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I have decided that over the summer I will sell aquatic plants online so i can get a little extra money to pay back aquarium supplies. I have set up a 50 gallon pond that is 4 feet by about 2 feet and has a depth of either 7 or 18 inches. It has a 3.5 inch layer of pea gravel. The water temperature is 78 degrees and it has been treated with conditioner. I have it stocked with TONS of anacharis, a sword plant, and moss + a moss log. I put a smalll pleco in there to take care of algae and i guess for poop/nutrienrs for the plants. Also, a few mosquito fish to take care that it won't be a breeding pool for mosquitos or their larvae. These are just the beginning plants and I am going to let them continue to grow for a few weeks before I sell them. I want to know if i need some kind of fertilizer or if that isn't neccasary and what other plants I can use. Also, and questions or comments. Here are a few pictures.

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k82/budzilla_2006/DSCN1296.jpg
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k82/budzilla_2006/DSCN1297.jpg
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k82/budzilla_2006/untitled.jpg

-Vincent

Great ideal, way to think out of the box. I would use some type ferts because you want really strong plants for shipping and if you get a good rep. for supply healthy plant your business ideal my just take off. As to what fert to use I would think that a substrate fert would be best because you will be rotating plant in and out and with evaporation caused by being outside anything else would waste any profit would make with liquids. That just my business opinion.

Djrichie
"So Long, and Thanks For All The Fish" Douglas Adams

thanx, I was thinking that some kind of root tabs would be good. Does anyone know whether that a poly bag with wet napkins around the plant base or a breather bag is better, any other ideas?

-Vincent

When I order plants from floridadriftwood.com they arrive in poly bags with rapid in wet news papers. I have order a lot from online and I would only offer next service unless in my case with FDW USPS but that's because I only live an hour, hour and half drive away from him.

Djrichie
"So Long, and Thanks For All The Fish" Douglas Adams

Thanx Dj, that confirmed what I was goingto do because I also get plants that way. I added some flourish excel since I have no root tabs yet. You can barely see the log under the moss anymore and the anacharis grows about 3 inches a day so I am having to trim it( for right now I ma making an anacharis jungle for my betta). I am right now trying to go at it to grow roots, I am keeping the plants in and trimming it so it gets thicker and thicker and so that the roots have a chance to grow, that way with established plant I will always have a steady flow of it to sell.The plants are flourishing in there. Are there any other ideas for plants?

(Done Frank )


-Vincent

I have a large hydroponics tank as part of each of my tilapia and mosquito fish tanks. I grow mostly bog and marginals such as Taro, Nile Papyris, iris, and Canna Lily. I start small plants in foam cups. I poke holes in the bottoms of the cups and plant using kitty litter. To hold the cups, I use insulating foam sheeting that i have cut holes out of. This floats on the surface of the water with the cups about half in and half out of the water. As the plants grow they push out the bottom of the cups. Because I use kitty litter, it does not fowl the water if it falls out. Once the plant outgrows the cup I transplant it to a larger plastic pot, but you could easily wrap the root ball in wet newspaper and ship it. I also take some of my larger potted plants to my lfs for credit.

Thanx that sounds neat but Im not doing marginals I am doing fully aquatic. I might try that one day though.

-Vincent

The plants are still growing good, I have added a few sword plants and I found out that I need a filter this weekend because dead leaves fall in the pond from the trees and cloud the water.
Seeing as I have gotten multiple requests on this site for plants I will post something in the classifieds if you want anything. More information on that topic can be found there.

-Vincent

Hi bud,
Great idea! Are you having any algae issues so far? I have also worked on the idea and used a 40g tank with sand substrate. The plants grew well but so did algae. The plants were not neat and clean enough to be traded. Any ideas would be great.
-Mughal

Yeah, great idea Vince. Wish I could do that I just don't really have the time or money to do it.

As for planting suggestions...hows-about doing hornwort, wisteria, or maybe even some vals!

Wish ya luck!


~Morgan~

Try to grow some Cabomba! You have great almost perfect conditions for it. Only thing is that it may be illegal over there, where you live. ALso, if youre going to sell it, you might not be able to for fear of a noxious weed law.

But truly, you should be growing the rarer and more expensive plants. Especially anubias and JF. Also, try some shrimp for breeding.

If you put a mesh screen, the leaves will be kept out, no racoons will get to the pleco, and best of all, nothing can get out!

Will be keepin an eye out for some Java Moss! How much will you be selling it for? I just never find it anywhere, and the places i go, even specialty stores, dont have it there. Also, you should sell some DW/coconut shells/rocks covered in JM. OOOH! Im so excited!


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Mofish, im already growing vals
I don't have room for any new plants yet but when I sell some then I'll replace with new plants like hornwort and cabomba.
Mughal, I have not had much of a problem, the bigest problem is intense clouding but I am going to get some chicken wire and a filter for that.
From what I know it isn't illegal because its on my property, if it was 50 feet back and in the national park it would be a problem.
Goby- just send me a PM with how much you want.

-Vincent

My suggestion is that you grow low to medium light plants, because I believe the people that will be buying from you will be us new ones that are new to the plant world.

We have low light conditions & as we don't have a regular supplier for plants yet, we are going to be looking to you for our plants right now. Established planted aquarium folks already have their favorite dealers & will be reluctant to change. IMHO