Meow Aquatics

Water softener salt. 40lb bag for less than $6.

Watermeal. I would rather fight duckweed everyday that deal with this stuff.

I've read about people using vitamin c to dechlorinate. Supposedly works on chlorine and chloramines. Also better for the fish. I have well water so I've never looked in to it to see if its a thing or worth doing. I'm sure people above my pay grade can clarify it.

Cleaning underneath my aquarium lids. I'm the worst.

I don't. But I have gotten plants from a place that I assume just flips them after buying as emerged. They send a card that warns they may contained pesticides and that they should be quarantines for a few weeks. So I try to avoid those kinds.

if the temp is close enough I plop and drop. If not, float for 15ish minutes first.