So, since starting this planted tank journey, whenever I'm out walking I find myself staring down at plants, weeds, moss I see growing in the wild, sidewalks etc and wondering if they would survive in an aquarium.

Living in the Pacific Northwest, we're "wet" 90% of the time anyway so I often wonder if any of these would survive.

I'm just curious if anybody every plucks them up and tries them in the aquarium? I think I'll try a few and see what happens but do you think I'm wasting my time?

Many of the plants I ponder are in very wet locations, streamside, etc.

Any thoughts?

I just recently moved to Kentucky from eastern side of Washington State and I have pulled many plants from creeks etc and yes they do grow well. The hard part is trying to figure out just what it is that you find. Some wild plants don't look exactly like the same aquarium plants. I have one that I still haven't been able to find what it is. I have also caught wild little fish. I have one now that I think might be a Masqueto (spell) fish and another that I can't find what it is anywhere.

Joetee,

I appreciate the reply. I guess the best way is to just give them a try. I was also wondering about ID'ing the plants. What's the worst that could happen, they die and I remove them right!

I actually grew up in the eastern part of Washington as well. A little town called Entiat, about 15 miles south of Lake Chelan.

Thanks again,

Mike

Well you also should sterilize them. I use H202 and let them soak in a bucket usually for a day or two to make sure no lettle crawly things start crawling around like snails etc.

If you want to ID the plants you can start your search here

Characteristics | USDA PLANTS

Maybe look under wetland plants. You can search by state.

Great, thanks guys!

So interesting that you say this. So many people are sure that peroxide has damaged their plants - and here you use it to sterilize yours.... leaving them in for a day!! WOW! Interesting. (When reading about peroxide as an algaecide.)

I have also been wondering about what you might bring into your tank but plant collecting. At least I haven't been alone in this worry. In the wild it's survival of the fittest. In my tank I want survival of all!

I think what I'll probably do is keep the found treasures in a small tank I use for a grow-out tank to make sure there are no hidden aliens onboard. I would hate to introduce something into my main tank. I guess we face that possibility every time we add a commercially bought plant as well. Oh good....an excuse (valid requirement) to start up another tank... plant quarantine tank!

Mike

I have used H202 many times. About 2 mil per gallon. I have lost leaves but have not ever lost a plant completely. Now I have no idea if it would have an effect on snails or other critters from the wild.
I pulled out my drift wood which had brush algae all over it and painted it with straight H202 and let it set for a while before adding it back to the tank. The algae got sick but did not die. It didn't hurt my Java moss at all either. I even soaked it in a bucket three times with H202 (3 mil per gallon) for 45 minutes a week apart trying to kill off the brush algae. It only got sick and came back. And still my Jova moss did not get harmed at all.