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Plants Alive

howardish

Member
Joined
1 Sep 2008
Messages
63
Location
Southend On Sea, Essex
Hi all, im looking for more help :?

Im thinking of ordering off of plants alive and had a couple of questions:

1) How have people found their orders? in a good condition when arrived and have they lasted in your tank well?

2) I dont understand the ordering...i know that sounds silly, but...it offers options like...1, 5, bunch ot potted. What is the difference between a bunch or just selecting 1?

Any help appreciated.

Many thanks, Howard
 
howardish said:
1) How have people found their orders? in a good condition when arrived and have they lasted in your tank well?
In my experience, variable :bored:. The easy stem plants and grassy things like vallis are usually fine. Individual crypts and similar can be a bit on the weak side and need to grow in a lot. I've found glosso, Marsilea sp., etc. well short of the mark. But they do replace/refund if you have a problem. I'd certainly use them again but you get what you pay for.

2) I dont understand the ordering...i know that sounds silly, but...it offers options like...1, 5, bunch ot potted. What is the difference between a bunch or just selecting 1?
I think a bunch is basically a loose, uncounted handful. Hopefully works out cheaper than a set number. I've not ordered bunches but I know someone that has and he's done OK with them.

Pets At Home is worth a look. Sometimes they carry a limited Tropica stock. With my local branch, if you can catch the plants before they let them die, they are a steal.
 
Thanks for that, im really debating what to do.

I have placed a list in the hands of my LFS, they deal with aquafleur and so i picked a good list off of their site, and the girl said she would pass it on to the ordered who would call me. Well so far he hasnt..since thursday..so im gonna chase them tomorrow and if they havent done anything or dont intend to i think i might risk the plants alive order.

On top, as Plants Alive dont agree a delivery date i cant get a set date off work to be home to collect the order, so they could end up moulding down the local post office.

Decisions...decisions....

Thanks again, Howard

EDIT: My local P@H is pants and i intend to never encourage their sale of anything aquatic related.
 
Im very near Southend in Essex. Its a good hours drive to the nearest Maidenhead and the P@H arent that great for aquatics. I mainly rely on a swallow aquatics which is have gone to from the start but they are mainly bread & butter stock - good quality but never much variety.

=] Howard
 
I had loads of trouble with Plants Alive but that shouldn't stop you going there. I would however suggest TGM or AE for Tropica plants, they are more expensive but you get more for your money and the plants are of a much higher quality of those from most internet companies.
 
The reason I asked where you live is that I thought this might be of interest ...

http://www.parcelpark.com/

This always seemed like a great idea to me and might help you with managing the delivery. I'm not associated with them in any way other than that I know someone who did a lot of work behind the site. I just wish it operated outside the south-east.
 
1) How have people found their orders? in a good condition when arrived and have they lasted in your tank well?

always arrive in good condition, except one time when they had algae on, but they explained and offered me a replacement for free (same plant). All my plants doing great, even crypts which dont travel well.

2) I dont understand the ordering...i know that sounds silly, but...it offers options like...1, 5, bunch ot potted. What is the difference between a bunch or just selecting 1?

1 - 1 plant
5 - 5 plants/ stems
bunch - bunch of stems with lead weight (just buy them loose, this is just costing you extra money)
potted - potted!
 
Cheers everyone...iv taken the dive!

Iv ordered as many tropica as i could from AE.

Hopefully have them in the next couple days.

Then the remainder i have ordered from Plants Alive, only about 4 plants or so.

Thanks for all your help...il probably need your assistance again when they die/get algae on/ grow too much/ grow too little/ eat my fish :lol:

Thanks
Howard
 
Hi,

sorry for no update!

I received both orders..
you can tell from the moment you open the box that the tropica plants are better quality, but in a way you expect that for the price you pay.

The plants i got from Plants alive were all in very good quality considering time it was in the post (shipped tues, arrived sat). Plants are all still alive, one is going through the emmersed - immersed stage atm so cant commment on that but the macrandra, a v delicate plant apparantly is thriving in the tank and is doing excellent. I must say i actualy have no complaints with them, except maybe not all plants would survive that delivery time.

Tropica plants were better quality, but did spend less time in the post (god bless AquaEssentials) so it is hard to comment. Both offered good portions when ordered in a pot.

Overall, i would definitely order from both places again.

=]
Howard
 
Ordered last friday (10th oct) the following

Blyxa Japonica Dwarf soft rush
Quantity - 15

Cryptocoryne Pondederifolia
Quantity - 10

Cyperus Helferi
Quantity - 25

Heteranthera Zosterfolia or Sea Grass
Quantity - 15

Ludwigia Arcuata or Needle leaf Ludwigia
Quantity - 25

Rotala Rotundefolia (R.Indica)
Quantity - 25

Sagittaria Natans
Quantity - 25

Red Sea CO2 Indicator

TetraPlant CO2 Optimat kit


I emailed them today as i was wondering when the order would be dispached and they've said that their Blyxa was crap and no Cyperus had arrived.

I'll let you know what the plants are like when i get them (compared to my old favourite, Greenline)

Andy
 
well i ordered the above on the 10th and i still haven't had the plants. Apparently, the order was sent out yesterday....1st class but still noting today (still early days though). There was a nasty frost last night too so i hope they get here in one piece !!!
 
Well ive just received my order.....WHAT AN ABSOLUTE CROCK OF S**T

No rotala indica...although they said they've refunded the money
No sagittaria natans ???
hereranthera is 4" long
Ludwigia is 6" long

Blyxa is ok, Crypt is ok, Cyperus is good

I'm sitting here looing at this tiny bag of plants....all mixed up, not individually wrapped or labelled and i feel like crying

I have a 48" tank that i would've liked to make some impact with today but this lot wouldn't fill a 12" tank.

Come back Greenline...all is forgiven. Photos to follow

Andy
 
I got my order from Plant Alive today.
Blyxa japonica - 5
Dwarf hairgrass - 25
Sagittaria Pusilus - 25

Blyxa was really good, very happy.

The hairgrass was in a bit of a mess, all bunched together but in ok condition.

Sagittaria was awful!! In the same bag as the hairgrass and in a massive tangled matted pile of root and a few dying leaves.
Really not happy with it.
Plus side, I did order it yesterday early and got it today.
But i'd rather wait a week and get something i can plant.
 
Ok...i had a big whinge at Plants alive and they've agreed to replace the sub standard or missing plants free of charge. fair dos to them for that. They explained that sometimes, stuff like Heteranthera can come in at 8" tall, sometimes at 3"....looks like i got the raw end of the deal

Andy
 
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