Group Buy - Freshwater Mangrove Beans

[Melody]

Group base is in BC.
Seller is in Ontario.

I am considering an order of freshwater Mangrove Beans but the guy is in Ontario and the shipping will be highish. He figures around $20 + heatpack charge. The beans are $10 each. It is a straight group buy - I'm not making a dime from them and the costs will be divided however many ways.

These can be acclimated to marine conditions I'm told, but I honestly have no idea so don't hold me to that one...lol. They are well known for their ability to take the waste out of the water and they look tres cool coming out of a tank. I already use bouquets of Lucky Bamboo and quite like the look of plants taller than I am going up the wall.

If I can get them cheaper locally or someone has them closer to / in BC, by all means feel free to speak up.

Prepaid only please. You can pick them up in Surrey, BC or I can reship at your expense.

Many t(h)anks!

[Carlos the Aquanut]

ah....what the fudge are these? plants? beans? Can I grind them up and have them instead of my morning pot of coffee???????

[Melody]

You can do whatever you wish with them Carl...lol...but I don't think they'd taste good.

This article explains it much better than I could:

http://toptropicals.com/html/aqua/plants/mangrove/mangrove_eng.htm

:)

[Pamelajo]

Hey Mel thanks looking into this.

[Pamelajo]

Mel can you pm with details I like to see about getting some.
The comment about the bamboo in the tanks. (Scarey) We are beginning to think alike.

[Melody]

Sure Luv, I'll send you the info.

We think alike because we're as smart as we are good looking.:laugh:

[Pamelajo]

:laugh:

[Melody]

Closing the deal soon, so if anyone wants in, please let me know before Pam buys them all and we don't get any.:laugh:

I vote we make her send them to us for free. :DevilGrin:

[Pamelajo]

Picture me sticking my tongue out at the monitor!

Mel if you are the only one, I can get yours and send them on later for our next trade. If I don't kill them. I would not mind getting everyones, but it would probably cost almost as much for me to send them.

[Melody]

That's a very kind offer. It may be just me actually. I'm thinking of getting at least 10. However, we probably won't trade for a few months. Hmmm.... we'll chat. I don't think he has 72 hour heatpacks so I might just have to do that. Thanks!

[Pamelajo]

If he does not have 72 hour heat pack, Have him send yours with mine and I can send them on to you with the heat pak, just cover the shipping from me to you.

[Melody]

I'll see what he says, thanks Pam. If we go that route, I'll get him to stick an extra one in there for you to keep for you trouble and of course, I'll cover your heatpack as well.:)

Just don't let me do my usual thing and start asking what else ya got, and maybe I should have this to make the shipping worth while, and that other thing because who knows when I'll order again, and....

:Embarassing: lol

[Pamelajo]

Too much going on in your head. How be we wait til they get here and then I let you know what I have. Will hold on to the spixis I have at the moment just in case.
Oh and I almost forget stop thinking your going to hurt yourself.

[Melody]

LOL I never stop thinking, good or bad. Brain goes a mile a minute, and when I'm not thinking, I'm worrying.:rolleyes:

I definitly have enough Spixi for now - I inherited two colonies along with yours. Interesting variations too, which intrigues me to no end.

I'll be in touch. Thanks again :) .

[Soggybottom]

Yes! Sign me up!

Damn this has been an expensive login... I gotta stop checking the classifieds.
Can the guy offer any kind of reassurance that they will grow? are they easy? I'm thinking 2 at this point, would like to try one in brackish tank...

[Melody]

Actually, I may go local. The seller is... unaware of certain things that I feel he should be aware of in order to ship properly. Not everyone is an experienced shipper and in the Summer I would still do it, but in the Winter its very risky coming this far. Pam is going to give it a whirl since she's closer, so if all goes well I may go ahead.

Mr. SB, if I don't order I can always pick up a couple at J&L for you and chuck it into your box when I send it. If I decide to go ahead, I'll let you know.

Oh and by the way, I reread the ad last night when I was checking his exact location, and its actually 2/$10, not $10 each, which is MUCH better:D . I can keep taking names and get us all together after I check him out more if you like.

[Pamelajo]

Yep I am going to give it a try. I will let you know how it goes. He has promised to replace them if they don't fair well.

[Melody]

Thanks Pam! I think he's a good seller, just not quite in the know when it comes to cross country shipping. Maybe I'm reading that wrong too - the Internet isn't always the easiest way for everyone to communicate and make themselves understood.

I especially want them now that I know they're half price...lol...and here I thought he was only beating the local supplier by a few dollars.

[Pamelajo]

UPdate:
Got my package when promised. Have them in a fish bowl with aquarium water in sunny window at the moment til I find someway to hang them in the tank without completely submersing my two tanks that get the most light are too deep. Got four 6 - 8 inces high, they all have a good set of roots started and two have leaves sprouting.
Was a little leary at first, but when he promised they would make it or he would replace them gave it a try.

[Melody]

Did he use a heatpack?

[Pamelajo]

Nope. Now he did say that if our mild snap ended he would put one in, but here on Wed Thurs and Fri morning it was in the teens. Really warm for this time of year. Left for work at 5:30 am on Thursday with a coat.

[Melody]

Well at least he acknowledged that much...lol. With plants I'm told that cooler weather is better than warm weather when it comes to travelling well, but cool and freezing are two different things. I think many shippers also forget that when they have to be flown, not all cargo holds are heated to a comfortable temp. Many are kept just above zero and that's it. Its much colder up there than it is down here, which is why I still use heatpacks when we're getting nice weather in the Spring. Yours wouldn't have flown though. I'll probably have to send him a 72 hour heatpack when I get around to ordering, or wait until Spring.

Thanks for the update Pam - let us know how they do.:)