Search results for query: duckweed index

...Yes you can, you don't have to dose at <"full EI levels">, you can use a <"fraction of EI"> on a regular basis or you can use the <"Duckweed Index">. Plants can only take up nutrients <"as ions from solution">, this is true of all all plants including cacti etc. No, not necessarily. I...

...There is <"an equation">, but you may not consider it simple. Job done. That is why I like a <"complete fertiliser mix"> and the<"Duckweed Index">, you don't need to worry about the chemistry, just watch the plants*. *Edit: I appreciate that some people (men) are <"red-green colour...

Hi all, It does look like bright lighting. That would be why <"I would add a floating plant">, not CO2 limited and used to intense PAR. No, it might not well be <"iron deficiency">, but until we have a picture that shows the actual colour of the new leaves? It is very difficult to say. It...

My anubias new leaves are a dead giveaway for lack of ferts, almost as good a canary as the duckweed index. Just an aside, i have experienced BBA not just as a result of not enough ppm co2, variable co2, inadequate circulation, but also too much circulation and crazy build up near filter...

Hi all, That is the real advantage of the <"Duckweed Index">, you base your fertiliser addition on the <"leaf colour and growth"> of your "Duckweed". You just <"watch the plants">, rather than being reliant on <"micro-managing nutrient addition"> or needing a <"specific type of water chemistry...

Hi all, That is why I needed a floating plant for the <"Duckweed Index">, access to <"atmospheric gases">. cheers Darrel

...longevity (six months to a year) ease (chuck some in under the sand cap) and very low cost (a 4 pound bag will last a couple of years). I use the 'duckweed index' and observation of plants to decide when to add more or dose micros. Shrimp seem to be absolutely fine with the stuff.

...gain and largely aesthetic. I actually add FeEDTA on a fairly regular basis now, purely because Fe deficiency is where the <"Duckweed Index"> has some limitations, in that by the time the <"deficiency is obvious">, it takes a while before new, healthy leaves grow. If you look at @Zeus. 's...

...Those ones really. Personally I don't want optimal plant growth (and lots of stems that need trimming every week), I just want some active plant growth. It doesn't matter whether you use EI or the Duckweed Index, you need to supply all fourteen of the essential plant nutrients. cheers Darrel

...substrates like amazonia. In fact shops will adopt lean dosing for healthy plant growth but less faster meaning less work maintaining 30 or 40 planted CO2 aquariums. A bit different on low dosing regarding low energy no CO2. IME less dosing but dosing all nutrients when needed as Duckweed Index.

...have a good reason to be healthy due to proper maintenance (regular large WC's etc.) I wouldn't worry about it. In addition to the Duckweed Index a good way to monitor overall tank health is to gauge the TDS level over time - if you have gradually rising TDS, due to buildup of waste etc...

...testing is <"not entirely straight forward">. It was partially the difficulty with getting accurate values for nitrate (NO3-) that led me to the <"Duckweed Index"> a technique where you use the health and leaf colour of a floating plant to <"estimate fixed nitrogen availability">. cheers Darrel

Hi all, It would have been so much easier if I'd called it the "Frogbit Index", rather than the "Duckweed Index" , but I'd already <"started writing about it before I changed over"> from Duckweed (Lemna minor) to Amazon Frogbit (Limnobium laevigatum). That would be my guess as well, often...

Thanks Darrel, I'm afraid I read most of what you wrote as hieroglyphics 🤯 sorry, all the science is brand new to me! But I'll go through the links provided, thank you! I have 5 horned nerites and 2 or 3 pond immigrants that ferried over with plants I'd bought...they're clearing up well...

You don't actually have to use duckweed for the duckweed index - frogbit would work great. The fact all your floaters disintergrated might also be a symptom of missing nutrients. You can use a ring of airline floating on the surface to contain floaters and protect them from surface disturbance.

...<"TNC complete"> should do that, although it is possible that you might need to add some more magnesium (Mg) and/or iron (Fe) if you have very hard water (and I'm going to assume you do.) I'm probably both biased <"and obsessed">, but I'd really recommend the <"Duckweed Index">. cheers Darrel

Yes I do love the sun up and sun down modes, I have an hour each. What confuses me is how much of which particular colour to use 🥴 I'll post a screenshot of what the light are working on at the moment, maybe someone can suggest some alterations? I've tried a few floating plants and I've failed...

