LOOSE, BUNCHED OR POTTED?

[Antipofish]

thats the only problem with forums, you can rarely get total agreement on almost any subject because everyone has diferent opinions and experiences and rightly so ;-]
a few years ago i was thinking of setting up a marine tank and went to very knowledgeable friends and shops and they all gave me different advice so i just stayed with freshwater lol

Ultimately all you can do is listen to what people say and go your own way based on that. Why not buy a bunch, and a pot, and see which you feel is the best value and most successful ?

 

[dean]

i just may do that but bit time consuming if i did that for everything lol


i was a member of a cichlid forum and there you could put up a poll and members could vote on it, can this be done here?

 

[Antipofish]

i just may do that but bit time consuming if i did that for everything lol


i was a member of a cichlid forum and there you could put up a poll and members could vote on it, can this be done here?

You dont need to do it for everything. Just pick ONE stem plant variety and buy a pot and a bunch of the same thing. That way you can see for yourself which you prefer.

I don't see what forum polls ever achieve. Half the time most people don't bother to, or are not around to respond. And the replies you get are not qualified. Whereas by asking the question like you have done, at least you have got some reasons behind your answers Its a bit like the TFF forum fish/tank/pet/kitchen sink of the month polls. All it ever is is mates voting for mates But I have never seen a poll on here anyway.

 

[ghostsword]

I completely disagree with buying plants that do not have roots.

I buy a good amount of plants, for me and family, between us we got maybe 10 tanks going, I also try a lot of plants emersed. I can walk into ADC and buy £50 or more of plants.. But I only buy Plants well established.

I did try plants in bunches, very good friend with a stockist that sells them, but they are not for me.

I can assure you that it is a false economy buying plants in bunches on a shop. You want bunches buy on a forum, but you want quality and resilience you buy plants from Tropica and the likes, with well developed roots.


___________________________
Luis
@ghostsword

 

[spyder]

i just may do that but bit time consuming if i did that for everything lol


i was a member of a cichlid forum and there you could put up a poll and members could vote on it, can this be done here?

You can simply go back through this thread and give a point for each answer. As already mentioned, you are getting answers from someone who can be bothered to reply instead of someone who just clicks a button.

This is how I would approach it.

If you have a good LFS you will most likely find they have nice bunches of common stem plants. Bacopa, Ludwigia etc. These can be good value when compared to a price of the potted versions, especially if your planting on a tight budget. Also some swords can be had this way at a slightly lower price. I will rarely buy a potted version of a stem plant unless I can't get it bunched, like L Aromatica. Couldn't find it bunched so took a pot, I wanted that plant!

Crypt's I'll always go for Tropica or more often, Aquafluer. Carpet plants the same, if I was buying Glosso or HC, I don't think they get sold by the bunch although I've seen hairgrass in terracotta rings.

It all depends on what you want for your tank. Stems are generally pruned and planted anyway so bunches work well with a little less faffing around. You have to consider the growing on of pot plants which could be upto 3 months for some species. That's what you are paying the extra for.

So for me it's simple, if it's a stem I grab a bunch if I can, anything else generally comes in a pot.

 

[dean]

spyder
well put