Quote Originally Posted by TexasState
http://www.campusrecreation.txstate.edu/outdoor/ot_sewell.htm
I'm thinking about starting up a planted tank too. But I don't know much about planted tank. Since I don't know anything about planted tank, I was going to collect the plants from the San Marcos river at Sewell park. Aside from the freezing weather, they're pretty easy to collect. I think that I do have to watch out for parasite from the wild plants. When I 1st got started in freshwater 4 years ago, I put some plants from the SM river into my tank, and wiped out about 30 feeders gold fish. I don't know if it's b/c of the tank being new, parasite, or overloading. Many of those plants in the river have algae growing on them. You can find Texas Cichlid in the San Marcos and other local rivers.
I was just going to experiment with growing wild plants, learning how to take care of them b4 I would pay for the cultured plants from the stores.
I had also thought about using local plants/animals for my tank... specifically from the San Marcos river (I'm a student at Texas State by the way). I had no idea there were Texas Cichlids there!

If you want a good site on planted tanks, check out this one: www.plantedtank.net Good forum there.

Thanks to everyone else who has contributed to the thread so far!