...the surface to shade below. Your valis will be doing some of that - you might find the algae is a little less under where that floats over the surface? You could introduce some more floating plants and they can be a helpful indicator for plant feed too if you search the forum for 'duckweed...

...of being both smaller and shade tolerant, allowing it to hide, even more successfully, in among the other floating plants. The Duckweed Index is called the "Duckweed Index" <"because originally it used Lemna minor">. I stopped ,"using Duckweed">, because: People have an (irrational)...

A little late to this one...opposed to Darrel, allegedly, I guess my Hairy Arm Index is fairly low (Zn or Fe deficiency perhaps? :lol: ), but here is what I did. Cheers, Michael

...<"oxygen levels">. Red root floater (Phyllanthus fluitans) isn't <"very robust">. I think that Amazon Frogbit (Limnobium laevigatum) and/or Nile Cabbage (Pistia stratiotes) are your best bet. I'm a <"Frogbit fan"> for the Duckweed Index, but Nile Cabbage works just as well. cheers Darrel

...plants, or the more <"difficult juggle"> of high light ~ high CO2 ~ high growth rate. Clive @ceg4048 thinks that all algae issues probably relate to CO2 availability, which was why it needed to be a floating plant for the <"Duckweed Index"> it takes CO2 out of the equation. cheers Darrel

...get out of the tank">, but other floaters like Salvinia "auriculata" (Water fern), Pistia stratiotes (Nile Cabbage) and Limnobium laevigatum (Amazon Frogbit) are much easier to control. I <"really like"> Amazon Frogbit, partially because you can use it for the <"Duckweed Index">. cheers...

...tap water? I'd add them both separately, Epsom Salts (MgSO4.7H2O and 10% Mg) is good as a magnesium source but you would need a chelator for harder water . This is what I'm doing at the moment, in a <"hybrid Duckweed Index"> approach while I'm using <"Miracle-Gro"> as my fertiliser. cheers...

Hi all, I like your thinking. I'm just worried that there are too many variables: Hair length, hair curliness, hair density etc. But a thought occurs, it might be a business opportunity, the "Duckweed Duster Buster" an artificial arm hair sleeve with optimal nylon hair parameters, possibly...

Thank you all for the advice. Given both tanks have significant amounts of emergent plants it sounds like I need to learn to live with it. Darrel, it sounds like there could be a use for a hairy arm duckweed removal index as a corollary to your duckweed index?

Hi all, How are they looking today? This is a <"non-mobile nutrient (iron (Fe))"> but you can see the effect. This is over several weeks, with nitrogen (N) you really can see the leaves get greener over a couple of hours. Before After cheers Darrel

Hi all, This is the major reason why I like a floating, or emergent, plant for the <"Duckweed Index">, it takes <"CO2 (and in nearly all circumstances light) out of the equation">. A floating plant has access to ~ 415 ppm atmospheric CO2 via <"stomata in the upper leaf surface">. All you need...

...thirteen <"essential nutrients for plant growth"> as well). I've not kept CRS, but if I did I'd use <"nutrient depletion"> and the <"Duckweed Index">. If you like it is an <"Orchid Growing approach">. Nitrate (NO3-) isn't toxic at low levels, we don't know what "low" means in terms of...

No the new leaves do not look pale in real life, thats just the brightness of the light, yea i hope with this new DIY ferts i can get rid of the deficiency's Thanks for your reply and info.

...there may still be <"some issues">, particularly with the monovalent ions (NO3- etc.) where they <"form soluble salts">. One advantage of both "Estimative Index" and "Duckweed Index" is that they do away with the need to <"accurately test for potentially problematic parameters">. cheers Darrel

...quickly you would like your plants to grow, I use a technique where I use the <"health and leaf colour of a floating plant"> (the <"Duckweed Index">) as an aid to when I need to add nutrients, others will use a more regular fertiliser addition based on the <"Estimative Index (EI)"> cheers...

