New Miscellaneous Ramblings and Discussion: January 4, 2026

[BenB]

Ever wanted to ask a question or just make a random comment about something but not start a whole thread for it? Do it here with me. Let's chat. I'll start.
Honestly you should feel free to start a new topic if you want, but if you're like me sometimes, you feel silly for starting one for something basic.

1. I've been wanting to order some tc, but I can only find 1 vendor with the things I want but they don't offer heat packs. Two other vendors that I can find offer heat packs, but one is sold out of most of their tc and another is out of heat packs. Its January. How can you not say right on your site, Heat Packs Available!

2. A couple of you told me about 3D printed modifications for my Eheim surface skimmer. I know @techman81 told me about it, and maybe @Koan. Seems like there was someone else. I bought it. First the outlet piece works amazing. Plants right at the outlet now don't even lean over from the force of the water. The floating skimmer part though, hasn't worked so well. If it sinks just a little under the water, it sucks all the way down and rests on top of the skimmer rather than up at the top of the water. I had to pull it up to the water surface. It will be OK if it stays there, but once the water level goes down a bit, if it collapses down, it isn't going work. (I hope that description made sense)

3. H zosterfolia seems like a crap plant in a small tank. It is leggy and the tops are really big. Will it bush up and fill in with more trimming? I had it years ago and it made a nice mound, but we grow so differently these days.

4. I don't want to go back to work tomorrow.

 

[Sb1415]

With you on #4 to begin with.
#1 I have had hit or miss with the TC orders, my recent order from Buce plant came with a heat pack but don't know if it helped any, the TC was not packed well and the plants were a mess and was a little disappointed.
#2 I have been trialing without a skimmer with just good surface agitation and that seems to work well for me so far. I now use the oase skimmer just during trimming.

 

[BenB]

#1 I have had hit or miss with the TC orders, my recent order from Buce plant came with a heat pack but don't know if it helped any, the TC was not packed well and the plants were a mess and was a little disappointed.

Buce plant is the place that offers heat packs, but they are out of the 72 hr ones. Maybe post holidays they will get some back in. They have the 40hr ones, but I'm in NC and they are in CA. I need the longest ones.

#2 I have been trialing without a skimmer with just good surface agitation and that seems to work well for me so far. I now use the oase skimmer just during trimming.

I get a lot of surface agitation with my HOB filter, but it doesn't keep the surface clean. It gunks up fast without the skimmer. I think it is because the output from the HOB is more of a wave and not choppy enough. As I think about it though, I'm getting over another algae spell. When the tank isn't so full of organics from dying algae, the HOB might be enough.

 

[techman81]

#1 I'm not convinced the 72hr heat packs do much either. I've had orders, including from Buceplant that arrived to KC from CA in 2 days, but the 72hr heat packs were not warm at all.

#2 Having the float suck down is an issue with all skimmers I've tried. It just takes finding that right spot and then making sure you keep your water levels consistent. Also, with the Oase skimmers, you can turn the power down a little which helps. I assume the Eheim skimmer can be adjusted as well.

#4 I've asked my work associates which of them was going to volunteer to drag me back to work kicking and screaming. I've been off for 17 days (practicing for retirement ).

 

[gnatster]

#1 Watch the long-range forecast for a warmer week. Place the order on Wednesday, the week before a warming trend. It'll most likely get shipped on Monday or Tuesday.

#2 Auto Top Off

#4 Mostly-Retired, my next shift at the shop is January 16.

 

[BigWave]

1. I've been wanting to order some tc, but I can only find 1 vendor with the things I want but they don't offer heat packs. Two other vendors that I can find offer heat packs, but one is sold out of most of their tc and another is out of heat packs. Its January. How can you not say right on your site, Heat Packs Available!

Heat packs are a gimmic or insurance policy for said companies. "Its cold out, below freezing, you did not purchase a heat pack with your order, sorry but we can not warranty your shipment". They do not actually help out the plants one bit. In fact they do damage to them. They shrivel and or droop the leaves from heat stress and suck out all the water contained within the plant. Think of it this way. Most of the packages live in a heated warehouse. The only time they are in the cold is on a local mail truck going to your house. The airplane, semi, regional carriers all are somewhat heat and cold regulated.

