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Re: Bleach, Algae, Snails...



>"Has anybody pulled plants out of an existing tank, bleached them, and
>returned them to the tank and had good results? "
>
>Why would anyone do this to their plants?!?!?!?!?!?
>
>It significantly harms them and while it may "limit" algae physically
>present on the plants, it does NOTHING to preventing algae on/in the
>aquarium.
>
>You will get Algae, you will get snails (no matter how hard you try, unless
>you kill the plants in the process of course).... Accept it.
>
>Bleach only gives a false feeling of safety and hurts an already traumatic
>event (the transfer/transplant).
>
>I don't get it.

I have used the Krombholz bleach technique for years. I have used it
according to his directions (2 minutes for certain plants, generally more
delicate ones, and up to 4 for many others), and dont remember loosing a
single plant. Some plants may temporarily loose there leaves, but they all
came back.[cant guarantee it will work on all plants or kill all algae].
However, it is one way to avoid certain types of noxious hair algae in your
tank.... and is invaluable, IMO, when you acquire some hard to find plants
that happen to be already covered with hair algae. Other algae may still
come into your tank, but if you want to avoid the spread of essentially
__ANY__  hair algae (beard, brush, cladophora, etc), this is something
worth considering. Some people dont mind a little of these algae in their
tanks. They just trim the affected leaves. I dont like to do that. I enjoy
the look of a mature plant including all the old leaves ... without looking
at a furry texture.  SAEs dont eat all hair algae, and in tanks with beard
algae, the algae will rear its ugly head when the SAEs get fat and lazy.  I
used to be more anal about my tanks, but now that I can eliminate algae
when I want to, I only use the bleach treatment when I introduce plants
that are already covered with hair algae.  Of course it is IMPORTANT to not
remove algae covered plants from your tank and return the bleached plants
to the same tank. Instead, these plants are intended for a tank without
visible algae.

I did not understand the point about snails. I like snails. I have ramshorn
and maylasian livebearing snails in all my tanks. They are great.

Neil