I wasn't exactly sure where to put this topic, but here seemed ok. Anyway, I have about 5 or 6 plastic plants in my tank and they are covered in dark green algae. I have tried to clean them before but it never succeeds in getting it all off, and it comes back 2x worse the next time. I am just wondering if anybody has some good methods on how to clean plants.

I use a weak solution of common household bleach. Firstly I clean the plastic plant as well as possible, then immerse it in a weak household bleach solution for several hours. Then I rinse it thoroughly (many times) and leave it immersed in clean water for a time. It seems to work for me.

If you use bleach, I suggest that you let them completely dry, after rinsing several times, so that any traces of chlorine will evaporate.

Yep, bleach will definately do it. Unfortunately, you have to make sure you rinse -thoroughly-.

I found soaking the plant overnight is a salt water solution to be also as effective. The rinsing is much easier that way.

I hav found that the bleach solution is very effective after just a couuple of minutes. You should not have to soak them for any longer than that. If you do, they tend to fade, also.

Rinse them off very well, and I soak them in choline neautrilizer water conditioner for about 10 minutes, change it and soak them again.

When I had brown algae on my plastic plants I filled a bucket with water and added algae distroyer to it. I let the plants soak for a few minutes then scrubbed them with a toothbrush. It took a couple treatments but since then the brown algae hasn't come back.

Buy new plants! No, just kidding. I soak mine in hot water, and then scrub the "leaves" with a sponge. Of course, make sure the water isn't TOO hot, or you will end up with some mangled, unhappy-looking plants.

Ok, ok, in all honesty, when I am feeling lazy, I do actually just buy new ones.

Ali

I have read on this board to leave the plants out in the sun, let dry and brush off algae. I haven't tried it , but it sounds alot safer than bleach

The plastic in the plants is porus enough, with micro pores, that once the algae dries into them, there is no way that you can remove it. I would not recommend drying them and then trying to remove the algae. The sun will, however, have a natural bleaching affect on the plastic plants, given enough time.