New plants question

[FishShack]

I just bought some plants from the LFS. Should they be rinsed off with tap water before putting in my tank?

 

[jcolon]

I just bought some plants from the LFS. Should they be rinsed off with tap water before putting in my tank?

Before that, dip them for a few seconds in hydrogen peroxide ... helps to kill off snails and any other possible parasites. Then a rinse in tap water.

 

[jetajockey]

I don't rinse mine at all. I just don't buy plants from places where I know there are sickly fish, and snails are pretty much inevitable at one point or another.

 

[FishShack]

Ok will do, first time with real plants. Just finished my fishless cycle with eco.

 

[FishShack]

How long can the plants survive out of the tank? They are in a enclosed fish bag right now.

 

[jetajockey]

I ship them all the time with just a damp paper towel or a light spritz of water in a fish bag. They are usually in the mail from 2-4 days. They'll be fine, just keep them from drying out.

 

[eco23]

Before that, dip them for a few seconds in hydrogen peroxide ... helps to kill off snails and any other possible parasites. Then a rinse in tap water.

+1 on the 30-60 second h2o2 dip and light swishing followed by a good rinsing. I have tons of plants from all different sources and my tank is 100% snail and pathogen free. I sometimes end up with a bowl of a few dead pond snails after the process.

 

[tulip55555]

I have done some research on this and I don't think that h202 kills snails. I actually just today used potassium permanganate to disinfect. It worked GREAT!! tons of little snails fell right off. This is the link to the procedure I used. Postassium permanganate is the active ingredient in Jungle's Clear Water and it's pretty cheap.

Jake’s Planted Aquarium Pages | Disinfecting Plants – Before or After

 

[eco23]

I have done some research on this and I don't think that h202 kills snails. I actually just today used potassium permanganate to disinfect. It worked GREAT!! tons of little snails fell right off. This is the link to the procedure I used. Postassium permanganate is the active ingredient in Jungle's Clear Water and it's pretty cheap.

Jake’s Planted Aquarium Pages | Disinfecting Plants – Before or After

I didn't know about it being the active ingredient in that product (though I don't ever remember seeing that brand in local stores). I agree that potassium permanganate is effective...the problem was always where you could find it when hydrogen peroxide is on the shelf of every grocery and drug store on the planet.

However, seeing pond snails alive on plants, then appearing dead in a bowl of h2o2 (once I left them on a paper towel long after the bath to see if they moved...they did not) and never having a single snail in my DT despite all the plants I have is proof enough for me that the hydrogen peroxide is effective...and also easily available.

 

[Mr. Limpet]

I didn't know about it being the active ingredient in that product (though I don't ever remember seeing that brand in local stores). I agree that potassium permanganate is effective...the problem was always where you could find it when hydrogen peroxide is on the shelf of every grocery and drug store on the planet.

However, seeing pond snails alive on plants, then appearing dead in a bowl of h2o2 (once I left them on a paper towel long after the bath to see if they moved...they did not) and never having a single snail in my DT despite all the plants I have is proof enough for me that the hydrogen peroxide is effective...and also easily available.

+1

H2O2 is everywhere, PP isn't and I've looked for it. H2O2 WILL kill snails/disinfect plants and I've done real world research in the form of personal experience on multiple tanks. I even went back to buying plants from a store that caused an ick outbreak in one of my tanks and using the H2O2 dip have yet to see a repeat of ick/snails/anything really.

 

[jetajockey]

Looks like something worthy of some testing. I know of using PP, I have some, not that I've bothered, but yeah.

I've used peroxide to keep fungus off of fish eggs, so I wonder what % concentration it needs to actually kill snails and their eggs.

One thing of concern with using pharmacy grade H2o2 is the extra stabilizers that are in it. Here's a snippet from The Many Benefits of Hydrogen Peroxide By Dr. David G. Williams

A) 3.5% Pharmaceutical Grade: This is the grade sold at your local drugstore or supermarket. This product is not recommended for internal use. It contains an assortment of stabilizers which shouldn't be ingested. Various stabilizers include: acetanilide, phenol, sodium stanate and tertrasodium phosphate.

I've no idea what effect those stabilizers have in aquaria, so I can't comment further.

Either way, if I continue to feel motivated then I may experiment a little and do some testing to see just how effective both it and potassium permanganate are.

 

[dollabill420]

Looks like something worthy of some testing. I know of using PP, I have some, not that I've bothered, but yeah.

I've used peroxide to keep fungus off of fish eggs, so I wonder what % concentration it needs to actually kill snails and their eggs.

One thing of concern with using pharmacy grade H2o2 is the extra stabilizers that are in it. Here's a snippet from The Many Benefits of Hydrogen Peroxide By Dr. David G. Williams

I've no idea what effect those stabilizers have in aquaria, so I can't comment further.

Either way, if I continue to feel motivated then I may experiment a little and do some testing to see just how effective both it and potassium permanganate are.

Gotta rinse very well after use, as with any chemical