03-04-09:
New Aquarium Plants in production to be offered in two to four weeks include Pogostemon Helferi, info can be found here on this plant; Pogostemon Helferi Tropica Article also Ammania ssp. Bonsai, Junctus Repens, Ludwigia Repens "Rubin", Eriocaulon Setaceum, and a few more. Email me at New Plants if you are interested in obtaining any of these species.

02-16-09:
We highly recommend choosing the heat pack option at checkout, it will protect your investment in plants and give you peace of mind that your plants will arrive safely.

01-05-09:
Phyllanthus Fluitans is back! Great floating plant with beautiful reds and greens in it! And it is on sale for 4.95 and two extra plants added for a total of ten! You can find it here; Phyllanthus Fluitans, Click Here. See actual photo's of what you are getting here; Phyllanthus Photo's, Click Here

01-02-09:
Happy New Year to all our aquarium plant enthusiasts! Yes we can ship live plants in cold weather, provided you add the heat pack. You can find it here; Shipping Heat Pack, Click Here. It will protect your live plant investment and give you peace of mind.

12-12-09:
While it is not necessary to choose the Express shipping option this time of year, we do recommend adding the 48 hour Shipping Heat Pack with your Priority or Free Shipping Option with packages or live plants. It will not add any shipping charges to your order with the free shipping option for live plant packages. You can find it here; Shipping Heat Pack, Click Here. It will protect your live plant investment and give you peace of mind.

11-30-09:
Purigen is highly recommended for polishing the water and removing organic waste from the water column. For planted aquariums it removes buildup and thus prevents breakdown of organic waste which releases ammonia which then feeds nuisance algae, without removing nutrients that plants need! You can read about it here; Purigen, Click Here. For up to one hundred gallons all you need is a 10 ML pack which already comes in a mesh container, just drop it in to any filter!

10-26-09:
Remember, we offer free of charge how to's on aquarium setups, fish and plant knowledge by phone with our expert, all aspects from start to finish to maintain a beautiful planted aquarium with top quality plants and support after the sale. Give us a call at 507-331-5801, if no one is available our expert will call you back and discuss the how to's with you!

09-24-09:
NEW! Special Pricing! Hard To Kill Aquarium Plant Package for beginners complete with Aquascape Layout, planting instructions, plant care sheet, unlimited phone consultation. All you need is a liquid carbon source like Natural Aquarium Vital found here; Natural Aquarium Vital or Seachem Excel and a good liquid fertilizer like Tropica Master Grow found here; Tropica Master Grow Package is found here; Hard To Kill Package

08-13-09:
Check out Matt's aquarium which was designed using our plants, he is a customer of ours. It is in album form, click on the photo's for a larger view or navigate with the arrows by hovering over them with your mouse to see what they do. It can be found here; Matthew's aquarium, click on the link and opens in a new window. It is an excellent example of what can be achieved using our advice and plants!

07-08-09:
NEW! Special Pricing! Lobelia Cardinalis true small form is back! It can be found here; Lobelia Cardinalis "Small Form" It is an excellent addition for the midground and only requires medium lighting! (only nine available!)

06-18-09:
NEW! Special Pricing! Hard To Kill Aquarium Plant Package for beginners complete with Aquascape Layout, planting instructions, plant care sheet, unlimited phone consultation. All you need is a liquid carbon source like Natural Aquarium Vital found here; Natural Aquarium Vital and a good liquid fertilizer like Tropica Master Grow found here; Tropica Master Grow Package is found here; Hard To Kill Package

