# How long can plants stay in a bag for?



## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

I just recieved some plants from Conix (wonderful guy and learned a lot today) but I don't have a stand or support ready for the tank I got from him and am thinking of keeping the plants in the bag but may put my battery operated air pump in with some water to keep the plants alive. 

I need to clean up some of the stuff around here before I can get a stand for this tank so I'm curious how long can I keep plants in the bag for?


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

i've left plants in the bag for a day or two before and they had been fine... What kinds of plants?


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## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

Hey Cid.

Hope the car thing went ok with you. Umm... I can't remember everything but I know I got some java moss, I think java fern, and some red with bit of greenish leafy plant and something else that I can't remember. I'll have to post a photo later.


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

I'd say 2-3 days maximum.


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## Tropicana (Feb 15, 2009)

well I have about 6 javafern sprouts in a zip lock bag but they have snails and the bags sitting in my 180 gal in a bit of light. they have been in there for about 3 weeks and I have changed th water twice in it. once per week for the first 2.

But java fern are pretty hardy so I would guess what Darkblade said would be best.


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## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

Trop and Dark,

Thanks. I'm on the hunt for a stand right now. I may put the plants in a tub with a small shoplight over it with a battery operated bubbler in the mean time while I hunt me a dual tank mount stand.


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

Depending on the plants and the conditions they're kept - indefinitely 

But most stem plants don't fare too well after 4 - 5 days, but some softer plants (liverworts, hornwort, ambuilia) last only 2 or 3 days at most.

I find mosses can survive a long time. So can most crypts. 

If you stick them in the bucket they're good for a long time


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## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

ameekplec. said:


> Depending on the plants and the conditions they're kept - indefinitely
> 
> But most stem plants don't fare too well after 4 - 5 days, but some softer plants (liverworts, hornwort, ambuilia) last only 2 or 3 days at most.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the FAQ.

Oh my gosh... sorry I didn't reply to your PM before. I read it but was wanting to reply for a while but something came up and it always lingered in my to reply but forgot. >_<;  Incoming PM.


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## conix67 (Jul 27, 2008)

Yeah, put them in a bucket with water. They will last a long time.. but give some lights.. and don't put them outside


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## gucci17 (Oct 11, 2007)

I've had plants in 5gal buckets that have survived for weeks. But here's the thing, I left a heater in the bucket and put a small light from a canopy. 

Like others have mentioned, it may also depend on what type of plants you have.


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

Thanks! PM returned 



gucci17 said:


> I've had plants in 5gal buckets that have survived for weeks. But here's the thing, I left a heater in the bucket and put a small light from a canopy.
> 
> Like others have mentioned, it may also depend on what type of plants you have.


I've had some crypts sitting in a bag on a window sill for about 8 weeks - they started to grow plantlets too...so I planted them in my tank.

I have some anubiases that are sitting in bags still too. They've been in a bag for considerably longer.

I don't think most stem plants would do well in bags for a prolonged period however - they like turning to a mush after a few days...


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## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

Thanks for the feedback people. I've got the plants in a bucket right now with a battery powered air pump and about 700lumens of concentrated high power LED lighting on it.  with a ran running like crazy to cool off those LED's while I sort out some stuff. I'll have to go checking around for a double tank stand after work. 

BTW Conix67 what are the plants you put in the bag again? I remember clearly java moss and java fern but the others I'm not sure on. All that info was coming at me at 100MPH so I could not absorb it fast enough then.


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## conix67 (Jul 27, 2008)

AquaNeko said:


> Thanks for the feedback people. I've got the plants in a bucket right now with a battery powered air pump and about 700lumens of concentrated high power LED lighting on it.  with a ran running like crazy to cool off those LED's while I sort out some stuff. I'll have to go checking around for a double tank stand after work.
> 
> BTW Conix67 what are the plants you put in the bag again? I remember clearly java moss and java fern but the others I'm not sure on. All that info was coming at me at 100MPH so I could not absorb it fast enough then.


You don't need an air pump. Just enough lights like any other room should be enough to keep them alive. There's bits of willow hygro and ludwigia repens, and a small cryptocoryne.


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## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

conix67 said:


> You don't need an air pump. Just enough lights like any other room should be enough to keep them alive. There's bits of willow hygro and ludwigia repens, and a small cryptocoryne.


Do you know which cryptocoryne species it was? I'm on PlantGeek looking right now on this search.



> gucci17 I've had plants in 5gal buckets that have survived for weeks. But here's the thing, I left a heater in the bucket and put a small light from a canopy.
> 
> Like others have mentioned, it may also depend on what type of plants you have.


Yah I cleaned out one of the 5gal buckets I have and put some of the java ferns in with the heater and my light on it.



> ameekplec. Thanks! PM returned
> 
> Quote:
> Originally Posted by gucci17
> ...


I put some in a 5gal and the other in a 10gal right now. Oh so putting some crypts in a bag and by a window can help them propragate?


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