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Choosing Plants (need advice)

Joined
12 Jan 2009
Messages
47
Location
West Yorkshire, England
You can see my Journal here, it has full specs and a tank plan.
http://www.ukaps.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=6193


I am getting to the stage now I need to finalise my plants but I am after some advice.

The plans I know I want to keep are the following:
Eleocharis parvula (Dwarf Hairgrass)
blyxa japonica
Narrow leaf Java fern

Being new to the whole planted tank world which includes choosing plants, I know some of the more common species you find in your LFS. So I stumbled on the site http://www.plantgeek.net and I have been using that to get a good look at plants available but I am finding after I make a list of plants I like I cant find them to buy on-line arg!

So I changed my tactics and used AE and TGM and just looked at the plants available via them which was going great until I soon exceeded £150+. I know the whole argument its quality and not rubbish, and the cost is not a massive issue to me so to speak. My problem is since I am new the hobby I don't really feel safe dropping £200 to fully plant my tank from the start only for me to loose them.

I have been looking at the plant collections AE offer http://www.aquaessentials.co.uk/index.p ... hk3uqe9ut7

And it got me thinking that it might be safer option to pick a grow on pack and buying the Tropica plants that will then be the main focal points. Just wondered what everyone's thoughts are being such a huge tank as my first planted tank, I know I don't do things my halves :p
 
There's two options..

1) You buy plants for an instant effect, costing a fair bit
2) You buy plants to grow on, saving money

How I'm sure everyone will agree that getting tropica and aquafluer plants from either TGM and or AE means you'll be getting good quality and you have to pay for that.

However, if I were you, after a while it doesn't really care which "brand" of plants you get as they turn into the same species, its just how quick they grow from the start.

Therefore, for the first time planted tank person, I would recommend getting the "cheaper" brands of plants from places like http://www.plantsalive.co.uk/ they do a once a week ship or something. They're good quality for the price (so I'm told) and it won't cost the earth.

In addition, I always think it's better getting the cheaper brands. Then if you mess it all up you've not wasted money.

Then once you get to grips with things in the future, you can spend £5-£9 per pot on Tropica (should you wish) for instant effects.
 
As Clark said, I think it's better to research the plants a little (as you've clearly done) and then get a few from your LFS or cheaper shops online until you get a feel for the plant, how it grows, its needs and stuff like that. Then once you feel more confident, move onto the Tropica and Aquafleur brands because then there's less chance of wasting money. This is an expensive hobby as it is, so don't go spending loads on high-quality plants if it might not work out. Part of the fun of being a newbie is learning how plants grow and evolve so I would recommend growing plants on because again, this is cheaper.
 
Thanks both of you for the advice, I am going get some cheaper ones to begin with. I can always add in some Tropica specimens as the tank progresses too.

One more question is the only difference between these two plants one it slightly shorter in overall length?

Eleocharis Parvulus
Eleocharis parvula
 
Have a look at local Maidenhead Aquatics nearby. 4 potted Aquafleur plants for £11 - better quality than plants alive et al. and cheaper than other places ;)
 
I think those Eleocharis species are actually the same, just with slightly different name variations... I'm not totally sure on this though.

Parvula (or Parvulus as the case may be) grows to around 7cm, whereas Accicularis grows to around 15cm and Vivipara much much taller.
 
rawr said:
I think those Eleocharis species are actually the same, just with slightly different name variations... I'm not totally sure on this though.

Parvula (or Parvulus as the case may be) grows to around 7cm, whereas Accicularis grows to around 15cm and Vivipara much much taller.

arh right ok, cheers for that :)
 
if you are just wanting a load of cheap plants to get a new tank up and running and replacing plants as the the tank grows in and as funds allow then try "last Trading Post" on ebay, big packs of cheap easy grow plants.
get to see and try lots of different plants out for cheap!
 
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