06-17-09:
Remember to keep your phosphates and nitrates at proper levels to keep your planted aquarium in balance. These are two macros that plants need to grow and outcompete algae. Your phosphates should be at between .5MG/L for medium lighting, 1.00MG/L for high lighting, nitrates roughly at 12MG/L for medium lighting, 15-20MG/L for high lighting. When nitrate levels go to zero you will have issues with algae. Phosphate comes from the fish food you feed your fish, nitrates from the fish waste. How do we maintain these? First you need a medium heavy fish load, feed 2-3 times per day, about half of what you think they need each feeding, better to feed more frequently with less each time, test for first couple of weeks to see what you are producing for these two macros, and then when you are hitting within those ranges you can simply feed your fish based on what you are hitting and stop testing. Makes it pretty simple then. Change 25 to fifty percent of your water per week. Add a good micronutrient fertilizer weekly on the water change, better to divide that into seven daily doses per week though. Lighting for minimum ten hours per day. Keep CO2 levels to 25-30MG/L and you should have a thriving planted tank that is algae free. There are varying levels and amounts based on several factors that I won't go into here, but that is the basics for healthy planted tanks. Send me an email if you have questions? Don Matakis (Grower)

05-11-09:
Yes, we do have it! Limited quantities of the Hemianthus Callitrichoides (HC) foreground plant from Cuba are available! Hemianthus Callitrichoides (HC) should be planted in adjoining groups in the foreground of the aquarium. One pot grown in stone wool is easily divided into 7-8 portions which are then planted with a distance of a few in. Within 3-4 weeks the plants will cover the bottom forming a beautiful green carpet. Read about it at Tropica here; Hemianthus Callitrichoides Article

05-02-09:
No, we don't have it! Limited quantities of the Hemianthus Callitrichoides (HC) foreground plant from Cuba have already sold out! Hemianthus Callitrichoides (HC) should be planted in adjoining groups in the foreground of the aquarium. One pot grown in stone wool is easily divided into 7-8 portions which are then planted with a distance of a few in. Within 3-4 weeks the plants will cover the bottom forming a beautiful green carpet. Read about it at Tropica here; Hemianthus Callitrichoides Article We will have it ready soon again!

04-28-09:
Yes, we have it! Limited quantities but we have the Hemianthus Callitrichoides (HC) foreground plant from Cuba! Hemianthus Callitrichoides (HC) should be planted in adjoining groups in the foreground of the aquarium. One pot grown in stone wool is easily divided into 7-8 portions which are then planted with a distance of a few in. Within 3-4 weeks the plants will cover the bottom forming a beautiful green carpet. Read about it at Tropica here; Hemianthus Callitrichoides Article See it here under our new and specialty Aquarium Plant arrivals; Hemianthus Callitrichoides

04-06-09:
Folks, I am still getting customers who are telling me they want to plant their aquarium first for two to four weeks (via advice on the internet) and then add the fish. Plants need two macros that only fish can provide short of adding a preparation for these, they are Phosphorus and Nitrogen (ever see a farmer putting liquid nitrogen on his field?). Phosphorus comes from the fish food you feed your fish, and Nitrates come from the fish waste. How are your plants going to get these two macros if there are no fish in your aquarium? The short answer is they are not! So the plants will not get stronger and more established but actually get weaker. So plan to add fish first, if you want to bypass cycling then get a product called Seachem Stability, use as directed for seven days, you can add all of the fish the first day you start using it, and it works, cycling is complete in seven days!

03-05-09:
Heat packs are no longer necessary, the weather has warmed sufficiently to ship without them!

01-12-09:
Please choose the heat pack option when checking out with your order, it is extra protection and worth the extra couple of dollars when it is this cold. We want your plants to arrive safely!

12-19-08:
We would like to thank all of our customers over the years for their business, many of you have continued with repeat business, adding aquariums, or changing aquarium plants in your existing aquarium! All of us would like to wish all of you a joyful and wonderful holiday and a happy new year! Don Matakis, Grower/Owner

12-18-08:
We hope to have several exciting new varieties in the new year such as Ludwigia "Cuba" (beautiful color plant for the midground), Pogostemon Helferi (great new foreground plant), Hemianthus Callitrichoides (another great new foreground plant), Ludwigia Inclinata (another color plant for the midground), and more! Don Matakis, Grower/Owner

