Exciting plant news from Petsmart!

[BigJim]

I wandered into Petsmart today and found they're starting to carry more prepackaged aquatic plants! They had a few sword species, dwarf hairgrass, telanthera rosefolia, microsword, bacopa carolinia, and a few others in small pouches by the tube plants. They look to be grown emersed and they're expensive at $8 a pouch, but it's a start.

 

[fort384]

Wow, that is good. Now if they could get rid of the semi and non aquatics...

But it is good to know that if all else fails there are some decent plants available.

Only thing is, now folks with stock lighting will be asking why their dhg and lilaeopsis is dieing... in addition to their dracena sanderiana.

 

[WhiteDevil]

Petsmart by me has a MH,Co2 equipped tank for the aquatic plants, its about 2 hours N/NW of you but there are a few that have the true planted tanks and its alot cheaper then the bagged ones and are fully submerged right from the get go.

 

[mudraker]

I wish they would concentrate on really basic, healthy, fully aquatic lowlight plants.

That is what most people need to succeed when first starting out.

 

[mudraker]

Jim, How is your coal slag tank going btw?

I lost track of that project but was seriously facinated with the concept when you first started it.

 

[allaboutfish]

i saw those too!!! got some dwarf hairgrass for 7 dollars. they actually have them in a gel like substance that i guess keeps them alive.

 

[Coleallensmom]

I wish they would concentrate on really basic, healthy, fully aquatic lowlight plants.

That is what most people need to succeed when first starting out.

I wholeheartedly agree. My son often asks me why our local fish stores don't have a very big selection of low light plants and it's a question I can't answer.

 

[jcolon]

I wish they would concentrate on really basic, healthy, fully aquatic lowlight plants.

That is what most people need to succeed when first starting out.

+1 my local petsmart sells the plants in the plastic tube containers ... try finding a plant that is first truly aquatic, then not have 1/2 the leaves brown and dying

They should just stick with low - level maintenance plants .. but then again that would mean less sales since you'd less likely need to replace them. How many people that really know the lighting and nutrient requirements of higher maintenance plants? Not to mention non-aquatics would just die out = more money out of your pocket and into theirs.

 

[BigJim]

Petsmart by me has a MH,Co2 equipped tank for the aquatic plants, its about 2 hours N/NW of you but there are a few that have the true planted tanks and its alot cheaper then the bagged ones and are fully submerged right from the get go.

Petsmart? Really!?! I can't even find a small LFS that carries much in the way of live plants around here.

I wish they would concentrate on really basic, healthy, fully aquatic lowlight plants.

That is what most people need to succeed when first starting out.

I agree. However most big box stores are more concerned with selling flashy stuff, especially if people have to replace it often because they kill it.

Jim, How is your coal slag tank going btw?

I lost track of that project but was seriously facinated with the concept when you first started it.

It's kind of on hold. The tank is still running, but it's got a serious hair algae issue because I've got too much light and no CO2 injection. The plants are growing well, but I haven't been able to do a side-by-side comparison to see if the coal slag does better. Maybe more towards fall I'll build an LED fixture for the tank. Right now all my time and money is going towards home remodeling.

 

[WhiteDevil]

Yep, I know the one in algonquin for SURE has a 4 tiered planted tank, most plants are 3.99 and under. Last time I grabbed a sword from them they gave me a red marbled craw for .27 cents.

 

[Aquachic4545]

Tried em - they do well

I've tried both prepackaged stuff and the tubes are awful. The new ones, in their white packaging with the gel, seem really healthy. I've tried several of them.

I've had the problem that my Petsmart close to home cancelled their water tank with their plants and went only to the prepackaged stuff. Oh, I did find a Petsmart in the city next door that has the aquarium with live plants but I have to travel. Basically, I'm mixing up the plants by getting the ones that they have that are live and the ones in the white packaging.

Monica

 

[Aquachic4545]

Keep in mind - the new packaged ones (in white) you get to split up into smaller plants so it's like buying 3 plants at one time. Oh, the grass ones look neat but I'm having to invent some form of undergravel holder as my barbs seem to love to pull it up from the bottom. Their grazing on it like sheep.

 

[Gillie]

I've tried both prepackaged stuff and the tubes are awful. The new ones, in their white packaging with the gel, seem really healthy. I've tried several of them.

I've had the problem that my Petsmart close to home cancelled their water tank with their plants and went only to the prepackaged stuff. Oh, I did find a Petsmart in the city next door that has the aquarium with live plants but I have to travel. Basically, I'm mixing up the plants by getting the ones that they have that are live and the ones in the white packaging.

Monica

The tubes seem to loose their ability to hold vital humidity needed by the emersed plant after quite a bit of handling and I'm guessing tube squeezing. The Peacock fern, Brazil sword, Kyoto/ Mondo grass, Ribbon plant, Aqua or Borneo fern are all terrestrial plants but the others with time will transition to their aquatic forms.

 

[mfdrookie516]

I looked at some the other day. The DHG was pretty pricey, considering you can get about 4x as much for 1/3 the cost online. But... hopefully this will get more people in to the hobby, as those terrarium plants tend to push people away after they all die.

 

[Gillie]

I looked at some the other day. The DHG was pretty pricey, considering you can get about 4x as much for 1/3 the cost online. But... hopefully this will get more people in to the hobby, as those terrarium plants tend to push people away after they all die.

I haven't had a chance to check any of these packages out, but I hope to soon as I work with emersed growth in terrariums.

Unfortunately we will most likely always see non aquatic species sold as aquatic and it will be that way as long as they can sucker newbies into buying them