Fish Mongers

Decided to setup a dirt tank. 55 gallon tank. Diana Walstad reminded me that she always recommends starting with a smaller tank because now I need to cover 4 square feet of dirt. That's a lot of plants, and will bankrupt me if I have to shop the usual retail places.

Anybody(s) have cast off trimmings they could part with? Don't need anything fancy, just enough plants to boot the system without too much chaos. Donations welcome of course, but I also have some walking cash if that helps.

There are a dozen or so ponds in my neighborhood. Does it make sense to harvest plants there, and just decapitate them later on as I get better plants?

Advice always welcome.

I will be at the meeting on 1/4/20.

Eric