10-23-08:
We started this company years ago for two reasons. Being a planted aquarium hobbyist all of my life, I could not get quality plants shipped to me without losing some of them due to the fact that all retailers bought wholesale plants that did not ever grow under water, and then shipped them on to the customer in their weakest state. The result was always plants that had already, or were perishing. That was the industry standard! That was the first reason we decided to start a company based on quality, submerged, aquarium plants. The second reason was education. We didn't want to just sell the plants without showing our customers how to grow them properly, not how to just keep them barely alive for two to three months but how to make them thrive for years! After all, if you just sell the plants and don't assist your customer on the proper growing methods, they cannot be successful underwater gardeners. Starting out with a new aquarium? Send us an email with your phone number and best time to call and we will actually call you to help! Our guarantee to our customers is that the aquarium plants will be beautiful when they arrive at your doorstep, and we will assist you every step of the way on growing beautiful plants to create your own "living art" underwater garden. Not only will it calm and soothe you, but your fish will love you for it too! Don Matakis, Grower

10-11-08:
Be sure to read our section on water chemistry and testing. It will inform you as to what tests you need to be successful with a planted aquarium and what to look for. The link to it is here; Aquarium Water Chemistry Testing Don Matakis, Grower

08-15-08:
We have added a new Anubias to our Anubias plants for purchase, it is "Narrow leaf nana" and the description is as follows; Anubias barteri var. nana 'narrow leaf' is a great addition to any planted tank. It thrives in low light environments forming dense clumps instead of sprawling like some of it's larger relatives. This aquarium plant is not very tall growing and easily fits into the foreground settings of many aquariums. The link to it is here; Anubias Nana "Narrowleaf" Don Matakis, Grower

07-25-08:
We have delivered the plants to the new Minnesota Zoo Turtle Habitat project on the indoor trail, all of the plants are in place and we hope the public will enjoy the new Turtle Habitat pond. Again, all of the turtles in that exhibit will be Minnesota native species! Photos will follow as soon as it is grown out! Don Matakis, Grower

07-02-08:
We are busy growing plants out for the new Minnesota Zoo Turtle Habitat project on the indoor trail, some of the plants are in place and we are growing the stem plants to submerged from emersed before they go in that Turtle Habitat pond. All of the turtles in that exhibit will be Minnesota native species! Hopefully we can get some photos to show you when that project is complete. Don Matakis, Grower

06-09-08:
Contrary to some advice online I need to clear up a misconception about fish or plants first. Fish must always precede plants in a new planted aquarium setup. The reason for this is that without fish, plants will not receive two important macro nutrients that they must have, namely Phosphorus and Nitrogen. Phosphorus in the aquarium while needed only in a trace amount of .25 MG/L to .50 MG/L, comes from the fish food you feed your fish (which is why a good phosphorus test kit is initially needed!). Nitrate or Nitrogen comes from the waste the fish produce after eating that fish food, and that should be maintained at at least a ten to one ratio to the phosphorus up to a 20 to one ratio to the phosphorus (Nitrate test kit needed as well!). A good target range is .30 MG/L for phosphorus and 3 - 6 MG/L for nitrates. So fish first, then the plants! I will post an article that explains in detail how you arrive at these numbers by feeding your fish soon! Please email me if you have questions about this at Plants or Fish? Click Here Don Matakis, Grower

04-25-08:
Coming soon, Pogostemon yatabeanus, an exciting new plant! Also, soon to have the ever popular, take any water condition Xingu Sword! Watch for details. Don Matakis, Grower

03-13-08:
There is much misinformation on CO2 levels, with one popular site using the mans name as a method to grow plants stating that you need 25 -30 MG/L of co2 to be successful. I must strongly contradict that assumption as it really depends on your carbonate hardness (KH). Here is the proper chart to follow: Carbon Dioxide Chart or CO2 chart Email me if you have questions? Don Matakis

03-10-08:
A big thank you to all of our loyal repeat customers as well as our new customers for choosing us for their planted aquarium needs. We strive to provide quality plants at every turn, and we also want our customers to have the knowledge to do it right so they can enjoy this hobby for a lifetime! Don and Linda Matakis

01-23-08:
We offer unlimited, expert help to every customer of ours free of charge. For how long? For life! We have had many past customers of ours run into a problem with their planted aquarium in terms of algae, plant growth, aquascaping and more. Our goal is too show you how to grow the plants we offer and maintain your planted aquarium the right way! And if you are new to the hobby, just ask for help in the proper setup of a planted aquarium. We will be happy to advise you. There is nothing like a well maintained planted aquarium with colorful tropical fish swimming through it!
Don Matakis, Grower

01-17-08:
It's cold folks! Add a heat pack to your order when you choose your shipping option and we will guarantee safe arrival!

