summersquash

I have ordred plants online for my aquarium. Is there someithing I should do to these plants before putting them in my aquarium. Could they contaminate my tank? Is there something I should dip them in before planing them. Also what kind of bulbs should I have in my lights.

Beth1965

Congrats on the plants. If they are low light plants (and some medium) then the standard flouresant lights that came with the tank are sufficient.
I just rinse my plants off before putting them in the tank. Others will rinse off in a bleach solution (1 part bleach to 19 parts H2O)
Beth

summersquash

Thanks, I'll use the bleach solution. I am just not sure if they will be pest and disease free. The place I ordered them from sells lots of pond plants, so I am afraid they may have come from a pond instead of an aquarium whch makes me worry that they may not be pest free. Do I rinse them in clear water after using the bleach solution? I asume the bleach won't hurt the plants.

Beth1965

Well, your concern about bleach hurting the plants is why I don't use it. But I assure you many many members have spoken about using the bleach solution.
If youre worried about critters taking a ride with your plants, then i think it would be wiser to use the bleach solution.
Beth

rileyrk190

I didn't rinse my plants when i bought them from an ebay seller. They were fantastic plants at a very reasonable price. A month later, i kid you not, i had more than a two-hundred snails in my tank. I still haven't been able to rid the tank of snails even after buying a yoyo loach which did a good number on them too. I have never tried the bleach solution but i think it may be worth it to kill the snail eggs which are hard to see.

Fish_wise_man

I never buy plants online. Especially if they are from someone else, because the plants there may require different standards, and/or they won't be used to my tank water because the parameters are different.

I do know that if you have low light or strong lighting plants, you will need more than 20 W if you want. I have in my 500 gallon tank. Very BRIGHT colored plants so then I have to use more than 100 W on just one fluorescent bulb. And I have to put about 5 or more. So I change the bulb once every two months (all of them)

And the Kelvin rate is about 20,000k

Shawnie

ALLOT of people buy plants online every day.....if you do your homework, you can see whats actually aquatic and what isnt..what wattage is needed as well as subtrate....a 500 gal tank is much different than the normal size tanks people have...1-2 watts per gal for lowlight is plenty ....you have to use more wattage because of the size of your tank ..

Fish_wise_man

Yeah. So I am going to be putting in bulbs with higher wattage in a few days, because I change my bulbs every two months.

MPrudent

Changing your bulbs every 2 months sounds like a huge waste of money to me...just go ahead and ship me those good bulbs when you are "done" with them after 2 months. I will gladly pay for shipping! haha.

Fish_wise_man

Lol! The box that holds the bulb says to replace them every one or two months.

mjordan

well wat do the bulbs run u... as in $

summersquash

They are aquarium plants, but they also sell pond plants. The company is called "William Tricker Water Garden Specialist", but they also sell aquarium plants and supplies. Has anyone used them? I'm not sure what to do as far as planting them. Do I just put them in the substrate with a weight? Or is there something else I should do? I ordered plant fertilizer for them and I replaced my bulbs with plant bulbs. I guess I will learn as I go. I am sure some will die and some will flourish. Then the next time I buy I will know more about it. I have small gravel and some largeer rocks in the bottom of my tank. Should I add something to that?