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my dads crazy idea.

Discussion in 'Aquatic Plants & Planted Tanks' started by manta975, Apr 30, 2011.

  1. manta975

    manta975 Thread Starter New Member

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    so basically i have a 30 gallon tank (my goldfish died of who knows what) and there is a bristle nose pleco and i put my baybe guppies in it. his ridicules idea is to buy and grow plants first in this (eventually maybe a small pond) get them to reproduce and try to sell them. i know there are better ways to buy plants even locally but who knows, and its his idea.

    he is buying some led light from my uncle to set up red blue and white light (supposedly that is what plants absorb best) i already have very strong filtration. but i have just gravel on the bottom and i hear Plecos can destroy some types of plants. what would you say is best for growing plants, i have heard just potting soil does quite well and some manufactured type stuff also. anything you like or think works well?

    also what are some of the rarer plants to find in stores , i think that is what he is looking for is to sell these plants that you would other wise need to have shipped by plane and such.

    i know this is crazy but what ever either way i get a nice planted tank in the end.
     
    manta975, Apr 30, 2011
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  2. Anthony

    Anthony Active Member

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    I like Eco Complete or Flourish.

    As far as plants go, I would look on AquaBid to get an idea of what plants are selling for and go from there.
     
    Anthony, Apr 30, 2011
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  3. MOD_Dawn

    MOD_Dawn Active Member

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    1st, larger plecos can be a nightmare in a planted tank..but bristlenose plecos won't harm ANYTHING besides wood so your completely safe there and in case you weren't aware they MUST have wood in their diet (so driftwood, cholla, or the similar is required for them to thrive in addition to algae...whether it be natural or substituted via algae wafers).

    as for the light...couldn't comment on the leds as I've never had them on a planted tank..I do t5's in the 6700K range and was always schooled that blue lighting has no benefit for a planted tank and that the only thing it's beneficial for is corals.

    Strong filtration isn't always necessary, and sometimes can be problematic in a planted tank (uprooting plants).

    As far as substrate, I've always had great success with eco-complete (black, NOT the red) and have heard others praise cory's baylees better bottom.

    As far as rare plant types, it all depends ...look at online aquatic plant dealers and see which ones they're getting more money for to give you a hint and know that pretty much any type of "mother" plant or plant plug will bring about a good price .
    Online Aquatic Plant Dealers List
    ps. I know in my area Crinum Calimistratum and Florida Sunset Crypt are on the pricey end.

    Not crazy for wanting to grow plants to sell off, especially for some of the faster growing ones!
    I know I get almost a bucket full of my purple cambomba by the end of the week (sand substrate and staggered lighting)..so it pretty much all depends on your water type and lighting...moreso than your substrate ime.

    Regardless, good luck to you both ;)
     
    MOD_Dawn, Apr 30, 2011
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  4. manta975

    manta975 Thread Starter New Member

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    ok good to see its not too out there lol

    for lighting i already have a florescent bulb on the tank it is fairly strong but i have a 30 tall. its about 2 feet tall i would say. and i will be getting 3 1 foot strips of led lighting (i can adjust the amount of rgb i want so i could always just set it to all white if the red and blue don't seem to have any effect)

    so for planting substraite i guess i will go with the eco complete since everyone seems to like it. my filter is pleanty strong it is a canister rated for 55 gallons (on my 30 gallon tank). i also will surf the webs for some of the pricier plants and show them to my dad since he is buying all this stuff lol

    thanks for all the fed back guys
     
    manta975, May 1, 2011
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  5. manta975

    manta975 Thread Starter New Member

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    also how would you go about selling plants.

    is aquabids really that good it seams like very few people bid on these for too much mostly $1-$3 occasionally 6-10 and lots aren't even bid on at all. seems like a great place to get deals but not so much a good deal on the sellers end lol.
     
    manta975, May 1, 2011
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  6. MOD_Dawn

    MOD_Dawn Active Member

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    myself, i wouldn't be expecting to make a fortune in plants.
    for the most part the majority of them are slow growing and you'll need a minimum of 4-5 clippings that are at least 5" each.

    As for places to try to sell them, I'd say aquabid..ebay..craigslist..create a free/paid website if younz really get into it..and you could even sell them right here on the forum in the trading post section. I know petstores in my area won't purchase plants off you for the most part, but you can try that avenue also...but be prepared for the extremely low offerings being they are used to dealing in bulk volume and getting their stuff for next to nothing (assume pretty much anything you see in a petstore has at least a 100% markup).
     
    MOD_Dawn, May 1, 2011
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