Plants and Aquascaping FAQ
Where can I find advice on aquatic plants and Aquascaping?
Please take a look at our plant care guides. These guides cover all areas of aquatic plant growing including lighting, CO2 and nutrients. For Aquascaping inspiration head over to our YouTube channel for Aquascaping Tutroials and cinematics of our display aquascapes.
Where do your plants come from?
We order in direct from our European suppliers every week. You can be sure our plants are of excellent quality as they are grown under optimal conditions by the like of Tropica and Aquaflora. We also hold our plants just like our producers do. This means they are held emersed in a temperature controlled humid environment, so you can be sure they are free from algae, healthy and vibrant.
I have a new tank, how many plants do I need?
With each Jungle Plant Collection and Mixed Potted Plant Collection we have indicated the suggested tank size for each collection. Of course it is down to personal taste and what type of tank you wish to achieve but we always recommend planting your tank heavily from the start for greater chance of success. The above plant collections are a good starting point, you may wish to add additional plants individually.
Any tips on planting?
When you receive your plants, remove the pots and rock wool carefully with your fingers or use some planting tweezers.Trim off any dead or rotting leaves and trim the roots down. This will make easier planting and encourage new growth. Using your tweezers, carefully push the base of the plant under the substrate/gravel, your substrate will anchor the plant down. Certain plants such as Anubias and Java Fern require attaching to rock or wood as they grow much better this way. You aquatic glue or moss cotton for this.
Depending on the species, some aquatic plants 'melt' during the first 1-2 weeks as they adjust to their new environment and tank conditions. Cryptocoryne plants are very well known for this. Once they have adapted, new growth will appear and your plants will grow back stronger (provided the growing conditions are to the plants demands).
How do you guarantee your plants to be algae free?
We hold our plants in the same way our producers do. In an emersed set-up, humid environment and with access to nutrient rich water at the roots. The result is high quality healthy plants bursting with life. As they are not submerged under water, the plants are free from any algae.
I'm a beginner - which plants do I go for?
Each plant we sell has a difficulty rating; easy, medium or hard. If you're new to growing aquarium plants we suggest you stick to plants with an easy difficulty rating. For more information see our Plant Difficulty Rating System.
Delivery FAQ
How long does it take to deliver my plants?
We post plants Monday-Thursday using 1st class Royal Mail, and Monday-Friday with DPD. We only send plants on these days to ensure your plants arrive by the weekend and so they are not kept in sorting offices over the weekend. After your plants have been dispatched parcels will take 1-2 days to arrive. If you order on a Friday using standard delivery, your plants will be posted on the following Monday and you should normally receive your plants by Wednesday.
Orders with dry goods only are posted Monday-Friday.
Our DPD next day delivery service (recommended for plant orders) for an extra £2.00, will ensure your plants arrive next working day (when you order before 1pm, stock dependent), or on a day of your choice (please specify at the checkout or email us). DPD will provide you with full tracking information and a 1 hour delivery window.
What if a plant is out of stock?
If a plant is out of stock then our website will be updated. You can still order any plant that is marked out of stock, just call 01480 450572 to order and we will post your order when all plants are in stock. We will inform you via e-mail notification when your order is dispatched.
We receive deliveries of plants on Wednesday and Friday each week, so any orders that include out of stock plants are normally dispatched within 7 days. If there is any issue with supply from the plant growers then we will keep you updated or offer alternatives if preferred.
How much do you charge for postage?
All orders are dispatched by Royal Mail 1st Class post or via DPD for larger items and next day delivery. We charge £4.99 for orders up to 2KG. Postage is FREE on orders over £60. Next day delivery starts from £6.99. For more detailed information on all our delivery methods, please read our delivery section.
Why don't you post plants on Fridays or Saturdays?
This is to ensure your plants are not left in sorting offices over the weekend, where their health and quality could suffer. We always want your plants to arrive with you in top condition.
Do you ship outside the UK
Unfortunately we do not post outside of the UK.
What do I do if my plants arrive in poor condition?
Our plants are packaged up using lots of material to protect them whilst in transit. Packaging materials include plastic trays, bubble wrap, void fill paper, cardboard and fragile tape. In the unlikely event that your plants turn up sub standard please contact us immediately as we offer a guarantee upon the delivery of your plants. We are required to ask you for a picture of what you have received, and upon confirmation we will offer you a replacement. In this instance please contact us within 24 hours of receiving your order. We cannot offer replacement plants after this time.
Once you have planted your plants it is your responsibility to grow them. We cannot offer you a replacement if your plants die inside your tank. Please read our aquatic plant growing guide in the articles section of our website for information on how to successfully grow aquatic plants.
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