Growing aquarium lilies from seed: a beginner's guide

[TimeLord]

I'm curious about growing a lotus or water lily from seeds. I found some on Amazon and I'm wondering how well they work and what the process would be like. I'm trying to grow one in my 29 gallon tank. I'd love to hear from you guys - @coltin @BadgersSong @kingrise @juicebox. I've got my eye on these seeds:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B088BY8NKP/?tag=ff0d01-20
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09KGSZ3ZF/?tag=ff0d01-20
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B018N3IS72/?tag=ff0d01-20

[greensea_1]

When I first got into aquatic plants with my mom, we actually bought a bunch of seeds on eBay. We never ended up planting them though, after we found out how long it takes for them to grow. I did some research and found this pretty helpful guide on how to grow water lilies from seed - it's a great way to save some money and still have a beautiful pond. One thing to keep in mind is that water lilies need full sun to bloom, so you'll want to make sure your tank is getting enough light.

[coltin]

To get water lily and lotus seeds to germinate, you'll need to scarify the outer seed coat - basically, just rub the seed on some fine sandpaper before sowing.

[Giggletons]

To get water lily and lotus seeds to germinate, you'll need to scarify the outer seed coat - basically, just rub the seed on some fine sandpaper before sowing.

be careful not to damage the seed itself, just the outer coat, or it might not germinate and could die off

[BadgersSong]

I've always gone the bulb route for my water lilies and lotus, never seeds. Had some great success with them, but I've never given them enough time to develop enough surface leaves for blooming.