# Bleaching established plants on driftwood?



## AquaNekoMobile (Feb 26, 2010)

Ok, not sure how to do this. I've got j.moss growing well and dug in deep in the driftwood as with j.fern. The driftwood is mosponi driftwood with BBA on it that I can't get rid of and the j.moss and j.fern have hair/string algae on it.

I'm wondering would a bleach soaking work for this? I'm sure it would but my concern is how much bleach would be absorbed into the wood in the 3-5min soak to kill off the algae. 

I've already scrubbed the BBA but some just won't come off in the little caves of the driftwood. Need help! Thanks in advance.


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

3 to 5 minutes in a 20:1 bleach solution might kill the moss (I think one minute is the norm). Some plants don't take well to bleaching at all. Have you tried peroxide directly on the BBA? I think the usual method is to use an eyedropper and apply directly, full strength.


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## AquaNekoMobile (Feb 26, 2010)

Bill,

20:1 bleach to water ratio or did you mean 1:20 bleach to water ratio?


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

A 1 in 20 solution of bleach usually refers to 19 parts water to 1 part bleach.


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

Sorry, I meant the 1 part bleach to 19 parts water. I originally heard that number from Dorothy Reimer when she gave a plant talk a number of years ago at a DRAS meeting. I have used it a nd variations over the yers. Some plants will die before the algae (like hornwort) while some plants like Java fern wil,l take more. I accidently forgot a Java fern in bleach and it killed off all the stems and leaves. The rhizome survived and regrew, so it is now nicer than ever.


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## AquaNekoMobile (Feb 26, 2010)

Given my current mishap I'm going to wait at least 2 weeks before considering doing that. A month to be on the safe side but thanks for the help and advice.


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