 

[Sb1415]

Heat packs are a gimmic or insurance policy for said companies. "Its cold out, below freezing, you did not purchase a heat pack with your order, sorry but we can not warranty your shipment". They do not actually help out the plants one bit. In fact they do damage to them. They shrivel and or droop the leaves from heat stress and suck out all the water contained within the plant. Think of it this way. Most of the packages live in a heated warehouse. The only time they are in the cold is on a local mail truck going to your house. The airplane, semi, regional carriers all are somewhat heat and cold regulated.

This reflects what happened in my last shipment

 

[BenB]

#4 I've asked my work associates which of them was going to volunteer to drag me back to work kicking and screaming. I've been off for 17 days (practicing for retirement ).

Similar here. I worked 1 day in the last 12.

 

[gnatster]

USPS Rate increase on January 16, 2026. Priority Mail to increase 6.6%.

 

[Pepere]

Its January. How can you not say right on your site, Heat Packs Available!

A good 12 weeks will solve the heat pack issue well enough.

As a rule I restrict livestock and plant purchases between mid March and early June and then mid September till the week before Thanksgiving.Thanksgiving through much of January the shipping companies alone are under stress test conditions just by volume, never mind winter storms…

If ordering near the months I typically dont, I am looking at the forecast weather between where I am buying and myself to look at forecast temps…

Heat packs and ice packs are good and all, but Mister Miyagi says the best block is the dont be there block…

 

[BenB]

1. I ordered some plants today. Looks like, at least locally, it isn't going below freezing for a few days. Hopefully they will be OK. Because...

2. I should really be posting this in my journal because that's what it's for, but does anyone have any recommendations for videos on strategy for planting stem plants? I feel like I know what I'm doing, but it wouldn't hurt to study a little. I'm not talking about aquascaping and how to design a layout. I'm talking about spacing, planting, grouping, sloping, etc. The technical part, not the artistic part. I think the H zosterfolia was a bad choice.

 

[Koan]

videos on strategy for planting stem plants? I feel like I know what I'm doing, but it wouldn't hurt to study a little

There's this one



I don't think this is exactly what you're asking, but I found these two ancient @Dennis Wong videos on stem plants very interesting

 

[techman81]

There's this one



I don't think this is exactly what you're asking, but I found these two ancient @Dennis Wong videos on stem plants very interesting

That first Green Aqua video is the first one that came to mind. I directed a number of FB people to that video.

 

[gnatster]

That Green Aqua video is helpful. I leaned quite a bit in one viewing. It'll be something I come back to often as a refresher.

A dedicated thread of quality How-To videos would be helpful for the site.

 

[Dennis Wong]

1. I ordered some plants today. Looks like, at least locally, it isn't going below freezing for a few days. Hopefully they will be OK. Because...

2. I should really be posting this in my journal because that's what it's for, but does anyone have any recommendations for videos on strategy for planting stem plants? I feel like I know what I'm doing, but it wouldn't hurt to study a little. I'm not talking about aquascaping and how to design a layout. I'm talking about spacing, planting, grouping, sloping, etc. The technical part, not the artistic part. I think the H zosterfolia was a bad choice.

With regards to stem plants:

I think a lot of 2. needs to come from practical practice. As a very general rule, I think plants should be spaced out so that the outspread leaves barely touched. Many plants fill in gaps over time, but planting it with adequate spacing allows individual shoots to root well and develop to larger plants before the overcrowding/naturally filling in of spaces occur. I think amano recommended planting in bunches of 2-3 stems (in a single hole) to get a bushier look faster, but actually think this is an inferior approach long term compared to individually spaced stems.