12-20-07:
Check out our new article on aquarium plant water chemistry testing here: Aquarium Plants Water Chemistry Testing This is everything you need to know about how to test your aquarium water to achieve optimum results!

12-12-07:
Check out Matt Helgeson's aquarium here: Matt Helgeson's Aquarium This is his aquarium after five months of growth! He is a Horticulture Graduate Student at Iowa State University!

12-12-07:
We highly recommend that you choose the shipping option at checkout with heat pack this time of year.

11-28-07:
New Indian Red Sword plants are in, we only have a dozen and first come first served. They are hardy and beautiful. Look at this sword here: Indian Red Sword

11-16-07:
New Red Sea fish foods with patented dispenser! The unique (pat. pending) dispenser lid includes a push button system that dispenses a measured portion of food every time, in a convenient, hygienic and safe way. The freshness cup over the dispenser lid ensures that the food remains fresh and free from humidity both before purchase and during regular use, even if stored near the aquarium. The fish protein used in the Red Sea "GRO" fish foods is produced in a special low temperature process that better preserves the natural digestive enzymes from the fish themselves. This results in a dramatically digestible protein source as compared to other commercial diets, enabling your fish to get more nutrition out of every bite they take. Check it out here: TropiGrow Fish Food

10-24-07:
UPDATE: Kleiner Bar swords will be in Friday, be sure to check them out. It is the perfect midground red sword and they are beautiful! grows in hard or soft water, acid or alkaline PH, doesn't even need CO2 to do well! Check it out here: Kleiner Bar Sword. Also, Lileopsis is back in stock for a limited time. Makes a great foreground plant like a grass lawn! Check it out here: Lilaeopsis.
Don Matakis, Grower

10-20-07:
UPDATE: Echinodorus Tennelus is almost ready for individual offering of ten plants, (a foreground plant somewhat like dwarf saggitaria), and new stem plants such as Ludwigia Inclinata, Eusteralis S. Limnophilia Aromatica approx. three weeks till ready! Again, these will be submerged plants, not emersed.
Don Matakis, Grower

09-15-07:
More varieties of plants are coming including several varieties of Echinodorus Tennelus, (a foreground plant somewhat like dwarf saggitaria), and new stem plants such as Ludwigia Inclinata! These will be submerged plants, not emersed. And of course, they will be of the highest quality. Coming in two to four weeks!
Don Matakis, Grower

07-03-07:
Aquascaping is an orderly way of arranging plants so that you get a sense of depth when you view your aquarium, and is most successful when some basic rules are followed so that the final display is the most pleasing to the human eye. It really takes a little time for the plants to "grow in" before the aquascape is complete. This is why I refer to it as "living art", with an ever changing look as each day passes. What fun! Here is the article from my friend Birgit in Austria, the best explanation of aquascaping I have ever read! Article on Aquascaping
Don Matakis, Grower

05-15-07:
Dwarf hairgrass and also Echinodorus Tennelus are almost ready!. Also Lilaeopsis macloviana which is the taller species of Lilaeopsis, Marsilea hirsuta, also almost ready. If you would like to be emailed when these plants are available just click on Plant Availability? and indicate which plant in the body of the email.

04-20-07:
We will soon have the true dwarf hairgrass and also Echinodorus Tennelus as well as the micro version available. Also Lilaeopsis macloviana which is the taller species of Lilaeopsis. Marsilea hirsuta will also be available and is commonly known as quadrifolia. These plants and other new additions coming soon. If you would like to be emailed when these plants are available just click on Plant Availability? and indicate which plant in the body of the email.