...a better experiment. You could play around with an <"all in one mix">, like the <"Solufeed 2 : 1 : 4 mix"> at different dosing levels. I think if you use lean, or very lean dosing, you would be best using them in conjunction with the <"Duckweed Index"> and some <"tank janitors">. cheers...

...myself, so cost is not a factor.). All my plants are in good to excellent health with slow but steady growth. The beauty of the Duckweed Index (famed by Darrel / @dw1305 ) is that it gives you a direct indication of the nutrient state of your tank (excluding CO2 from the consideration as...

...and a happy ending. You can either add nutrients regularly, and use a <"fraction of EI dosing"> or you can use a method like the <"Duckweed Index">, where you use the <"leaf colour and growth of a floating plant"> as an indication of when nutrients are required. The real advantage of both...

...We have the <"capability in the lab.">, but I haven't tested any of the water for several years. I actually started with the <"Duckweed Index"> because of the difficulties in getting <"accurate and consistent results"> for monovalent ions with <"soluble salts"> and <"dissolved gases">...

...Dennis Wong favours R. macrandra as an indicator plant in soft water as it is very sensitive to Co2 fluctuations. Darrel’s / @dw1305 duckweed index works regardless of water to identify nutrient deficiency and is not limited by Co2. Very smart indeed. Think when myself and others bandy...

except it is no where as near easy to find as duckweed. and a million other things will make it unhappy. so, not as nice as duckweed IMO

Interesting, a friend of mine sells magical beans at the local market... On a serious note if this plant reacts so quickly to a non mobile nutrient it should be put forward as a replacement to the duckweed index as famed by @dw1305

...<"lag period until the plants improve">, once plant available iron (Fe++(+)) ions have been restored. I've now adopted a <"hybrid Duckweed Index"> approach. This is because once the Amazon Frogbit (Limnobium laevigatum) shows <"iron deficiency symptoms"> it takes a while for new...

Hi @MMonis, have a look at the duckweed index. Amazon frogbit is perfect for this. I've only ever used DIY ferts so can't comment on the ones you are using but my guess would be you're lacking a nitrogen source. If you add some more nitrogen you should see results pretty quickly in the frogbit...

...you're dosing is really useful but also some corals respond quickly. Green Hystrix Seriatopora Guttatus was the coral version of the duckweed index in my tank. Research everything before you buy it and decide what you want to keep and stick to it. I enjoyed the research part but the more I...

...<"complete mix"> and see what happens. Personally I don't add a <"set amount of fertiliser">, I just <"watch the plants">. I'm still using <"Miracle Gro"> as my fertiliser in a <"hybrid Duckweed Index"> approach, there are risks involved because of its urea and ammonia content. cheers...

...growth and leaf colour">, the aim is just to keep it green and growing. Originally I used Common Duckweed (Lemna minor) for the <"Duckweed Index">, but I now recommend Amazon Frogbit (Limnobium laevigatum) as my "Duckweed" of choice. If you have time look at <"Few problems......."> (from...

...solids) and temperature. I stock lightly, and water change generously and regularly enough with enough plant biomass to not be worried. You can tell a lot about the health of your tank via the plants and more, dw1305 has a good thread on "the duckweed index" which is worth checking out.

Thank you both very much. I should have mentioned that this is a non-CO2 tank but I think you guessed it anyway :) Unfortunately my lights are already in the highest position possible in the tank - it's lidded and has a holder for the bulbs. I'm surprised that only having one bulb on at a time...

...plants as these will reduce light intensity on your submerged plants & decor. See threads on Estimated Index (EI) and on the 'duckweed index' Hang on with your tank. Bottom line is to remove plants, clean rocks etc and start again with lots and lots of cheap fast growing submerged plants...

It makes sense that for non mobile Fe, it is best to dose daily whereas mobile NPK can be front loaded. Duckweed isn't a desirable indicator plant because most people try to get rid of it. I wish I had a way to make duckweed decline, but have no luck as it thrives in adverse conditions my other...

