I have Cahaba Lily and Giant White Spider Lily if you're interested in them to trade for some of your unusual stuff like the one pictured with the purple looking flowers, crocosmia bulbs or rooted brug cuttings. Obviously plants that do well in the desert, indoors or out. Info on Cahaba can be found here: http://nativeplantsfromala.blogspot.com/2010/03/most-beloved-lily-in-alabama-cahaba.html\ They do grow in moving streams and rivers and I've also seen them in a very large pond in a greenhouse in San Francisco but I and others grown them here in the desert in the ground with average water. They usually bloom here in the late summer even in high temps well over 100 deg. The plants are very impressive even when not blooming. These are pretty large bulbs. The giant spider lily grows up to 5 or 6 ft. tall and produces 12 in. wide bloom clusters of 35 to 40 white 5in spider shaped blossoms which are very fragrant. I have rooted pups of these about 6 in. tall. These do best with afternoon shade if grown in high temp areas. Let me know here if you're interested and we'll communicate through e-mail.Thanks!

Boisemom. You said, "I seem to regularly kill any Christmas cactus that I try to keep alive year-round. (They) seem to shrivel up and break off right at the soil level . . . can't figure out whether I overwater or underwater, or if it's some kind of fungal disease or something that gets them. Any advice?" 'They' implies you've had more than one Holiday Cactus. If each plant is undergoing the same problem, your Holiday Cactus don't have fungal disease. Don't toss it. A picture would be helpful. Since there's no picture, it's difficult determining the state of its health. If your plant is in in ill-health, it's too bad you couldn't start out with a healthy specimen and follow advice. I agree with Golen. Didn't see if he/she mentioned there are two ways to force Holiday Cactus into bloom. One is by giving it short days or second, kept outdoors until first frost. I go the second route. Short day treatment can be a disaster since timing is very important. A few minutes late can make a difference. It's much easier leaving outside and letting Mother Nature do the job. lol Both soil and pots are important. Too large a pot can halt flowering. Roots should be tight-fitting. Pot material matters too. Some people believe plants need daily watering. Plants will die from over-watering, especially in winter. For those who must water daily, clay pots are a better choice since soil dries faster in clay. Otherwise, plastic pots are sufficient. Also, pots MUST have drainage holes. Without drainage, the top will look/feel dry, but builds up in the bottom half, keeping roots constantly wet. The results, root-rot. Since Holiday Cactus prefer acidic soil, I add a little peat in the mix. However, well-draining soil is a must. There are several medium/soil recipes here on GW and Google. Fish water is okay, but high in Nitrogen. Perhaps alternating with Flowering Plant food would suffice. A balanced fertilizer with additional nutrients will cover all its needs. Fish water works great with foliage plants. Plants known for their leaves instead of flowers. You also mentioned your aquariums are partially cleaned, twice a week? (isn't that a bit much?) So, do you water with fish water twice a week, too? Unless the soil is thoroughly dry, there's no need for two waterings per week. If you've been watering twice a week, and your Holiday Cactus are shriveling, most likely you're over-watering. Check soil before giving a drink. Stick your finger or a stake deep in soil. If it comes out wet/moist, wait a few days and retest. Holiday cactus prefer medium, bright light in summer. During winter months, place in your sunniest window. Unless it's flowering, then keep in semi-bright, non-direct sun. A cool room is preferrable. Too hot, buds and flowers drop and/or fade faster. A bright, enclosed porch is ideal. Good luck. Please don't toss your plant. Toni

