Quarantining/Treating New Plants

[Idgyroo]

I just ordered java moss and was wondering what are the proper procedures to quarantine and treat this type of plant.

[KBOzzie59]

I don't ever recall putting a plant in quarantine.  What would you treat for?

[FrozenFins]

@KBOzzie59 some people like to put in a dip to kill of any pests like algae, snails, etc.

Now to answer your questions @Idgyroo :

As mentioned before some people like to dip their plants in a chemical to get rid of any pests. Now I think its safe that the overwhelming majority of people dont do this. And I for one dont do this also.

If your not scared of snails coming into your tank (you shouldnt be...) then I would intorduce your java moss to your display tank now. 

[Lemon]

I encourage whatever is on my plants is my tank pristine no, but it is very natural-ish and imo very pretty in a different way

[KBOzzie59]

3 minutes ago, James Black said:

some people like to put in a dip to kill of any pests like algae, snails, etc.

Lack of a food source would eliminate most of that.  But yeah I guess.

[Mmiller2001]

I do 3ml hydrogen peroxide in 1 gallon of water for 10 minutes. However, if I remember correctly, mosses might not like that so much. User discretion advised. 

[Mmiller2001]

4 hours ago, Mmiller2001 said:

I do 3ml hydrogen peroxide in 1 gallon of water for 10 minutes. However, if I remember correctly, mosses might not like that so much. User discretion advised. 

Apology: It's 10ml per gallon for 10 minutes. Then rinse.

[Idgyroo]

I've had an experience with my terrarium with Scottish moss.  I got slugs.  So with plants I've been sketchy when buying them.  My terrarium was just plants. No pets. This is for my aquarium shrimp.

[Streetwise]

I stage purchased plants in tanks or buckets, with lights and sponge filters, so that I can take my time planting.

I quarantine locally-collected plants in buckets, with lights and sponge filters, so that I can check for invasive species.

[ARMYVET]

I am in the middle of setting up a new pond....I just got my plants a few days ago and they are setup in a 15 gallon tote with a sponge filter with a couple squirts of easy green awaiting for my pond to be ready for them to be planted. This way I can see if there are any hitchhikers (not snails. I like snails) but I do not want any dragonfly nymphs so this gives me an opportunity to check everything out before adding to the display just to be safe.  

[ARMYVET]

[Guppysnail]

I quarantine now for 10 days...I had Damselfly larvae hatch in my shrimp tank. 

[therealTruthSeeker]

I pray for snails to come in on my plants.  Those little guys are very helpful. But I like ecosystems not show tanks. If you want to treat plants though I know irene (girl talks fish) talks about an alum dip in a couple videos.

[Dipink]

If you are quarantining plants, or keeping them in a tub until you are ready to plant, does this work with bunched stem plants? They don't typically have much in the way of roots. I ask because I tried to hold over a shipment of plants once until I could plant, had them in an empty tank with a filter, and a light, and I lost the bunched plants. I'm abut to start a 48 gallon planted tank, and I'd like to pre-buy the plants, quarantine them for pests (no planaria!), and let them convert to  underwater foliage before I plant them. If I need to avoid bunched plants, so be it.

[Gator]

Usually, if I buy plants, I place them in an alum bath before I put them in my tank.

To make an alum bath, get a 5 gallon bucket with a lid. Put 9 Tablespoons of alum (available in the spice aisle of any grocery store) in the bucket followed by 3 gallons of dechlorinated water and stir it up. 

Place your aquarium plants in the bucket and allow them to soak for 3 hours. The alum bath will kill living snails right away, but it takes the alum 3 hours to penetrate the snails egg masses to kill the eggs,. I believe the alum will immediately kill any parasites ( Hydra and others (?)) that may be clinging to the plants.

After 3 hours, remove the plants from the bucket, rinse them off under running water, and then you can place them in your aquarium even if you don't plan on setting them until another day. 

Remember to put the lid on the bucket so that it's ready for the next time you buy plants, with a lid, this stuff lasts for years.