I have never tried sterilising them that way so I'll leave it to those that have. But if nothing else you have enough health(ish) hygrophila there to grow bucket loads. Just cut the tops off and replant regularly.
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Help! Contaminated plants arrived? Baking soda?
- Thread starter AdoraBelle Dearheart
- Start date
An acaricide is used for 'killing ticks and mites and other insects' so why should they be treating plants with that?
Yes, bicarb does increase pH. The thing I don't know is how much bicarb to use to 'clean' the plants.
I must admit that I would be very wary about using these plants. Do you have any pest snails you would be willing to use as test subjects? Of course, this stuff may not be lethal to molluscs.
Yes, bicarb does increase pH. The thing I don't know is how much bicarb to use to 'clean' the plants.
I must admit that I would be very wary about using these plants. Do you have any pest snails you would be willing to use as test subjects? Of course, this stuff may not be lethal to molluscs.
OP
OP
Have decided to go ahead and order some carbon, since it won't hurt to filter the tanks with some carbon as well after all the medication dosing too, even after large water changes.
For the plant quarantine/pesticide removal, I have a spare internal filter that usually just has a sponge in it, would replacing the sponge with a bag of carbon work? Or I could pinch a HOB from a tank and use that. I have Curisorb on hand, but I think that only removes copper, but maybe some other heavy metals too? I could run the internal filter with some cuprisorb until carbon arrives.
Oh, that is hygophila is it? I thought it might be, but I'm still so new to planted tanks, I'm never sure except with the really obvious, beginner plants. I do like that one and it looks like it should survive, so would be nice to propagate it for my own tanks later. Thank you!
OP
OP
Apparently just to ensure no pest insects from Thailand make it into the UK, maybe they grow some plants emmersed?
I definitely have plenty of pest snails I'm quite happy to perform some scientific experiments on
But, like you said, that doesn't necessarily mean they'd be shrimp safe even if snails survived. The eSHa products are meant to be fatal to snails but shrimp safe, but the pest snails so far seem undaunted.
Hmm, I could mix some biocarb into some tap water and see how it ends up. But with a pH of 8 already, and this line from the article "Buprofezen is quite stable in alkaline water, and less in acidic with a half-life of around 50 days at a pH of 5.0." sounds like I'd do better soaking them in vinegar?? To make it more acidic?
And worse, since this particular pesticide apparently affects chitlin production, it's not the shrimp would keel over straight away, just start to struggle with moulting later and lead to losses then. Maybe it's not worth trying to figure this out or risking it, even if left in a fish only tank for months.
This is what they do in 6 weeks. No special treatment except root tabs on day 1 and weekly liquid ferts when I remember
www.fishforums.net
Office Space
I'm learning a lot of avant garde techniques from this thread :good: Is the main section of the skimmer transparent by design, probably so you can keep an eye on the waste levels? I understand that nitrifying bacteria are inhibited by light, however I'm not certain how bright the light would...
www.fishforums.net
OP
OP
I love that your fert dosing schedule is like mine. "root tabs right at the beginning, liquid ferts when I remember I haven't done it for a while"This is what they do in 6 weeks. No special treatment except root tabs on day 1 and weekly liquid ferts when I remember
Office Space
I'm learning a lot of avant garde techniques from this thread :good: Is the main section of the skimmer transparent by design, probably so you can keep an eye on the waste levels? I understand that nitrifying bacteria are inhibited by light, however I'm not certain how bright the light would...
That's amazing! Would love to grow these like that. Still wary about using them though. Will call the supplier tomorrow and try to get more answers, and think on it tonight, whether it's worth trying to quarantine them then only take new growth from them once they've grown on in the fish only 55 gallon.
ClownLurch
Fish Gatherer
Try and save em but don’t throw good money after bad.
OP
OP
Yep, you're right about that. Urgh, so annoyed!
OP
OP
I called the company just now since I haven't heard back from my email yet, and asked them to clarify the baking soda thing. They said to use one tablespoon of baking powder per litre of water, and soak the plants under a light for 24-48 hours, as long as the plants can take it basically. She said being tropical plants, even better if you can add a heater.
I asked if that would really make it safe, because like most shrimp keepers, I'm paranoid about adding anything to my tank that could harm them, and she said she understands, and that they do the same process to use the plants in their lobster tanks without issue, so they're confident in it.