For myself, i like to divide plants up into 2 main groups -
1. Plants that fill spaced well and can grow somewhat overcrowded. This would usually include species that branch a lot. This group is great for background and for filling spaces. These are the species that will curve around hardscape and cover the back wall entirely so that the tank looks well planted. Common species include Rotala rotundifolia variants, Ludwigia arcuata, Limnophila aromatica

2. Plants that don't fill spaces well. These species tend to branch less and leave gaps between individual stems. These species will not be great for background or for curving around hardscape. COmmon species include Ludwigia panatanal, most macrandras, Bacopas

I will always plant type 2 sandwiched or in front of type 1 to have a "filled" layout (which is what I prefer, but obviously not the only way to approach planting a scape).

Plants that I would consider type 2 below:
Tonina species, Macrandra species, Buceps, while the rest are more type 1.

 

[Minninips]

#1 Watch the long-range forecast for a warmer week. Place the order on Wednesday, the week before a warming trend. It'll most likely get shipped on Monday or Tuesday.

My trouble with this is stock issues. You try to time the order with the weather, then Tlthe vendor sells out of the plant(s) you want to order.

Heat packs are a gimmic or insurance policy for said companies. "Its cold out, below freezing, you did not purchase a heat pack with your order, sorry but we can not warranty your shipment". They do not actually help out the plants one bit. In fact they do damage to them. They shrivel and or droop the leaves from heat stress and suck out all the water contained within the plant. Think of it this way. Most of the packages live in a heated warehouse. The only time they are in the cold is on a local mail truck going to your house. The airplane, semi, regional carriers all are somewhat heat and cold regulated.

I'm in western WA and have ordered TC a few times from Buce now. I've added heat packs and insulated packaging during the colder months under the insurance policy thought.

Based on the few packages I've received so far, they're trying to minimize shipping costs, which I think leads to potential for more DOA. The first order I received the "insulated" packaging was just a bubble mailer and the 4 TC were all packed in a standard FedEx Express envelope. The heat pack was ice cold and not even remotely big enough to cover 4 containers. 2 plants had some melt and Buce did refund for them which was great.

I don't have much experience with live plant/fish shipping, so I can't speak to that, but shipping can be wildly expensive and/or complex to keep costs down and stay competitive.

 

[gnatster]

My trouble with this is stock issues. You try to time the order with the weather, then Tlthe vendor sells out of the plant(s) you want to order.

It's not just plants; hardware stocking is hit-or-miss, too. Try to put together a complete setup at a single vendor. The tank is in stock, the lid is out. The light you want is available in 3 of 4 sizes, but not in the size you need.

I don't have much experience with live plant/fish shipping, so I can't speak to that, but shipping can be wildly expensive and/or complex to keep costs down and stay competitive.

There was a time when I shipped a lot of shrimp. USPS was reliable back then. For 6-8 bucks, one could send a breather bag of shrimp across the country in 2 days. I was looking at some fish yesterday. Overnight shipping from AZ to OH was $82 at one vendor. WA to OH was $110. That's using shipping as a profit center. I know these rates are high. I keep myself from going nuts with a part-time retirement job at a spice shop that ships nationwide. I'm responsible for the web side, including tracking shipping rates.

 

[gnatster]

From the page where I ordered shrimp.

"**Note: All livestock orders will come carefully packaged with solid wall Styrofoam insulation and shipped via 1-day shipping only. No extra insulation needs to be added to your cart for your livestock."





Oy...even a crumpled-up bit of paper to hold the plants in place would have been nice. Might have saved this TC Buce from the Bond treatment of being well shaken.

 

[techman81]

From the page where I ordered shrimp.

"**Note: All livestock orders will come carefully packaged with solid wall Styrofoam insulation and shipped via 1-day shipping only. No extra insulation needs to be added to your cart for your livestock."

View attachment 13034

View attachment 13035

Oy...even a crumpled-up bit of paper to hold the plants in place would have been nice. Might have saved this TC Buce from the Bond treatment of being well shaken.

View attachment 13037

Yeah this has definitely been a weak point for Buceplant, not shipping in the packaging you expect, or even paid extra for. On the positive side, if you contact them and include a photo of how your order arrived, they will give you store credit...at least they did for me.

 

[Koan]

All livestock orders will come carefully packaged with solid wall Styrofoam insulation

FWIW I have found this is how Aquatic Arts ships, and Wet Spot too