04-19-07:
Need help with your setup in terms of what plants will best suit your aquarium, algae control, water chemistry, cycling your aquarium, then drop us an email with your phone number and best time to call before 11:00 AM Central time or after 5:30 PM Central time and we will contact you to help! To email us just click on I need help? and indicate your question in the body of the email. These times are also the best time to reach our grower if you are calling with questions. We are here to help you create a successful planted aquarium!

01-19-07:
I am convinced that substrate heating in the planted aquarium after five years of experimenting with it in our nursery is equivalent to long term stability in the planted aquarium. It has consistently performed better with the cables than our tanks that do not have it with less algae problems and substrate problems due to compaction due to organic substance accumulation, and while the tanks without it needed a breakdown and refurb after 12 to 18 months, the tanks with the cables have been stable for over 5 years to date. The new article on substrate heating can be found here:
Substrate Heating Article.

12-08-06:
We have Christmas Moss back in stock and it is the best ever for look and texture! Also, very nice Bolbitus which is only available periodically due to slow growth, it is a fern from Africa. Christmas moss and Bolbitus are listed under the aquarium plants category on the front page, and then the specialty plants subcategory. Or click on this link for Christmas Moss; Christmas Moss and this one for Bolbitus; Bolbitus.

10-12-06:
We have Ammania Gracilis from Africa and it is a beautiful addition to any aquarium. The color in the Ammania is green in low to medium light and multi reds in high light! It is listed under the aquarium plants category on the front page, and then the specialty plants subcategory. Or click on this link; Ammania Gracilis

09-14-06:
African bogwood is on sale for 5.00 off on all sizes for a limited time. They are listed under the aquarium supplies category on the front page and then the subcategory of African bogwood if you scroll down. These are stunning additions to your aquarium and are sinking pieces so no need to weigh them down! You can plant Java Fern, Anubias, or moss to them and those plants will attach to the wood and thrive!

09-13-06:
We have Ammania Senegalensis from Africa and Gymnocoronis Spilanthoides from South America now, and they are beautiful additions to any aquarium. The color in the Ammania and a shade of green unlike anything else in the Gymnocoronis are amazing! They are listed under the aquarium plants category on the front page, and then the specialty plants subcategory.

07-31-06:
We are working hard to get the new species of plants growing so that they will be available for you in the near future, it is taking a bit longer than anticipated but we are closer, we have added two new varieties recently and many more to come. The new Amazonia substrate is without a doubt the best I have used so far, for example we took a Eusteralis Stellata from a neglected small tank with a very thin small stem, and in two and a half weeks it had tripled in thickness and leaf growth was much improved and had more color! The bottom line is even better plants than ever before! Echnidorus tennelus will soon be ready for sale as a foreground plant as we have had many inquiries about that plant. And as always our commitment to perfect plants arriving at your door is guaranteed! Don Matakis, owner.

06-09-06:
The new facility is operational, we do have several new tanks up and growing with more to come. What this means for our customers is that we will be out of stock on plants less often or hopefully not at all. We will be offering beautiful submerged stem plants (versus emersed stem plants which then need to convert to submerged, look terrible during the conversion time, and is the industry standard), common and not so common, and they will arrive at the customers door in perfect condition. These plants have ready reserves of nutrients, are grown to be strong specimens, and are unlike any aquarium plant you might have previously purchased. These new submerged stem plant replacements for our currently out of stock species will be ready for sale in approximately three to four weeks. If there is something you are interested in or looking for, let us know and we will be happy to try and provide it for you. In the near future we will be offering aquarium plants that are not usually available. All of these plants are grown in the Takashi Amano substrate called Amazonia utilizing his proprietary substrate system with power sand and mineral additives. We are now offering this system found here to our customers: Amano's Substrate System. We have seen amazing growth with this system! Don Matakis

05-14-06:
Afican Bogwood is here! Large, medium, and small, as well as branch in beautiful light brown and with dark chocolate brown knots. Soon we will offer Anubias, Bolbitus, Java Fern, and moss covered pieces! See them here; African Bogwood