I'm taking it still with a big grain of salt... After all, it's not great for sales to say "we have no idea whether it works over the longterm, probably best not to risk it".
So I'll only buy from the sources you guys mentioned in future. For these plants I have now and any they send to replace the ones that didn't survive postage, I'll do the 24-48 hour baking soda thing, then plant in the fish only tank. I'll take some photos, then only take cuttings from new growth for the shrimp tanks, just to be on the safe side, without throwing out any plants that survive. Lesson learned! Going cheap with plants can come with a higher price tag.
I asked if that would really make it safe, because like most shrimp keepers, I'm paranoid about adding anything to my tank that could harm them, and she said she understands, and that they do the same process to use the plants in their lobster tanks without issue, so they're confident in it.
I'm taking it still with a big grain of salt... After all, it's not great for sales to say "we have no idea whether it works over the longterm, probably best not to risk it".
So I'll only buy from the sources you guys mentioned in future. For these plants I have now and any they send to replace the ones that didn't survive postage, I'll do the 24-48 hour baking soda thing, then plant in the fish only tank. I'll take some photos, then only take cuttings from new growth for the shrimp tanks, just to be on the safe side, without throwing out any plants that survive. Lesson learned! Going cheap with plants can come with a higher price tag.
OP
OP
Found that Pro-Shrimp do a great looking plant package https://www.pro-shrimp.co.uk/aquari...r-5-plant-combi-pack-basic-8715897272547.html
Would rather get five great looking, guaranteed safe EU grown plants with roots, than pay the same price for a bunch of wilted stems that are contaminated with pesticides. Thank you so much for the tips on where to look and how plants grown outside the EU must be sprayed and the risk that poses to shrimp. Will get a refund and order these instead.
Would rather get five great looking, guaranteed safe EU grown plants with roots, than pay the same price for a bunch of wilted stems that are contaminated with pesticides. Thank you so much for the tips on where to look and how plants grown outside the EU must be sprayed and the risk that poses to shrimp. Will get a refund and order these instead.
BruceII
New Member
Ugh, I think we ordered from the same place,at the same time, in the same heat wave. Turned out like steamed cabbage. They did not survive. For me. I think you should ask for a refund, I did, and they did. Don't put them in your tank anytime soon! Ammonia spike! that said, if you manage to save them, tell me how?!
OP
OP
Haha, we should have known better, not to order live plants through the post during a heatwave! I'm in the UK so probably not the same place
I got a refund on the order so I can order some shrimp safe ones for my own tanks, and those stems that aren't quite yet dead, I've cleaned and put into a fish only tank. I had to soak them in a baking soda solution for 48 hours, with a heater and an aquarium light over them, then I rinsed them several times and trimmed off the slimy and dead parts, and rinsed what remained. Then I just stuck whatever was left in the tank I'm not worrying about an ammonia spike since I'm keeping an eye on them and will remove any stems that decay too much, and the tank is already going through a mini cycle after medication. So I'm managing that with large water changes right now anyway, just keep a close eye and trim and remove when needed! I'm not super optimistic that any of these will survive, but they haven't fully died yet, so you never know.
Sorry to hear you had the same thing! Are any of the ones you got salvageable? Can share photos if you're not sure?
BruceII
New Member
Yeah, no. None of mine survives. I trimmed and planted them in an empty tank I had been cycling. I didnt soak them in Baking Soda though. They rotted very fast. Messed up my cycle a bit. Lol. I was only a couple days away from completion. Added a few more days to that though.
OP
OP
I wouldn't soak normal plants in baking soda, I only did that because the company said (in a leaflet AFTER the plants had arrived, not in their advert) that the plants had been treated in a pesticide that might be fatal to shrimp
and I'd ordered plants for a shrimp tank... They claimed the baking soda solution would remove any trace left of the pesticide, but further research on the chemical used showed that there was no guarantee that it would work. Since they were already half dead and I wouldn't trust them in my shrimp tank anyway, I figured I'd give the baking soda thing a shot before adding any surviving plants to the fish only tank. I'm going to try not to order more plants during hot weather, it's just too much with shipping them. Obviously won't be using that same company again either. Try to get plants during spring and autumn when possible I think, seems safer. Hope your next orders arrive healthy and happy!
What is that pink leafy plants? I love he looks of it.
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