How to sterilizing plants to kill 100% of algae?
1 - 8 of 8 Posts
Joined
·
12,055 Posts
I don't think there is any way to kill all the algae with certainty unless you end up killing the plant too.
Bleach will work well, but different plants show varying levels of sensitivity to this treatment. What plants were you thinking of treating?
Bleach will work well, but different plants show varying levels of sensitivity to this treatment. What plants were you thinking of treating?
Joined
·
2,550 Posts
It is possible to sterilize the outside of a plant of all bacteria/fungus/algae with a 10-15 minute dip in 10% bleach, people do this all the time in tissue culture preparation. However, as Dark pointed out the plant is likely to die or take severe damage during this process. In tissue culture it doesn't really matter since an entire plant can be regenerated from 1 living plant cell, but for aquarium use it will likely lead to the plant's death.
On top of that, there really is no point sterilizing every plant like this. Algae spores are in the air we breath, so nothing you do outside of lab conditions will ever prevent algae from growing in your tank if the conditions are right for it. It looks like you're stuck in the same boat as the rest of us :/
On top of that, there really is no point sterilizing every plant like this. Algae spores are in the air we breath, so nothing you do outside of lab conditions will ever prevent algae from growing in your tank if the conditions are right for it. It looks like you're stuck in the same boat as the rest of us :/
Joined
·
1,545 Posts
Keep your co2 high and consistent and BBA shouldn't be a problem
Joined
·
2,550 Posts
Bleach will damage plants even at low doses. It causes growth suppression and other issues. I'd only use it as a last resort not a routine treatment and certainly not for every species of plant. Some plants are extremely delicate and would die from even the mildest bleach treatments.
If you get BBA just spot treat with flourish excel or gluteraldehyde using a syringe. It destroys the algae quickly.
Also, BBA is not cured by high CO2 levels. It seems more related to dissolved organic wastes. There is a thread on APC that discusses this and shows some of our data on the subject. We still need more samples, but the results look promising.
If you get BBA just spot treat with flourish excel or gluteraldehyde using a syringe. It destroys the algae quickly.
Also, BBA is not cured by high CO2 levels. It seems more related to dissolved organic wastes. There is a thread on APC that discusses this and shows some of our data on the subject. We still need more samples, but the results look promising.
Joined
·
2,550 Posts
Excel is the best treaemt for bba. If your plants have bba now then drip excel over them for 15-20 seconds and it will kill the algae. It doesn't need a lot of time.
Do not use excel on vals, apomagetons, riccia and subwassertang - it will hurt them.
1 - 8 of 8 Posts
Join the discussion
