Floating plants

1316 Views 5 Replies 5 Participants Last post by tiger15, Nov 9, 2020

Cherryx

Discussion Starter · Nov 2, 2020

This might sound a bit unrealistic - but I'm looking for an easy grow floating plant that also does not block out light as I've got some wisterias, bacopa C, vesicularis/Xmas moss and egaria densa growing from the substrate. Its a low-tech tank w/ moderate lighting and only on liquid ferts (Micro and macro). Soft water, neutral ph and fully cycled. Got some amanos and a few barbs. 20G.

The objective is to give a homely area for my honey gouramis.

I've already read some articles and posts, but they all warn floaters blocking out light for others. This isn't something I want. Would duckweed or frogbit work if I keep them limited to a section with relatively low light (Under the filter drip trey)?

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davemonkey

· #2 · Nov 2, 2020

Duckweed or Salvinia, or others, will work because you can thin it out as you desire. A fine-leaved stem plant can also work, such as the very fine pond weeds/plants (Zannichelia sp., "Guppy grass", Najas sp., Potamogeton pectinatus, etc.).

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mistergreen

· #3 · Nov 3, 2020

you can take a airline and connect (super glue or something) the 2 ends. Float that in your aquarium. You can use it as a divider for your floating plants.

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gcon61

· #4 · Nov 5, 2020

I use giant duckweed in my 7.5 G betta tank. From craft store (hobby lobby) I got a sheet of thin black foam and cut four circles out if it. Then I cut the middle out of the circles (fold the circles in half and cut about 1/8" or 3/16" from the edge) leaving rings. I put the duckweed in the rings and they float around with the current from the small filter I use so they do not just sit in one place and block all the light. Some of the duckweed will escape the rings so occasionally I remove the excess from in and out of the rings and put it into another aquarium. A hair pick or flea comb makes it easy to remove the excess.

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Cherryx

Discussion Starter · #5 · Nov 9, 2020

Thank you guys! That was really helpful. Love the airline idea - I was thinking of a an aquarium-safe material and airline never cme to mind! Duckweed looks pretty good too, so that's what I am going to get.

Sorry about my late reply, for some reason I didn't get any notifs.

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tiger15

· #6 · Nov 9, 2020

I prefer larger floaters such as water lettuce and frogbit that are easy to contain inside barrier which I constructed from airline hose and tied the barrier ring to a piece of sinking anchor with a fishline. Their roots are long and serve as breeder mops for fry and surface dwellers to hide. I will stay away from small floaters such as Duckweed, Azolla and Salvinia which can multiply and escape out of control, and hard to get rid of if one decides not to keep. Besides they have short roots not of much use for hiding.