Places to buy plants

[giffmastaflex]

I'm wanting turn my 55 gallon into a planted tank and I'm wondering where to buy my plants, I know a lot of people suggested online places but I want to get your input, also if you could suggest some plants that would be great. Also for my lighting I'm going to upgrade to t5 6700k light bulbs. That's not set in stone so if you have another suggestion please let me know. Thanks

 

[Andrew McFadden]

I use petsolutions.com all the plants in stores around me loom horrible. Plants online are a better way to go by far imo. Look into some crypts

 

[Rivercats]

I use AquariumPlants.com and ExtraPlant.com

As for plants... Swords, crypts, vals, red or green tiger lotus, ambulia, cabomba, water sprite, wisteria, dwarf sag, many of the rotalas and ludwigias, and bacopa for planting. Then anubia, java fern regular or wendilov, bolbitus, and mosses for attaching to DW.

 

[butterfly_koi]

I received plants from www.peabodysparadise.com
Awesome site and plants are very healthy and affordable. Its a small business but the site owner is really cool and is very informative with any questions I may have. He also sells root tabs on the site that are the best I've came across so far. I often recommend them.

 

[PockX]

I received plants from www.peabodysparadise.com
Awesome site and plants are very healthy and affordable. Its a small business but the site owner is really cool and is very informative with any questions I may have. He also sells root tabs on the site that are the best I've came across so far. I often recommend them.

I've heard awesome things about this site myself..will be ordering soon from em.

 

[giffmastaflex]

Would LEDs be good? If so do you have any links for them? Or should I stay with the t5s

 

[giffmastaflex]

Also is gravel ok or should I change to sand?

 

[eAts]

Would LEDs be good? If so do you have any links for them? Or should I stay with the t5s

I use the Finnex Ray II and it works quite well for plants. I also use the dry fertilizers that Rivercats recommended.

 

[giffmastaflex]

Where did you buy those? Online? Will it fit a 4ft wide tank

 

[giffmastaflex]

I use AquariumPlants.com and ExtraPlant.com

As for plants... Swords, crypts, vals, red or green tiger lotus, ambulia, cabomba, water sprite, wisteria, dwarf sag, many of the rotalas and ludwigias, and bacopa for planting. Then anubia, java fern regular or wendilov, bolbitus, and mosses for attaching to DW.

I looked at the aquariumplants.com site and they have packages. How many do they send you? I mean for a 55 gallon ill need like the $120 package and that is a lot of money for plants. Should I get the smaller ones?

 

[jetajockey]

I looked at the aquariumplants.com site and they have packages. How many do they send you? I mean for a 55 gallon ill need like the $120 package and that is a lot of money for plants. Should I get the smaller ones?

I suggest picking out the species you want and going from there, or talking to a retailer and getting a custom package made to best suit your needs.

LEDs are cool but if you are really tight on your budget just get a 2x54w fixture from aquatraders, it's around $55 shipping included.

 

[Rivercats]

If interested in anyones package deals I'd call to see what is in it and how much of what you get. I personally prefer choosing my own plants. Retailers in my area charge so much for plants due to the retail market prices it's cheaper for me to bring plants in and pay shipping charges. The only advantage of ordering from one of the bigger plant companies is the large choice of plants available and the fact you can place one large order and get everything you need. Places like AquariumPlants and ExtraPlant send from 6-15 stems in a bundle depending on the size of the stem being ordered (plants like Rotala Wallichii which is very thin stems you get alot more than something with large leaves and thick stems), then everything else non-stem is usually 1 plant at the price listed. For me with larger tanks it comes out cheaper to buy from these places and pay shipping once and perhaps at a higher cost than buying from several smaller places to get everything I want and having to pay shipping multiple times. You have to figure out where you can get the best price overall which includes shipping but also that has all the plants you want.

 

[eAts]

Where did you buy those? Online? Will it fit a 4ft wide tank

Online for both. I believe amazon sells the fixture in addition to the companies website. Also for plants and packages I've had good luck with aquabid and the forums. Prices are fair and sometimes you can get a lot of plants for 30 dollars. Check them out!