05-12-06:
We are working hard behind the scenes to bring you more varieties of reds and beautiful plants that are not typiclally found in the U.S. We will have photos up shortly so you can see the additions to our facilities. We would like to thank all of you that helped to make this addition a necessary one! Remember, we are growing beautiful and rare varieties that will be available in the near future, and we offer the highest quality aquarium plants available in the entire U.S., guaranteed! We will stand behind our quality one hundred per cent! We are commited to your success with your planted aquarium or aquascape, and are available to help you achieve that from start to finish. Don't know what will fit with your setup? If you need expert advice I am here to help! A well planted aquarium is a beautiful and always enjoyable addition to anyones home or office! And your fish will love it too! Don Matakis

04-10-06:
We are in the new facility giving us an additional 1200 square feet of growing space! Nothing is up and running yet but we will have photos of the facility and greenhouse when we do. The new facility will have water storage capacity of 1100 gallons, automated water changes, greenhouse additions for emersed growth just outside of the facility, and allow us to have all of those stem plants that are listed as out of stock due to the high demand available all of the time. Also, we will be adding driftwood with plants attached and several other new items for all of your aquascaping needs! Don Matakis

03-23-06:
Crinum Calamistratum is a rare African plant that needs medium light and is not fussy about temperature and you will find it here; Crinum Calamistratum Limit two to a customer please. This one is beautiful and will go fast!

03-08-06:
Our article explaining Controlling and measuring Macro nutrients in the planted aquarium to avoid algae and obtain optimum plant growth is found here; Controlling and measuring Macro nutrients in the planted aquarium It will explain in easy terms why you need to know your nutrient levels to optimize plant growth and minimize algae growth.

02-16-06:
Our article explaining Carbon Dioxide and why you need it to grow plants in your aquarium is found here; Carbon Dioxide, what is it and why do I need it to grow plants? It will explain in easy terms why you need this to grow live aquarium plants.

02-16-06:
Whether you are looking for plants to give your fish hiding places (wait until you see their behavior when you put the plants in), cleaner water, to combat algae, or looking for plants to try your hand at underwater gardening, we are here to help you get set up the right way. We may make recommendations on change of equipment to help you reach the goal you have set, or help you to choose plants that will work with the equipment you already have. There are plants for every situation that will work, and if you give them the basics; light, Carbon Dioxide, fertilizer, you too can grow plants successfully! If you are having problems with your existing setup then send us an email and we will help you to get it turned around. If it is an algae issue, then read this article; Algae Control in Freshwater Aquaria. There is really nothing like a live plant aquarium in your home, where else can you create and observe a minature ecosystem in action? After all of these years I still get excited when I get an opportunity to create that underwater garden. I know you will too! Don Matakis, owner.

01-06-06:
Amazon Frogbit from South America is now available for presale! When orders are filled, they will ship to you in two weeks. Once we reach the limit, we will take this one down until it is regrown again so if you are looking for a great fry cover floating plant this is the plant you want. You can find it here under floating plants; Amazon Frogbite

01-04-06:
Hope you had a happy holiday! New plants and more information on how to's will be forthcoming this new year! I want to remind those customers just starting out that when you first plant your plants, wait a day before you add your fertilizer. When you do, add half the amount for the first week, one quarter the amount on the bottles recommended dosage if you have soft water. I will cover this in more detail in an upcoming artilce on fertilizing your plants properly. Also, there will be more detailed fertilizing techniques for the advanced aquatic gardener. Look for these articles and new plants soon! Don Matakis, owner.

12-09-05:
We are growing! (Pun intended) We will be adding a new commercial nursery building and greenhouse the first part of next year. We will post photos when the project is completed. We are expanding in response to the demand for the high quality plants that we grow! We need more space to keep pace with the increasing demand for our nursery grown plants in order to do away with out of stock notices in our storefront on the web site. Soon, all of our plants will be available all of the time! We will be offering more choices for rare and hard to find plants and more great plant packages and biotope options. And still at the same low prices. We will be offering two new beautiful species, Erect moss and Taiwan moss, in addition to the quality Christmas moss and Java moss we offer now, for example. And Ammania Senegalensis and Ammania Gracilis from Africa are almost ready at last. We hope you are as excited as we are!
Don Matakis, owner.

