::Plant it forward :: a RAOK like post

[hobbyorobsession]

Similar to RAOK (random act of kindness) you may find on other forums.

rules of :: Plant if forward.

A member must post what plants they have to (Plant It Forward) for another member.

Another member must accept those plants as is and offer plants up for another member.





:example: I (Daniel) would offer up a portion of baby tears. shipping to be paid by me to anywhere in Washington.

Another member (Bill) says hey I will take those plants ( sends me a private message and exchanges shipping info) I send out the plants at my cost.

(Bill) then posts I have a portion of java fern available.

Member (Jim) post I would like some your java fern..(he contacts Bill), Bill sends plants..

Jim is then obligated to post plants he is willing to send to another member at his cost.

fairly simple in format.



Please do not jump posts and offer plants until someone accepts the last item offered.

Accept plants as is and don't ask to modify the offer publicly. Portion size is determined by the person offering plants, and quality is at their discretion. But do your best to send out plants in a condition you would like to receive them in.

Don't post your shipping address to the main forum.

If plants are offered for an extended period of time with out being claimed we may adjust the offering as we see fit.

ill offer ludwigia repens and some red root floaters to start this off.

Anyone who wants this portion of plants must post that they claim my plant, and message me with their address, Then subsequently offer up plants to the next person.

 

[Nick_87]

I hereby claim this in the name of WFB great ideas! PM'd

 

[Nick_87]

I am offering up Java Fern, Water Sprite and one surprise to make this even more exciting.

 

[hobbyorobsession]

Plants are in the mail. thanks for participating Nick.. now someone please claim his plants and lets make this take off.

 

[Anonymous]

Daniel,

This is very interesting. I have never sent fish, plants in the mail/UPS, (or however). I am interested in "paying it forward" if someone could take the time to explain the process of shipping WET things.

How to ship a plant successfully?
Best carrier?
Price range of shipping ?

Thanks!

 

[hobbyorobsession]

id be more than happy to explain how to shipping plants.

First I use usps.  They offer a lot of online tools that makes it fairly easy.  They will send you boxes, and pick up your items for free.  You can print your own postage on there web site.  Generally for a small flat rate box it cost $5.15 if postage is purchased online.  Prices go up from there depending on the size of the package.

I bag my plant with poly tubing and an impulse sealer.  However this is over kill.  You can simply place your plants in a zip lock bag, and its always a good idea to tape the top of the bag so there are no accidental leaks.  Some people like to place a damp piece of newspaper or paper towel around the plants to keep them moist..  You do not need to ship plants out in a bag with water in it (unless they are a few specific plants).  Your plants just need to have some humidity. So generally the water left on the plants from taking it out of the tank is sufficient.   Most plants hold up very well for about 5 days shipping .

my routine is to print out the postage, tape it to the box,  bag up my plants and schedule a pick up from usps for the following day. and im done.  

takes me no more than 5 mins to be ready to ship.

any other specific questions please feel free to ask.

 

[Anonymous]

Daniel,

This is great, thank you.

 

[lloyd378]

I wish I had plants so I could participate! Great idea.

 

[Anonymous]

I wish I had plants so I could participate! Great idea.  

Could you not take nick_87's offer then offer one of the 3 plants he's going to ship you & "pay it forward"? Sounds like a great way to git some plants. Probably would still be cheaper than going to PetSmart and purchasing 2 @ $5-10 each, and more fun

 

[LuminousAphid]

I wish I had plants so I could participate! Great idea.  

Could you not take nick_87's offer then offer one of the 3 plants he's going to ship you & "pay it forward"? Sounds like a great way to git some plants. Probably would still be cheaper than going to PetSmart and purchasing 2 @ $5-10 each, and more fun

Don't buy plants at petsmart.... come to Aquarium Co-Op in Edmonds, better plants at better prices

 

[hobbyorobsession]

Also you can source your plants here just post a wtb ad

 

[Anonymous]

Don't buy plants at petsmart.... come to Aquarium Co-Op in Edmonds, better plants at better prices

Well, I was trying to kick lloyd378 in the butt to get him to play He says he wishes he had plants perhaps my suggestion would get him on his way to having some. Lol

 

[CrazedAce]

This is a great idea! Nick, I may have to take those plants from you if no one else has by next week when I come to get those convicts. I have a few plant types I could scrounge up.

 

[hobbyorobsession]

Ok so it looks like no one has claimed Nick_87's plants. Would anyone else like to offer something in it's place? If not, I will offer another assortment of plants tomorrow afternoon.

 

[hobbyorobsession]

ok to try to keep this going I will offer some new plants: up for grabs are lobelia cardinalis, ludwigia repens, ludwigia red/ , alternanthera reineckii roseafolia, hygrophila sp bold, and glossostigma elatinoides as much of these that will fit in a flat rate box.

 

[nick_76]

I wish I had plants so I could participate! Great idea.  

Lloyd, next time I thin my tanks, ill give you what I got....generally it isn't anything special or exotic- but when I do get rid of stuff theres a lot of it. then u can be in the plant it forward circle

I got my start from some clippings from some guy in burien- from those first few plants, im curious how many tanks that culture can spread to...I think its up to my two tanks and I think 4 fishboxers? don't know how many tanks they put em in or if they passed any on

 

[nick_76]

I wish I had plants so I could participate! Great idea.  

Could you not take nick_87's offer then offer one of the 3 plants he's going to ship you & "pay it forward"? Sounds like a great way to git some plants. Probably would still be cheaper than going to PetSmart and purchasing 2 @ $5-10 each, and more fun

Don't buy plants at petsmart.... come to Aquarium Co-Op in Edmonds, better plants at better prices

im all for supporting businesses that serve this community....but when you try to sell the idea based on prices, have you seen where hes located? gas& time spent on the road aint cheap....hes better off going to one of the southern LFSs...its a false economy to drive up to the co-op from Tacoma to save a few bux on a plant

that being said, petsmarts plants are pretty overpriced and I have yet to see a plant at petco that I felt like buying

 

[Cory]

Just a FYI. I ship Plants. 2 boxes of plants going out tomorrow in fact. Don't always have to drive here. Lots of people enjoy my fish and plants around the country.

 

[pbmax]

Petsmart's plants are really nice these days - the top fin tissue culture plants are pretty high quality and they have an amazing shelf life (good for slackers like me who still haven't planted theirs 2 weeks after purchasing...). I don't know of any other place that sells TC plants like those; I've had really good results with them too.

That said, yes, they're spendy. But they're a good impulse buy, especially when a certain aquarium shop is at the wrong end of puget sound.

 

[cichlid-gal]

At some point in time I hope to have some plants to share in this thread. I think its a great idea and only wish I had some plants that actually grew and multiplied. Where oh where is my planted tank? I want one so bad.