Dart Den
Serving the Dart Frog Community Since 2004...
Dart Den

Serving the Dart Frog Community Since 2004...

Thread Rating:
  • 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Decontaminating Plants
#1
Is there a proven way to decontaminate the more delicate moss and water plants? The 10% bleach solution sounds rather harsh on them...

In the past, treated water plants with chemicals (normally copper type) that killed all parasites and pests then flush plants with TONS of water to remove traces of chemical before introduction to tank.
Reply
#2
The most popular way is the 10% bleach solution. I can't say it is 100% effective for all parasites and such , but seems to work very well. Ovens bake stuff like leaf litter and such. Also autoclaves.

Rich
Darts with parasites are analogous to mixed tanks, there are no known benefits to the frogs with either.


If tone is more important to you than content, you are at the wrong place.

My new email address is: rich.frye@icloud.com and new phone number is 773 577 3476
Reply
#3
But will the plants survive the process? (Doubt it will with the baking.)

I guess I can experiment with Java moss since those are more weedlike than anything else...
Reply
#4
Bleach will remove the chlorophyll from the moss.
Reply
#5
You can use a dechlorinator at 10 times the regular strength. Ask Mack more about this---his email is mariaurbana23@hotmail.com. He also sells really healthy frogs and plants.
Reply
#6
i heard you can't sanitize moss effectively. such as riccia and stuff. am i wrong? i want to put the most sanitized things i can in our new viv dart room.
Reply
#7
kristy55303 Wrote:i heard you can't sanitize moss effectively. such as riccia and stuff. am i wrong? i want to put the most sanitized things i can in our new viv dart room.

It's really a gamble. You can't leave it in more than 20-30 seconds or it bleaches out and dies---I know b/c I sanitized java moss w/the vinegar/bleach/water solution. You really have to eyeball it to make sure it doesn't turn brown altogether before removing it. In any case, there will definitely be some dead moss when it's over with, but I don't know how else to do it.
Reply
#8
think i found a better idea if there are some worried about mosses like riccia....rinsing should be ok however....but you can also buy riccia moss seeds.
Reply
#9
Here's a thought---most parasites have a life cycle. Some lie dormant, but you research the parasites relevant to frogs and maybe just preserve the moss/water plants in a place apart from the frogs for a set amount of time that would allow the parasites to die off. But, that may not work for all parasites...
Reply
#10
correct Susan...best to buy from vivarium concepts or another reputable seller i guess.....but rinsing off thoroughly should be enough..lots of people have riccia moss in their tanks. either that or buy the seeds and have it grow slowly. Big Grin
Reply
#11
I've never heard of riccia moss seeds! Where do you buy them? How long does it take to start growing?

Fran
Reply
#12
I wouldn't worry about it if you buy it from one of the sponsors. I was offered seeds some time ago, but decided it would be a more pain in the butt than anything to grow and then plant in the viv. Just rinse very very thoroughly and you should be ok. Other plants can be safely sanitized in a 10% bleach solution and then rinsed thoroughly. kristy Big Grin
Reply



User Panel Messages

Announcements
Announcement #1 8/1/2020
Announcement #2 8/2/2020
Announcement #3 8/6/2020