# Bleach dip on Downoi?



## HUNTER (Dec 22, 2005)

I have 4 downoi plants that have some black beard algae on some leaves, i only have them for a week and growing just fine, however i would like to give them a bleach bath today, 20/1 water/bleach ratio for two minutes, will this work?, thanks.


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## AaronT (Apr 26, 2004)

I wouldn't risk it. You're best off upping your CO2 levels a little bit and getting your ferts in line to correct the algae problem.


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## ianiwane (May 6, 2005)

I agree, I wouldn't do it as well. Downoi can be sensitive and may just melt away.


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## HUNTER (Dec 22, 2005)

These are newly acquired plants with the algae on them already, the tank doesn't have any algae of concern, just these 4 new plants. I have water parameters in check and the co2 is on the high end. I just don't want to wait for it to disappear, it might spread to the other plants, what do you suggest i should do. This is the tank and the new 4 plants are on the bottom left corner.


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## Gumby (Aug 1, 2005)

In my experience, bleach doesn't kill BBA. It bleaches it, but it will just recover and come back. Crank the CO2 up or OD with Excel to get rid of the BBA.


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## AaronT (Apr 26, 2004)

It looks as though your tank is very healthy. I still think your best bet is to let it grow some and wait for the algae to go away. Downoi will likely melt if bleached.


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## standoyo (Aug 25, 2005)

downoi is very sensitive! bleaching not recommended!
just one week of poor conditions like lack of co2 and the fella shrinks...better to trim some of the infected leaves. it will grow back..albeit in a few months!...very nice tank btw..


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## MatPat (Mar 22, 2004)

I agree with not bleaching the Downoi and I would trim the leaves. I would also be cautious about overdosing Excel with Downoi. It is sensitive as already mentioned and I had all 5 of my Downoi melt when I OD'd Excel for one week (30ml each day in a 75g) last year. It all came back but no sense taking the chance. 

I am currently trying the Excel OD again (30ml initial dose with 15ml daily doses) and am on day 8 with no melting Downoi but no effect on the BBA either. My only course of action is to move the 30+ Downoi plants I have and increase the Excel dosing or increase the dosing and take the chance on the Downoi melting again.


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## JerseyScape (Nov 18, 2005)

Well, since I'm a risk taker I would actually bleach one plant to see what happens. Why don't you just take out a single plant and dip ONE leaf in your premade soulution to see what happens? If that leaf dies the next day then you know that it's not a good idea.


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## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

I bet the black beard algae has already spread, and, if you did bleach the downei and if the plants did recover, the BBA would soon be back on them. I might risk bleaching one of the plants, but only if I had another tank, free of BBA to put it in.


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## HUNTER (Dec 22, 2005)

Hi guys, first, i just got the downoi few days ago so the algae hasn't spread yet. I bleached all four stems and after a day they seem to be melting and i'm pretty sure at this point they will die, but i'm leaving them in the tank hoping the stem would produce some shoots, however, one of the stems had a new shoot which didn't have any algae yet and i didn't bleach it, so, i still have one healthy one in the tank and i'm sure it will produce some shoots. It doesn't really matter if the plants died, i just can't leave the algae in the tank and hoping it will go away. The tank is very healty with pressurized co2 and UVS installed. I just don't understand why people don't clean up their plants before selling them, i paid fortune for them, even overnight shipping, well, lesson learn i guess.


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## AaronT (Apr 26, 2004)

Floating Downoi is an excellent way to propagate it faster. I suggest floating some of the bare stems and see what happens.


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## HUNTER (Dec 22, 2005)

I'll do that,thanks.


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