South American tank - where to get plants?

[Superdave]

Hey guys,
I recently converted a 30 gallon into a temporary home for my green severum.  This included adding driftwood and wall-to-wall fake plants.  Then I got real and decided to transition to real plants over the next year.  I've no experience with live plants.  I bought 3 species on some website and am having trouble keeping 2 of them alive and in the gravel.  Any hot tips on the very basics of plant care?  AND where can I go in Houston to get a decent selection of live plants?  I live in Katy.

[eklikewhoa]

Re: South American tank - where to get plants?

check out aquaticplantcentral.com

village tropical has a nice selection of plants.

[Mzungu]

Re: South American tank - where to get plants?

A couple of questions:

Do you remember what type of plants they are, what species? It might help to know, as some are specifically floating, some are rooted, and some don't need to be planted, but attach themselves to wood, rocks, etc....If you're having problems with keeping them planted, it may just be the species you have.

What kind of lights are over the tank? And do you just have normal pea gravel in there?

And I will second eklikewhoa, Village Tropical has the better selection of plants that I have seen so far. But I still have many stores to try out. Sorry I don't know of any closer to you.

[eklikewhoa]

Re: South American tank - where to get plants?

hate to say it but see if there is a petco or petsmart by you, sometimes they have good plants but thats usually closer to shipment time.

[Superdave]

Re: South American tank - where to get plants?

Yeah...I've seen the plants at Petsmart, but they are always in poor condition, the people who work there know nothing, and they always try to over-market their products.  Perhaps I'll try Village Tropical one day on my way home from work.  I do have gravel substrate, but it's been in use awhile and has lots of organic material settled in with it, including fish poo and some bark from the wood in the tank.  I use a bright 50/50 actinic/flourescent bulb, and some natural light filters into the room from the windows.

[eklikewhoa]

Re: South American tank - where to get plants?

if you get root feeding plants some simple flourish tabs from seachem will do wonders, well i use them and the plants arent dead yet. i usually search plantgeeks.com or other plant guides and just browse through there seeing what plants can live in what and when i find it i dont need a employee to tell me what it is.

i also have my phone with internet so i just search it when i find a plant i like when im at a store with less than stellar service or knowledgeable employees.