# Plantsalive.co.uk quality?? inconclusive conslusion.



## Iain Sutherland (19 Sep 2011)

Hey, has anyone have any experience buying from these guys??  
I know Tropica and Aquafleur are the best and feature plants for my rescape will be those, but i need a 20 or so of crypts and Blyxa  etc and wont pay £6-8 each.
Cheers


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## Tom (19 Sep 2011)

*Re: Plantsalive.co.uk ??*

I would avoid them from experience - maybe I just had a bad experience, but I wouldn't have described my purchase as Plants Alive.


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## Tom (19 Sep 2011)

*Re: Plantsalive.co.uk ??*

For cheap stuff I'd try plantedtanks.co.uk, although my Crypts from them didn't have roots and didn't fare too well either. They do (or at least did) Tropica much cheaper than most places though.


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## madlan (19 Sep 2011)

*Re: Plantsalive.co.uk ??*

I now spend a few minutes at the weekend checking out Pets @ Home. 
They stock Tropica plants (some rare ones too strangely, picked up a Hygrophila Pinnatifida for £3) and currenly have a deal on ( 3 for £10)


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## Iain Sutherland (19 Sep 2011)

*Re: Plantsalive.co.uk ??*

Ok, so figured that was the case as you get what you pay for...
I need to get hold of 6 x Blyxa Japonica, 4 x Blyxa Aubertii and 10-15 mixed crypts, if i buy tropica then it will cost £150+ which isnt going to happen.
Any ideas from the guys that rescape a lot???
 i also had a pretty poor experience with Plantedtanks.co.uk and i cant even buy Blyxa as Aquafleur...??? even if i end up going Tropica with fewer plants if i have no other choice TGM is out of stock until further notice!!  
Hhhhmmmmm, frustrating....
Anyone try Javaplants?


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## Radik (19 Sep 2011)

*Re: Plantsalive.co.uk ??*

I rescaped over weekend I have blyxa japonica 6-8 big stems mostly branched so you get more of them by division. Can sell you for 5


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## madlan (19 Sep 2011)

*Re: Plantsalive.co.uk ??*

What about posting in the wanted section? I got some Blyxa and excellent mixed crypts quite cheap from another member


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## Iain Sutherland (19 Sep 2011)

*Re: Plantsalive.co.uk ??*

Yeah i will post for the crypts in the wanted, I will take your Blyxa please Radik, ill PM.
I have just order a couple of bits from plantsalive as i want to see the quality, if they are rubbish i will get a refund...
Thanks guys


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## Derek Tweedie (19 Sep 2011)

*Re: Plantsalive.co.uk ??*

I have used plants alive before. My order was ok although one of the plants was DOA but they were more than happy to send me a replacement. I would use them again.


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## Sentral (19 Sep 2011)

*Plantsalive.co.uk ??*

Don't use plantedtanks, the few plants that I received were in very bad condition, they haven't given me a refund and I never received any replies to my emails. Much better to buy decent plants from enthusiasts (not people trying to make a quick buck).


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## Iain Sutherland (19 Sep 2011)

*Re: Plantsalive.co.uk ??*

Getting plants from here is by far the best as a rule, it just doesnt work so well if you want large quanities unless you have a holding tank and build it up over a few months..... oh well guess i need to buy another tank


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## Iain Sutherland (28 Sep 2011)

*Re: Plantsalive.co.uk ??*

So i went ahead and ordered 20 stems of Blyxa Japonica and 5 x Blyxa Aubertii just to see what would arrive.  
It came this morning, 10 days after order day which is what was advised and i was quite impressed for the price.
As expected only the japonica arrived though, aubertii to follow...???





I would say that the quality was similar to the blyxa that i have received from a few people from the forum and slightly cheaper...??  Seems opinion is that it is hit and miss though...
I guess only time will tell how they grow in...


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## Morgan Freeman (28 Sep 2011)

*Re: Plantsalive.co.uk quality??   Japonica arrived.....*

I've ordered the mixed crypt package from Plants Alive before and they're still doing well. I've had them a year and they've gone from hi tech to low tech to emersed and back to low tech and still doing great. They don't match the quality of TGM but sometimes when you need to bulk out your tank a little it's worth a shot.


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## Derek Tweedie (28 Sep 2011)

*Re: Plantsalive.co.uk quality??   Japonica arrived.....*

They look good. In my previous post I mentioned a plant that dead on arrival that was the aubertii. But they were ok with replacing  it.


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## fishfingers (28 Sep 2011)

*Re: Plantsalive.co.uk quality??   Japonica arrived.....*

I can do you a mixed bag of crypts for a tenner am striping my tank down and will have lot they are in excellent condition dont rember the names of them but there are at least 6 difrent sorts and will be a good bag full


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## mattb180 (14 Oct 2011)

*Re: Plantsalive.co.uk quality??   Japonica arrived.....*

I've used them twice in the past, the first lot were good and the second not so good. I guess with plants like crypts it doesn't matter so much as they tend to die off anyway before coming on strong again. They are decent value though in terms of being cheaper than lots of places.

As was also said Pets At Home are also good for plants!


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## Iain Sutherland (15 Oct 2011)

*Re: Plantsalive.co.uk quality??   Japonica arrived.....*

So a few weeks later and the japonica is going great, a little melt early on but no die off at all.
The Aubertii arrived the following week, 1 ordered 5 plants and received 10-15 which were in a pretty sorry state.  Managed to use 3 good ones and 1 questionable one, they have been in the tank a few weeks and have melted heavily and still are, however they are all now producing nice new leaves and in a few more weeks should be good.

My Conclusion, but in no way conslusive....
I would say that plantsalive have been pretty good on this occassion, especially as it was all so cheap, so I would happily try them again.
I would also say that you need to be patient as the plants seem pretty young and take a lot longer to settle, maybe jet lag from malaysia 
On a side note i also tried javaplants and 3 weeks later no plants or replys to email for refund- AVOID!!


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## jacko32 (16 Oct 2011)

ive tried java plants once didnt enjoy the service at all ive found planted tanks to be good service but slow and plants alive to be by far the best for price and customer service i also found a good seller on ebay called theplanttank they dont stock much but what they have is of very high quality i bought some P.helferi from them and it was half the price of TGM and better quality.


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## Iain Sutherland (16 Oct 2011)

ill have to have a look at theplanttank, to be honest i think the best plants i have had are from aquaessentials, never dissapointed. However my LFS stocks aquafleur now and have a great range at good prices... seems to be more competition out there now since when i started in this hobby which is great!!


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## Alastair (16 Oct 2011)

did my post get deleted lol??


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## Iain Sutherland (16 Oct 2011)

go wash your mouth out alastair!!


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## Alastair (16 Oct 2011)

easerthegeezer said:
			
		

> go wash your mouth out alastair!!



lol i didnt realise it was wrong for me to put that ooops  :?


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## Morgan Freeman (2 Nov 2011)

Ordered more crypts for an emersed tank, took about 5 days. Not amazing quality but will do the job.


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