New plant expectations

[Phish Tank]

I'm curious what everyones expectations are when they purchase plants online. What percent of new plants will adjust to submerged life and happily start living their best life in your tank? How often do they completely melt and not recover? Are there things you do to help new plants adjust to your tank? One example: trim off crypt leaves before planting. Any other examples?

 

[SkaleyAquatics]

I'm curious what everyones expectations are when they purchase plants online. What percent of new plants will adjust to submerged life and happily start living their best life in your tank? How often do they completely melt and not recover? Are there things you do to help new plants adjust to your tank? One example: trim off crypt leaves before planting. Any other examples?

Personally for me if I am ordering non-TC then I expect them to convert without much fuss in co2. In non co2 tanks I usually do not order new plants for but instead just throw in my cuttings and see what happens. I do not for example trim crypt leaves before planting.
TC have been much more hit or miss, and I have both ordered online and seen them in person when buying. Honestly now that I have an emersed bin available I throw in a plantlet or 2 from the TC into it just in case the rest melts. But I am quickly running out of space

 

[Phish Tank]

I agree that TC can be hit or miss, a lot of miss lately for me. Cool that you keep an emersed bin.

I guess I brought up the question because my last batch of plants had a few more die the melty death. I was wondering if I need to adjust my expectations when getting new plants, or if there are some things I can do to improve the odds next time

In all fairness my tank was pretty frazzled before I added them, so maybe I deserved some extra die off.

 

[Mr.Shenanagins]

In all fairness my tank was pretty frazzled before I added them, so maybe I deserved some extra die off.

I’d say this was likely the problem. TC plants can be finicky even in a pristine tank, really all depends on their condition when you got them too. Emmersed will undergo some serious changes to adapt and if there is an imbalance in the tank, they will be fighting that AND transition stress.

 

[GreggZ]

It depends on what type of plant, and what conditions it was grown in.

Different plants have different needs. So if you buy something that doesn't particularly like your parameters, they will fail. For example some plants need more fertilization, some like less. Some like rich CO2, some don't care. Some require high light, some prefer lower light.

And keep in mind that if plants come from another aquarium, they may have been grown in and adjusted to different parameters than you provide. When this is the case it's normal for plants to go through a transition/rebellion period as they adjust to the soup you are serving.

And then you mention your tank had issues. If that's the case you may have got perfectly healthy plants that just deteriorated.

As usual if you provide more information about your tank and what plants you added people could more helpful.

 

[Phish Tank]

I'm pretty sure this time my tank being in recovery mode was partly to blame.

When I posted the question I was wondering how common new plant melt was, rather than my specific current situation.

My tank is between high energy and low. Nicrew full spectrum light, a few hours of CO2 in the morning, a few in the afternoon. PPS-Pro dosing, inert substrate.

The disappointment in the last plant batch was bucephalandra TC. Three TC pouches, and two months later barely any left standing. Another troubled soul from the last order was hygrophila pinnatifida, it has mostly melted, a few scraps are finally showing some roots. Others from the order seem to be adjusting to my soup.

 

[Unexpected]

TC are mostly miss with me where everything else does pretty good. But, I expect plants to come in good condition. I've given up on most places and now prefer to buy from FB, Joe Harvey and a few other people directly. They always come in perfect and from similar water conditions.