...1.0ppm N per 100l - and all you get is N) which is an ammonium based fert as well. Finding the sweat spot with ferts is tricky to find whats the minimum you can get away with, @dw1305 'Duckweed Index' and TDS monitoring is a great way to do the minimum ferts and WC's IMO, plus very eco friendly.

...will take a long time to occur, because of their slow growth rate. That was why I originally used Duckweed (Lemna minor) for the <"Duckweed Index">, <"it grows very rapidly"> and deficiency symptoms for non-mobile nutrients are easier to spot. Using <"Amazon Frogbit"> (Limnobium laevigatum)...

...submerse aquatic plants how sometimes they can look so good with growing in inert substrate and no or sparse liquid fertilisers. Do they store them when available. Or not using substrates.Thinking Java Ferns? Or is it a case of they will tell us eventually as in floating plants The Duckweed...

...is that there is a <"large body of scientific work"> using it them bioassay organisms. I'm not claiming that methods like the <"Duckweed Index"> or <"Daphnia Bioassay"> are perfect, or fool proof, but they both <"combine accessibility"> with <"ease of use">. Their great advantage, for me...

Hi all, It is more difficult to use the <"Duckweed Index"> when you are deficient in one of the mobile nutrients, purely because most nutrients <"are mobile within the plant">. The good news is because they are mobile the plant <"can move them to the new leaves"> and as soon as you add Liebig's...

Thanks, i also added an air stone for some more surface movement. If I cannot get them to bounce back I will slowly replace the carpeting plants with less demanding plants at this point. It will have been close to 5 months no CO2 with Monte Carlo and Cuba… not bad for a first attempt.

Hi all, That looks about right. The older leaves are looking a bit deficient in something. Should be fine, maybe try dosing a little more? cheers Darrel

Well, they look fine for the most part to me, perhaps a little pale in places - though you probably need the 'Duckweed' index creator @dw1305 to cast a professional eye. If the period of your filter issues resulted in minimal surface movement, it could just be a lack of surface movement causing...

...and water changes are expensive. There are <"all in one mixes"> or you can <"DIY your own mix">. Some people use "Estimative Index" (EI) a technique where mineral nutrients are always available. I use a bioassay technique, the <"Duckweed Index">, and a <"conductivity datum range">. cheers...

...all, Yes, it is. Your plants can only make use of the added CO2 if their growth isn't limited by another nutrient deficiency. You can buy an <"all in one"> mix from Tropica, <"TNC">, etc. I see you have Amazon Frogbit (Limnobium laevigatum), have a look at the <"Duckweed Index">. cheers...

Hi all, Welcome to UKAPS, It is a <"fantastic book">. It was the under-pinning to the <"Duckweed Index"> and is just an amazing resource. She slightly revised her opinion, after it was published, by advocating <"some water changes and water movement">. I'm not an aquascaper, and I am also a...

...when the lights output was 10%, think though not checked its only at 40%, but it is a unit that packs a punch as it can support corals and anemones with no worries. the Duckweed Index was such a handy way in the early days, before the submerged life started to grow with gusto in this low-tech...

...tanks with a grain of salt, and I think we all should. I wouldn’t get to disheartened while your aquarium finds its feet. If everything in the tank is taking good off, I’d say there is an excess, or deficiency somewhere. @dw1305 duckweed index I think is excellent. Might be worth considering?

I remember this test from previous! Lol my fish look fine and are confident and eating well. my plants are looking fine. my algae is clearing up! so I guess I just keep doing what I’m doing: learn more and chill and enjoy! thank you I’m off too look in my doo dah drawer ...

...not that I don't want to know what the parameters of the water are, but there are a <"lot of variables">. I began promoting the <"Duckweed Index"> (<"I've used it"> from long before it had a name) because it did a way with a lot of the need for water testing. Even though they have very...

...need to play with the dimmer, and the amount of Salvinia, to give you a light level in the <"Goldilocks zone">. In terms of fertiliser addition you can either use the <"Duckweed Index"> or some proportion of EI dosing. I like the Duckweed Index, but you might try <"1/4 of EI">. cheers Darrel

Hi Marcel, Yes this is a problem in The Matrix. We often cannot tell what is real and what is an illusion. Check this out. you can buy what is essentially powdered rust as a trace element. I used to use this stuff from this vendor all the time: Gardens Direct Ferric It was fine...

