun or anything just letting you know, I am a good speller and like to correct spelling for some strange reason. :P

prettyvacant · 02-28-2005, 07:41 PM

thanx for the help............

02-27-2005, 09:50 PM	#1
prettyvacant Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Quebec, Canada Posts: 157 Images: 21	cleaning silk/plastic plants and decorations I just have a quick question... Today I was cleaning my tanks and noticed that my big grey/blue and pink/white rocks are really dirty...sorta brown. Also, my silk plants have become brown and especially my nice, tall green plastic plant. How can i clean these up? I have tried several times before, soaking them in hot water and attempting to scrub them...but it doesn't seem to work. Do any of you have any tricks on getting this stuff off? Thanx

02-27-2005, 10:05 PM	#2
TomK2 Aquarium Advice Addict Community Mentor Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Glen Ellyn, IL Posts: 1,953 Images: 2	Dilute bleach usually gets stuborn algae off. Of course, then you have to rinse, rinse, rinse and then rinse again. Then, before putting it back in the tank, you must rinse again! __________________ Tom's Tank - The web's best (only?) Motorcycling, trap shootin', aquarium site - IS BACK! With a new url. Oceanic 55+,two Fluval 404's,In-line 300W heater,Moderately planted with Polyvinylus Chloridus sp.=the only plants that last in my tank

02-27-2005, 11:11 PM	#3
frog girl Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Lubbock, TX Posts: 395	I was having real trouble with my [acronym:b2a1f99415="Hang On Back"]HOB[/acronym:b2a1f99415] filter - it was not sucking up water well & going really slow. I kept scrubbing it but the brown slimy (I assume bacterial colonies) wouldn't come off & it didn't seem to help though I repeated this process over & over. So I put all the parts in hydrogen peroxide & now my filter works like new. Hydrogen peroxide will break down & or kill living cells so I bet it would work on algae too. You have to rinse well but it doesn't seem to be quite such a problem as bleach & is not so toxic. When it breaks down it just releases water & oxygen. Might want to give it a try. However, it might bleach you silk plants a bit - though bleach will do that too so . . . __________________ "great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds" - Albert Einstein

02-27-2005, 11:17 PM	#4
Fishyfanatic Aquarium Advice Addict Community Moderator Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Illinois Posts: 10,303 Images: 15	I use vinegar. Take the plants out of the tank, soak them in a bowl or bucket over night and they should be clean the next morning. Dilute it though. I think I used maybe 1 cup of Vinegar and filled up a mixing bowl with water. Be sure to rinse and re-rinse before putting them back in the tank. __________________ Vote for Aquarium Advice 10 Gallon Lake Malawi Cichlid Fry 29 Gallon Community 55 Gallon Community 55 Gallon Lake Malawi Cichlid Fry 150 Gallon Lake Malawi Cichlid

02-28-2005, 01:09 AM	#5
Pufferpunk Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Chicago Posts: 641 Images: 11	Oxyclean works fantastickly (is that a word?)! I wouldn't want to kill off everything in my filter. __________________ The Puffer Forum http://www.thepufferforum.org/ Pufferpunk's Tanks http://wetwebfotos.com/Home?actionRe...ew&userID=1918

02-28-2005, 05:42 PM	#6
Mazdaman Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Edmotnon, AB Posts: 641 Images: 14	every week i clean my the plants that in the section that I gravel vac that week. I use a toothbrush and the "dirty" removed tank water. I just use the toothbrush to scrub and in the tank water I don't have to rinse and rinse and then re-rinse. Works really well for me. The toothbrush is good too because it can get into all the little cracks and tight spots. __________________ Vote here for Aquarium Advice

02-28-2005, 07:41 PM	#8
prettyvacant Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Quebec, Canada Posts: 157 Images: 21	thanx for the help............

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

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Plastic/silk vs. live plants....	jazzyarizona	Freshwater & Brackish - General Discussion	6	05-28-2007 09:09 AM
Free to good home: Plastic/silk plants, fake driftwood, rock	LandGhoti	Classifieds	1	04-13-2007 12:26 PM
Plastic plants or silk plants?	gu2high	Freshwater & Brackish - Getting Started	7	11-27-2006 05:25 PM
Severums with silk/plastic plants	Hrafnkel	Cichlid Discussion	4	11-21-2005 09:28 AM
fake plants, silk...plastic	Gypsyqueen	Freshwater & Brackish - General Discussion	6	03-02-2005 11:29 PM