11-14-05:
Is it too cold to ship plants this time of year? No! Plants actually prefer cooler temps while in transit. If you think your plants will be sitting at your house in freezing weather while you are at work (below32 degrees farhenheit), then add a heat pack found here; Shipping heat pack. It usually has to get quite a bit cooler than freezing to affect plants and we do insulate each box to offset this. Email us if you have a concern about this.

10-03-05:
We started a feasibility study with the Minnesota Zoo a year ago after they approached us about the possibility of creating a Southeast Asian Biotope for their 1200 gallon indoor display aquarium, we wanted to know if we could create a Southeast Asian Biotope that could sustain itself without CO2 supplements, and the smaller aquarium we used in the study allowed the aquarist to familiarize himself with the plants to be used in the 1200 gallon aquarium. The feasibility study results have been a resounding success, and I will write about it in an upcoming article, on some of the challenges we face to make it a reality. Look for it here and in the articles page on the site.
Don Matakis, owner.

09-12-05:
Narrow Leaf Ludwigia is ready for purchase, it is one of my personal favorites and you can find it here; Narrow Leaf Ludwigia
Don Matakis, owner.

08-23-05:
All of us here at Aquatic Scapes would like to thank all of our loyal customers who have ordered from us on multiple occasions. It is a testimony to your faith in the quality of our plants, and to our dedication to our customers to offer only the highest quality plants available anywhere at reasonable prices. And don't forget, we offer our expertise to help you to be successful, with useful advice and how to's after these beautiful plants arrive at your door and go into your aquarium. Thank you from all of us!

07-08-05: (update 8/23:a while longer yet!)
Ammania Gracilis is almost ready, hopefully within two weeks we will have it grown enough to offer it, it is probably my favorite red plant of all time!

06-17-05:
Flora Base is available now from Red Sea, and eliminates the need for heating cables, CO2, and fertilizer. Why? It has it all! In a side by side comparison test Flora Base beat Flourite by SeaChem hands down! The price includes shipping and figure one bag for each 10 gallons, check it out here; Flora Base

05-29-05:
Ammania will take a little longer, we are working on getting enough grown before we put it up. It will be well worth the wait though, it is a perfect centerpiece plant for any aquascape! Enjoy your holiday weekend! Don Matakis

04-28-05:
Coming soon, Ammania Gracilis, a stunning red plant from Africa, look for it sometime next week. Have a great weekend to all! Don Matakis

04-06-05:
Planting arrangements in your aquarium can be done using different methods. For example, sometimes less is more. Using four different species like vallisneria (spralis, corkscrew), swords (red ozelot, green ozelot), saggitaria (dwarf, narrow), and a dwarf aquarium lily, you can create quite an effect with the red ozelot and different shades of green with the aquarium lily being a red centerpiece just to the left or right of center. Add a little driftwood, some smooth and proportionately large stones, and you have quite a breathtaking underwater scene! Enjoy! Don Matakis

03-19-05:
For a centerpiece plant, do not plant it dead center, the eye seeks a centerpiece just to the left or right of center, and it makes the overall aquascape composition more pleasing to the one viewing it. Enjoy! Don Matakis

02-27-05:
Takashi Amano from Japan said it best when he made this statement; "The art and purpose of the Nature Aquarium, is through the study of the intricacy of Nature, to flawlessly capture and refine the space, composition, color and all that expresses the designs and layouts found in Nature. Its object, is to generate within the soul, the very same tranquillity, nostalgia and awe that one feels when gazing upon the grandeur of Mother Nature." - Takashi Amano. It is exactly why we love this business of aquascaping so much! Here is the article from my friend Birgit Fruewirth in Austria on aquascaping 101 again! Aquascaping Principles Enjoy! Don Matakis

02-17-05:
We just started the first crop of Cryptocoryne Parva, we have limited amounts for sale! You can find the Parva here; One Parva Plant or get a discount when you buy five Parva plants here; Five Parva Plants We will only have limited supplies of these beautiful little plants before they regrow again!