Buying plants.

Ok here we go i have 30 yo yo's burning a hole in my pocket i decided to buy plants for my tank. However ive been to a few decent shops around and for 30 squids im not getting alot. I've looked at an English web site and their offering roughly 280 plants for 35 yo yo's delivered. Im all for supporting local but the monies have to spent on value. And body can match that offer ill deffo purchase from them.

And check me out im growing now a happy little GUPPY

Personally, I'd rather see what I'm buying.
I'm sure the quality is good or they wouldn't be in business but it's nice to get a look at them too.
Surely if you're buying a few from one of the sponsors, they could throw in a couple of freebies.

Our sponsors are always ready to give you a discount or freebies -just talk with them if you know what kind of plants you'd love to have.
Moreover, there is a section Wanted in our forum - put the list of yuor wishes and maybe someone will have a surplus to share with you - generally it's a cheap option of getting plants.

Like i said i have no problem buying anywere if the deal is good and simply put there is not one shop here that would match or close to that deal.

If you do buy online let us know what the quality and condition was like.
I suppport the LFS as much as I can but when I buy plants it usually costs me a tenner each.
Only concern I would have buying online is what infections come along with the plants?
If you can get the plants that cheap why cant the lfs. No one would mind a mark up but lets face it 35.00 divided by 280 = 12.5 cent each.

i did this twice a few years ago and lets face it all i recieved was mush that came after a couple of weeks, now if i do buy plants i do so in a lfs purely as i can see what i'm getting and know its a good plant, yep it is a bit pricier but they have to buy the goods, ship them, store them, keep them healthy and pay staff and associated costs, and you'll never get the advice in an online store or the backup from them that you will from your lfs..just my 2 cents

oh yes and these 200 odd plants tend to be little sprigs, you'll generally have 4 to 5 of these minimum in any potted plant /lead bound plant you get in your lfs... on this occassion i'll say dont believe the hype of online plants as it sounds a lot of plants but when they arrive its generally a bit disappointing in my expierence

I have recently got plants online in the UK. It was a 200 plant order. They majority were in excellent condition. They are coming on really well so I would recommend them as what I got was worth at least 3-4times what the cost would have been in the LFS.

I jacked Ireland for a job elsewere because the trade i offer was being overpriced by the people i worked for de story aint important. But it is as relevant from day to day living as fishy plants, Irish people are getting bent over and F""%^%$. So if your getting decent plants cheaper go for it, on a side note is it my imagineation or is it only the management of the site complaining about cheap imports. As jwm said the euro needs to be stretched so stretch it. The peolpe supplying here have had it too good for far too long then complain when they have to compete. Get value for the euro, vote with ur feet then honest hard working people will get value they deserve.

A Forced Traveller.

Bruce

bruce wrote:

I jacked Ireland for a job elsewere because the trade i offer was being overpriced by the people i worked for de story aint important. But it is as relevant from day to day living as fishy plants, Irish people are getting bent over and F""%^%$. So if your getting decent plants cheaper go for it, on a side note is it my imagineation or is it only the management of the site complaining about cheap imports. As jwm said the euro needs to be stretched so stretch it. The peolpe supplying here have had it too good for far too long then complain when they have to compete. Get value for the euro, vote with ur feet then honest hard working people will get value they deserve.

A Forced Traveller.

Bruce

Lads i was only pointing out value, im not getting into a row over it. The site is for members to talk and discuss ( so value for money must be up for discussion) i have ordered my plants and as soon as i get them my argument will be stronger or null and void. So watchh this space

A lot of the sponsors stock plants from the likes of Tropica and Dennerle which are always going to be sold at a premium. They could easily buy in massive amounts of lower quality plants from Asia and sell them for half the price. What you won't get is any pots, so the plants invariably end up all over the dealers tanks. What you do get is lots of non aquatic or semi aquatic plants and enough snails to keep the French going for years. I know because I tried it in a shop I was working in a couple of years ago.

Bruce, I don't think any of the independent LFS ever had it that good in Ireland. It's not a particularly profitable business and has far more variables than most other retail outlets have. It would be nice to be able to be cheaper all round but with vat, rent and rates being so high it ain't gonna happen. Personally I reckon we're a couple of years away from having no independent LFS left unless things change dramatically.

I'm in big favour of supporting your LFS whether sponsor or not-90% of my purchases are done this way. Having said that I do frequent the USA(normally NYC) every 2 years or so and the difference in prices are just unbelievable. Without even 'shopping around' I can get my stress coat, foods, meds, etc at roughly 1/3 of the price they're charging here.

I honestly think it's still rip-off Ireland despite the excuses given by above.