Hi all, <"I agree">, the issue for me is that I'm using the <"Duckweed Index"> as an indication of nutrient level and deficiency and what happens in the sediment only becomes relevant if those iron ions (Fe++/Fe+++) are subsequently available in the water column. It needs to be a plant with...

Some on the Anubias sp. do but I don't know if that's because they're compared against the 'dirty' leaves. I'll get some more pics when the lights come on. so you can cast your expert eye over them! Could it be an Iron deficiency that's causing the plants to look like that then? Would it made...

When I’m preparing my EI micros using APFUK I’m also adding on top those https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Chelated-Iron-DTPA-11-Highly-Soluble-Aquaponics-Hydroponics-/284196419177?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286 And Chelated Iron EDDHA 7% - Highly Soluble - Aquaponics / Hydroponics | eBay The recent...

Hi all, Do the new leaves <"look a bit pale">? If so it might be an iron (Fe) issue. You could try adding <"another chelator", one that is better in hard water? It will take a while for the plants to perk up, if it is iron. cheers Darrel

Hi all, I'd just have a good read around the threads on the forum. I work on the theory that some-one will have asked any, and every, question at some time in the past. We actually have quite a few members from East Anglia, who will have similar tap water to you, so I'll cc. in @castle ...

...near the light. My moss has grown a fair bit. I have decided not to trim it so I can see what the natural growth pattern is. My duckweed index, it doesnt seem -as- happy now as it was before. This may have been partially because it was released into the tank to survive on its own, and...

Funny you should mention that.. this is a disused mill pond at the back of our house, the water that fills it is the run off from several farmed fields, evidently packed with nutrients going off the duckweed index.

Hi all, Looks like <"Lemna minor">, not technically an algae, but a higher plant. Looking at the <"growth and leaf colour">, if they are using the <"Duckweed Index"> they need to reduce the nutrients a bit and change some more water. cheers Darrel

Hi all, Welcome, agreed it doesn't look great. You definitely look to have some plant health issues, often these relate to one of more of the essential plant nutrients. Plant growth is like <"a car assembly line">, if you have one nutrient ("component") missing you don't get plant growth ("a...

...sulking under one of the hobo lilypipes. It gets less flow and less light than its used to, so its not looking its best. Duckweed index still pretty good, it would seem a slight iron deficiency may not show up on the floaters as clearly as on some of the other plants. It seems possible to...

...just use a floating plant during the tank establishment phase, but I have them all the time and I use them <"as an indication of when to add fertilisers">. I called this approach the <"Duckweed Index">, because originally I used <"Common Duckweed (Lemna minor)"> as my floating plant. cheers...

Disclaimer I have had a planted tank for only 8 weeks. I've never had a tank in my life I'm sure someone will disagree with me and tell me how wrong I am...... In my experience I found co2 was what was missing in my tank. Now, I know you're on a budget and I too could not afford the fancy co2...

Hi all, I like the <"Duckweed Index"> in low tech tanks. You just use the <"leaf colour and health"> of a floating plant as an indication of when nutrient addition is required. You can add some fraction of EI dosing I might add a 1/4 of the full dose for starters. I don't think it has any...

...this plant with my setup? Finally, I would like to add a picture of some floaters I have, as perhaps some people experienced in the 'duckweed index' will be able to say something meaningful about my tank by looking at it, even though it is not duckweed ;). I have also added a picture of my...

Ohh I see. Once again a good explanation for a newbie to understand thank you! Much appreciated!

Hi all, Exactly that, Amazon Frogbit is just a more suitable Duckweed. It would have been so much easier if I had called it the "Frogbit Index", but hindsight is a wonderful thing. I didn't <"really invent it">, I just took elements from research on using floating plants for the...

Ah I thought you knew about that, my bad 😄 Duckweed index is Darrel's invention, and basically means that you use a floating plant to gauge wether or not you need more nutrients in your water. The floating plant doesnt have to be duckweed, duckweed is very hard to get rid of once you get it...

