Best way to introduce more plants into a cycled tank?

Scy64 · 05-06-2006, 12:04 PM

I've heard that adding new plants can sometimes bring in parasites and other things that you don't want in a tank. Is there something that can be done to 'clean' the plants before they go in?

I'll only be buying Anacharis (that's the name according to the website I went to), but I've used this type of stem plant before. I just didn't get enough of it originally, and now my fish have turn it into their own personal salad. =)

leafgirl115 · 05-06-2006, 02:22 PM

Just rince the plants befor you put them in and make shur there are no snales in it

Alin10123 · 05-10-2006, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leafgirl115

Just rince the plants befor you put them in and make shur there are no snales in it

Agreed. I only rinsed and didn't really checked for snails. 2 weeks later there are 5-6 MT snails in my tank that are starting to grow. Right now they are the size of about a pea. I figured i'd let them roam around since the substrate needs to be stirred occassionally. But for some reason i'm nervous that in about 6 months i'm going to have 500 of them.

**JustOneMore20** · 05-11-2006, 12:33 PM

Some new plants you can give them a quick dip in a bleach/water solution with 19 parts water and 1 part bleach. But, I wouldn't do that to Anacharis. It is a little more fragile then other stem plants. Just rinse it in water.

I added new plants to my tanks yesterday and rinsed them in water before placing them in the tanks. I looked down at the water and saw a bunch of really small critters swimming and crawling around. I think alot of those were baby snails. Some I have no idea what they were. But, I was glad most were in the old water and not in my tanks.

**Damon** · 05-11-2006, 09:47 PM

Bleaching is a last resort........
Potassium permagnate is all you need.
Check Home Depot or Lowes............

dfortunato · 06-09-2006, 01:06 PM

o yea. i bought a nice anachris once. didnt rinse it off,about 3 weeks later,boom a million snails,anyone want any snails?

falconblack · 06-10-2006, 09:14 PM

If you got snails try some clown loaches.I did this and in less then 1 week the snails were all gone and loaches were very fat and healthy.Just 2 loaches cleaned the tank.

violet · 06-10-2006, 11:35 PM

Rinsing is useless if there are eggs and for every snail there may be 100 eggs. Both salt and bleach can hurt plants. As Simpte mentioned Potassium permagnate is the only real IMMEDIATE solution.

I like to quarrantine plants and see what I get. Most recently it was some blue rams I would have paid for. More likely you will get physid pondies though.

violet

Alin10123 · 06-11-2006, 02:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by violet

Rinsing is useless if there are eggs and for every snail there may be 100 eggs. Both salt and bleach can hurt plants. As Simpte mentioned Potassium permagnate is the only real IMMEDIATE solution.

I like to quarrantine plants and see what I get. Most recently it was some blue rams I would have paid for. More likely you will get physid pondies though.

violet

What the? You got blue rams with your plants?
AWESOME!

MyraVan · 06-13-2006, 06:26 AM

To be honest, I don't bother to rinse quarantine plants.

In my experience snails aren't a problem. If you overfeed, they will have an amazing population growth, but if you don't overfeed you only end up with a few of them. I don't mind a few random pest snails in my tank. Ocasionally I squish some to provide some food for the fish, shrimps, and snails that I bought.

My pest snails are tiny ramshorns (about 4mm in diameter max) and tiny (3-4mm) things that look like miniature apple snails, even having an operculum! The latter are really cool and I never squish them, just the tiny ramshorns.

05-06-2006, 12:04 PM	#1
Scy64 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Age: 25 Posts: 103	Best way to introduce more plants into a cycled tank? I've heard that adding new plants can sometimes bring in parasites and other things that you don't want in a tank. Is there something that can be done to 'clean' the plants before they go in? I'll only be buying Anacharis (that's the name according to the website I went to), but I've used this type of stem plant before. I just didn't get enough of it originally, and now my fish have turn it into their own personal salad. =)

05-11-2006, 12:33 PM	#4
JustOneMore20 Moderator Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Alabama, US Age: 22 Posts: 3,492	Some new plants you can give them a quick dip in a bleach/water solution with 19 parts water and 1 part bleach. But, I wouldn't do that to Anacharis. It is a little more fragile then other stem plants. Just rinse it in water. I added new plants to my tanks yesterday and rinsed them in water before placing them in the tanks. I looked down at the water and saw a bunch of really small critters swimming and crawling around. I think alot of those were baby snails. Some I have no idea what they were. But, I was glad most were in the old water and not in my tanks. __________________ *Kristin* 5 Planted tanks: 55g, 40g, 29g, 10g, 5.5g 10g N. multifasciatus tank, 5.5g Platy fry

05-11-2006, 09:47 PM	#5
Damon Aquatic Naturalist Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Dayton, Ohio Age: 32 Posts: 14,982	Bleaching is a last resort........ Potassium permagnate is all you need. Check Home Depot or Lowes............ __________________ For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Member of the AGA (Aquatic Gardner's Association) Member of the IBC (International Betta Congress)

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05-06-2006, 02:22 PM	#2
leafgirl115 ₪ Morgan ₪ Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Canada Age: 17 Posts: 477	Just rince the plants befor you put them in and make shur there are no snales in it

06-09-2006, 01:06 PM	#6
dfortunato Fishy Member Join Date: May 2006 Age: 29 Posts: 12	o yea. i bought a nice anachris once. didnt rinse it off,about 3 weeks later,boom a million snails,anyone want any snails?

06-10-2006, 09:14 PM	#7
falconblack Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Age: 49 Posts: 4	If you got snails try some clown loaches.I did this and in less then 1 week the snails were all gone and loaches were very fat and healthy.Just 2 loaches cleaned the tank.

06-10-2006, 11:35 PM	#8
violet Gone to ego-free waters Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Thankfully not near fishnut or simpte Posts: 184	Rinsing is useless if there are eggs and for every snail there may be 100 eggs. Both salt and bleach can hurt plants. As Simpte mentioned Potassium permagnate is the only real IMMEDIATE solution. I like to quarrantine plants and see what I get. Most recently it was some blue rams I would have paid for. More likely you will get physid pondies though. violet

06-13-2006, 06:26 AM	#10
MyraVan Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Cambridge, UK Posts: 864	To be honest, I don't bother to rinse quarantine plants. In my experience snails aren't a problem. If you overfeed, they will have an amazing population growth, but if you don't overfeed you only end up with a few of them. I don't mind a few random pest snails in my tank. Ocasionally I squish some to provide some food for the fish, shrimps, and snails that I bought. My pest snails are tiny ramshorns (about 4mm in diameter max) and tiny (3-4mm) things that look like miniature apple snails, even having an operculum! The latter are really cool and I never squish them, just the tiny ramshorns.

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