Would only like to add that the tank of course will be in your care, lol. (I have an extensive background and too many links so you can email me at sherryazure@yahoo.com if desired) but mainly read up on cycling and maturing a tank before the fish are added. FYI: It is always better to buy a heater for a small tank UNDER watted as they can and do break, overheat. 50 is way to much for a six gallon and 25 would have been perfect (never trust sales people). If it is a great quality should be ok just have it at slightly under where you want temp. (I have dozens of tanks and many therms and all read differently!) Sorry but one should NEVER carry a tank with water in it.. stress not only for tank but for fish. Not a toy and the spot should be chosen for security (ie won't be run into, knocked over, and level table (never near heater or window, but indirect light ok). While small they do stress and break. RE going back and forth, slow down lol, (this post is old but still responding for future readers) plan and do it one step at a time. Do not add fish until all is done and tank has set a bit and matured. Plants are like fish, they need chlorinated water and heat unless cold water plants which those are not, and none live in freezing temps (the cell walls will break down). See below on amount of sand, really not needed unless you have rooted plants which are not always good for beginners (again need to know requirements of, light requirements, fertilizers so on)... get some bunch like anacharis, float them or leave some with weights on... and research plants for later as your knowledge and experience grow. Sand becomes nasty if there are not strong root growth to uptake the poo (and other stuff).. it becomes a breeding ground for "negative" bacteria is too deep and gravel vacuuming not done. a fine layer is perfect for growing good bugs which keep the water cycled. .......................... Then depending on the size (your original size is indeed too small for any amount of any sized goldfish)six is great) of your aquarium you select your fish and that will also affect the type of filtration, heater and water qualities ph, hardness so on. Example: You would not want a betta in a set up with the filtration as mentioned in above posts - the fins would eventually get shredded. A small box filter with valves set on low would be more adequate. Lots of plants as they love to sit on them, hide under then so on (one betta per tank). Cooler temp, small school of fish such as white cloud mountain minnow would be perfect for that size. (they come from Chinese mountain streams.) I would do species only for such a small tank and beginner to boot. White clouds are great beginner fish and there are other small schooling fish but you have to be careful as that tank is too small for more then say 6 really small fish. Priscella tetra is another good choice for beginners. (that was before I read the last post) with six gallon you can add a few more fish, some bottom catfish such as cory catfish which also like to school. See, what fish you plan to get informs you as to your tank set up (after you read up on which are good for beginners) and again sales people (at least hear in NYC) can sale you things that grow huge, or say goldfish with tropical so it is up to you do do resaerch. ........................................... I would also consider plants such as Anubias which are low light easy to care for if they can be found. If not even the beginner Anacharis (not sure how to spell) and other easy to care for beginner plants will help greatly with water quality, security of fish (they hate bare tanks with lights a glare (instinct is to be secure from being eaten) and be careful of being sold land plants as aquarium. Sand is not really needed for bunch plants (Anubias have rizomes and it is never to be planted) but a 1/3 inch layer will help to cultivate the "bugs" bio bacteria which is part of a mature cycled tank and the sand will allow a culture there as well. With no experience in cycling the beginner reason for dead fish is that reason. Adding too many fish in an uncylcled tank. (over feeding, wrong maintenance so on). If you can get filter floss from an (healthy) established tank that will help greatly (put a bit in your filter). Add a few fish after a week or so with plants so on maturing a bit. This gives the "bugs ie organisms) time to establish. The plants will help as well. (Look up ammonia poisoning in fish as it is a really painful way to go, burns the delicate gills.) When you add the fish, do so slowly... any ph difference of a small increment can cause shock and death (as well as temperature change of a small increment)... (There are a great many good beginner books on this, most of mine are from the 50's on up, lol and still serve me well without all the high tech stuff). I lower the lights to avoid stress, put new fish (I always get tons more water from the store) in quarantine tank with filter, heater, towel over end so low light (they are super stressed from bagging (I bag my own and never dump them in - scoop) and transport and stress results in lower immunity and disease)... I put lid on tank (or grid) and slowly with small airline tubing with knot in it trickle new water into the quarantine. Just a little for first day (again depends on ph of your water and stores)...slowly take out some and dribble in new and over time they will be acclimated and you can also watch for disease outbreak. Soft silk plants will greatly add to there comfort. A bare tank is a huge stress for fish. Well there is much more, feeding (eyes are usually size of stomach and do not overfeed) a few flakes (rotate with frozen or live, can learn about this later) twice a day. (smaller faster fish smaller more frequent feeding a few flakes each - that's it). they will nibble on bugs that grow on plants as well (algaes as well) to supplement diet. Again, as a child I went to the library and read for months and set up tank and waited for it to mature before even considering adding fish. This is the number one reason for fish dying or getting sick. And as your child grows older this is a great tool for educational purposes. Good luck and be careful of getting hooked! (it is a habit that can last a lifetime, lol) Best Sherry

Theresa: I pick moss from my back yard and grow it on a pot for future use in a terrarium, that way I know is free of insects. You can find moss anywhere's humid. I came up with a different idea for growing moss 'outside' a pot. First, cut out a firm round plastic lead, make 2 holes, and put a wire thru it and thru the bottom hole of a clay pot (which now is the top), filled with sphagnum moss inside, with a layer outside (I soaked it overnight)then wrapped it with a plastic net. Added the moss, and another plastic net (the net they use on cherry trees to protect fruit from birds). I also added some small ferns, and to keep it moist I water the inside sphagnum moss and also spray the outside. It sounds difficult, but is very easy. You can put it on a humidity tray (with pebbles and water)Here is a pic of mine, it's been about a year now, (I've been "harvesting" always leaving some to regrow) The plastic at the bottom is to keep the sphagnum moss from coming out and the wire so you can pick the pot up without damaging the moss. Hope this helps! Here's a picture to give you a better idea. Ana :) Here is a link that might be useful: growing moss