Oh ok. I need the ripple. I get why now thanks. Yes I think I had too much ripple and bashed my new floating plants. I will mess about with it tomorrow when I do a water change and remove my dead leaves. What’s a duckweed index?!

The lights are Ok I think I’ve got most of that. Plants it is. I was worried getting more as I seem to be killing them but your previous explanations plus this have given me hope ha ha

...fresh soil, so much so that you need to perform water changes to make sure it doesnt overwhelm the plants :) Later on you can use the duckweed index to determine if you need a bit more nitrate. If the floaters get plenty of light but remain quite small it means that they could be a bit...

...got fed up <"with continually rescuing it."> You can regulate the growth of Amazon Frogbit (Limnobium laevigatum) by <"manipulating nutrient levels">. That is why I like it for the "Duckweed Index" it shows a pretty <"linear growth response to nutrients">, and particularly nitrogen. cheers...

...tubing and suction cups or something similar to make a little fenced area for them. Set the fenced area up where the surface is quite calm, but also where they get enough light. Meaning they should not be in a blind spot of your light fixture, otherwise the duckweed index doesnt work correctly.

Hi all, Yes, I'd be pretty happy with that. cheers Darrel

...that way so I will stay on this light level for a while and just enjoy. Faster isnt always better anyway. Plant growth is really nice, duckweed index is happy, Ludwigia Super Red didnt die when I replanted it a while ago. What more could a girl want? I feel like I can just tinker with small...

Thanks folks - Duckweed index is pretty happy. I did go too low for a while (went through an "I'm low tech - I'm kidding myself that I really need all this fert" phase) but realised the error of my ways. Then I had an Fe problem a while back which the index diagnosed for me, hence the EDDHA...

...on low tech l prefer to use all in ones like Evolutions The Aquascaper or TNC on low energy tanks. So remove all worst leaves .Clean atround substrate level do water changes 25% daily for a week Check your floating plants for indication of defiecencys as Duckweed Index. Just what l would do...

...also given the results I would expect when I was dosing more but changing more water. So im using it as a rough guideline. Using the duckweed index the frogbit leaves are of decent size so that adds support to that. The TDS is also increasing steadily around 10 ppm per week, which Im aware...

Hi all, Very pale growth is never a good thing, because it means that that growth <"is deficient in chlorophyll">, dark green = more chlorophyll. Because it is the new growth that is chlorotic it strongly suggests that you have issue with iron (Fe) availability. It is generally really...

...increased light, they have put out much bigger leaves and are not looking like they have one foot in the grave for once. I love the duckweed index but it was very hard to use it when my floaters kept dying off! But now I can actually use the index like youre supposed to. Im continuing to...

Test Kits well worth a read, I and many others dont test our water expect by watching our plants and Darrels Duckweed index is a great testing method If you have recently started the tank and used a ADA aquasoil high Nitrate NO3 readings will be normal for some time, plus if using tap water you...

Darrel you have learned me today and I thank you for that! This tank is my begginers pride and joy. I really want it to succeed and I rather like the idea or philosophy, of not constantly testing the water. I think Testing has its place and there very well may come a time but for now, I am...

...and colour of the leaves of a floating plant"> to assess the nutrient status of the tank, and when to add nutrients. I called it the <"Duckweed Index">. "Duckweed" was because the original plant I used was <"Lesser Duckweed (Lemna minor)">, but I soon found there was an improved "Duckweed"...

...the most of. CO2 limitation is always a possibility in plants which are underwater. That is why I choose a floating plant for the <"Duckweed Index">, they aren't CO2, or light, limited, so you've instantly removed two variables from the equation. Originally I used <"Lemna minor (Lesser...

...content, but it gives you some idea of the <"mark-up"> on many "aquarium" fertilisers. You might also be interested in the <"Duckweed Index">. It is simple technique where you only add nutrients when plant growth begins to suffer. We have our own <"fertiliser calculator">. cheers Darrel

...You don't need all of them, <"any floater will do">. I particularly like Amazon Frogbit, because I can use it for the <"Duckweed Index"> I also have two "stems", Hornwort (<"Ceratophyllum demersum">), and another fern, Indian Fern (<"Ceratopteris thalictroides">). I don't plant any of...