Dave

I have bought a huge amount of plants from LFS here, but to start my tank I bought a very cheap, but very good quality pack from England at about 1/3 the price. I knew exactly what plants were arriving, so knew none were terrestrial plants and they were all from a biotope, which was great.
Since then I have also bought more plants from LFS here and again they were great plants, but a lot more expensive. I can't see the issue with wanting to get your tank stocked and then supplement additions with plants from shops here. At the end of the day, €30 is not enough to fully plant a tank, outside a small nano, from LFS plants.
L

I have spoken to the guys in various lfs, as far as I can remember, the guys in Purfect pets, when it was under Gav, bought in huge, cheap plants from someone other than Tropica and the other suppliers, they were great value and so what if you don't know the plant by name, google it or post pics on the Forum for ID , all part of the fun. There are lots of us on the Forum, why not just trade, maybe another section that could be considered for the Forum if it doesn't already exist. I am in Canada at the moment and the Plants are No cheaper than Ireland factoring in the cost of living. I was looking at Java moss in small tubs as you see in Ireland, they are usually around 5 € in Ireland, they are 5 dollars here but the Wages and cost of living are lower too. Petrol is only one Dollar 26 cents here which works out at €0.89 per litre !!

Kev.

[quote="Sean OC" post=101128

It would be nice to be able to be cheaper all round but with vat, rent and rates being so high it ain't gonna happen. Personally I reckon we're a couple of years away from having no independent LFS left unless things change dramatically.[/quote]


Just a small point regarding VAT.

Non-edible plants in Ireland should be sold at the reduced rate of VAT ie. 13.5% whether potted or not. I'm just wondering are all of the retailers aware of this or is everything just 'pitched' into the standard 21% rate for convenience.

In the UK the above plants would be subject to their standard 20% rate.

It's just a thought for it would make a difference however slight-something like 30c in every €5.

Dave

Them plants Kev is talking about came in when I was there. The quality wasn't bad but they ended up giving tons of people snail infestations. Also when they're not potted they end up all over the place with people pulling them out to have a look at them, a complete mess. We also had people complaining that they weren't tropica so you can't win either way.

How prohibitive would it be for the shops to put them in a wash of anti snail meds when they arrive?
Or indeed,what's stopping the buyer from doing this?

I dont think anyone is complaining about the quality of plants in the lfs. Personally speaking the advice on which plants to buy and how to look after them is second to none. The only question was, is there any way of getting a better price? Lets face it if they were cheaper then people would buy more and might have more cash in their pockets for fish.

I'll just put my two cents in here if I can,it's an additional point that has been missed out on that might help clarify why the brand name plants are more expensive.The loose plants that come from asia are grown in outdoor ponds for the most part fully submerged in water.They have never known anything other than an aquatic environment and tend not to do so well when emerged for shipping/and aquarium use.tropica plants on the other hand are for the main part grown in lab conditions with 100% humidity.the plants have to struggle a little when they are young and as a result when they are fully submerged for the first time they tend to be much stronger hardier specimens.obviously as this is done in the frozen north of Denmark where light and heat must be paid for(as opposed to practically free in asia) the price is reflected.Anyone who saw the 1 2 grow specimens can attest to the fact that this process really does make for a "better" plant.We still have some six weeks later that rotted away in the system and are fresh as daisy in the 1 2 grow dry pots.it's like anything I guess,you get what you pay for,quality costs etc. I don't know any of the specialist shops that are out to "rip people off". It would go against the grain as a business model.Comparing what you can get from the internet price wise and what you get in a shop is apples and pears.Internet places have very little in the way of overheads etc. anyway,shop local if you can afford it and you feel that the product is worth it. All the shops require dedicated keepers patronage and are thankfull for it.

I suppose that value for money depends on if you are counting 'number of roots' versus 'number of plants' versus 'number of pots'.

Being a stickler for 'bargain bin' shopping, I do work out of the mega jar of coffee on special offer is actually cheaper than the same coffee sold in single jars.

I should have counted the number of fully rooted plants (eg limnophila) that I got in the Tropica pot I bought the other day.
But, the plant was one of the 7 euro per pot prices from the LFS, it was very good quality and it had loads of rooted plants within the pot. Enough to divide out as a nice starter group for 4 tanks and for some floating plants in breeder tanks.
So, if it had 10 to 15 rooted plants in each pot then that is good value per plant.

Choice of plant is also important. If I want just any old plant, then I only want to pay 2 euro tops in an LFS. But maybe I want a choice of plants.

I'm not sure of the internet plants are sold as single rooted plants or not? if they are then maybe LFS have an equal good value; if the internet plants are sold as 280 bunches of plants then that would good value.

I am also not connected with any LFS, apart from being a very picky customer.....and I'll tell them if their choice of plant is toss.

ian