Debugging and growing new wild plants

[Tetra22]

I just went out and gathered a bucketfull of hornwort from a nearby lake. That lake is simply infested with hornwort. At least I'm pretty darn sure it's hornwort. Anyway, I brought it home and realized that there is TONS of critters in it. Small snails, big snails, little worms, big and little bugs, egg sacks, algae. I was cleaning some sprigs and managed to get almost all of that stuff out, but I'd like to be sure. What is a good way to really kill everything in it but not the plants? 10% bleach solution is what I was thinking.
Even then I'd like to keep them in a QT tank to watch them.

I need a cheap way to light a shallow tank, "Tupperware" if you will, that will grow, or at least sustain, a bunch of hornwort. It won't have fish in it so I'll be able to crank up the light, co2, and added nutrients.
I have a few regular 24", 15w, T-8 fixtures sitting around but I don't have grow bulbs for them.
Are regular 250w halogen drop lights good for growing?//

 

[Wy Renegade]

I'm growing hornwort like crazy in a 24" deep tank with two standard strip lights. I don't think you should have any problem with the t-8 fixture.

 

[BillD]

A 10% bleach solution would probably kill the hornwort. You could try a solution of one tablespoon of Alum available at the grocery store or drugstore to one gallon of water and soak the plants for an hour. It gets rid of most things. Alum can be found with the pickling stuff in the grocery store.

 

[fort384]

+1 for alum. You could also do an H2O2 dip with the plants.

10% bleach would fry the plants imo.

Good luck!

 

[DragonFish71]

Another method is using Clear Water by Jungle, the potassium permanganate will help git rid of the nasties.


Fill a bucket with water, room temp or a little warmer, add drops of Clear Water until it turns purplish. Add the plants and let sit, covered for an hour or 2. Rinse the plants extremely well before adding to the tank.

 

[Tetra22]

10% bleach would kill them even with just a quick dip? Ok then. What about the halogen light question? Is it any good for plants? I have no clue about the spectrum it puts out.

 

[DragonFish71]

Sorry, can't help you on the halogen. I know nothing about those.

I just go to Lowe's, Ace, Home Depot or Walmart (whichever I'm closest to) and get the standard 6500k daylight bulbs that fit for the hood I need them in. Most of our tanks take those or the screw in CFLs. Only 2 of our tanks need the CFLs that have 4 pins.

 

[BigJim]

There's a good chance a halogen light will make your tank look really ugly. They put out a very yellow light and a lot of heat too.

 

[Tetra22]

Well I don't really care much about the way it looks for me. It's only a 1' deep storage container that I'm using to grow/sustain the hornwort for a while. It's in the garage so any heat that goes into the tank is going to be benificial anyway. Will it grow plants is all I've asked and it's the only answer I haven't gotten.

 

[jsoong]

Halogen light don't have the right spectrum for plants. One exception might be the Daylight "Reveal" series ... they are supposed to be closer to daylight, but I don't know the spectrum to be sure.

A simpler option is to use a compact fluorescent. Get a Daylight (5000 to 9000 K), fit that into a fixture over your tub & you are all set.

BTW - hornwort has no stomata, so will not tolerate bleach, H2O2 or Excel (even in low concentrations or short dip). Alum would be your best choice for gettign rid of the snails.