Choice of floating water plant.

[Deanne]

Hi, I have some Salvinia Auriculata floating on two of my tanks, I’m using it to help reduce nitrates, but both tanks have hoods. I’ve noticed it’s not thriving and as time goes on looks less green and looks sickly, although the roots are growing. I understand this plant dislikes humidity. Both tanks are planted, the smaller had snails and S small colony of neocaridina. The larger I intend to house dwarf puffers in.could you suggest a suitable alternative. My water is very hard at GH 14, both tanks are heated.

 

[Edvet]

Most floaters don't like closed hoods in my experience. you might try floating some Ceratopteris thalictroides. These are easy and adapt to floating very wel.

 

[Konsa]

Hi
I have frogbit and dwarf water lettuce growing well under hoods in 3 tanks.They dont like it when bashed arround the tank or pushed too tight together on one side by the current too.I fixed im setrain calm ish areas with fishing line and sucers and they fine now.U can try
Ceratophyllum demersum 'Foxtail'
Regards Konsa

 

[Mick.Dk]

Most floaters don't like closed hoods in my experience. you might try floating some Ceratopteris thalictroides. These are easy and adapt to floating very wel.

- just be aware Ceratopteris grow quite big......BOTH leaf-wise and root-wise, when growing as a floater. For the egg-laying of many fish, these roots are fantastic........

 

[BubblingUnder]

Amazon Frogbit is fine under a lid providing there is a decent air gap. I made a boom with airline ,corks & suckers for mine to control its mobility as it doesn't like too much flow.

 

[Deanne]

Thanks for the reply, I have some hornwort in an outdoor snail tub so I could move some of that, it would need significant cleaning though. I will try to get some frog-bit or water lettuce. I think water sprite might be a little vigorous forth the ten gallon, but may do ok in the 35 gallon. I’ll have to see what I can get, but thanks very much for your responses, very helpful.

 

[mort]

Guppy grass, Najas guadalupensis is another good floating species that's quick growing but easy to control. I kept some dwarf puffers with some and they loved hunting snails in and around it.

 

[Deanne]

Great, that’s much easier to get locally. I’ll try some of that initially. Thanks all.

 

[Costa]

I like floaters too BUT I have a sump and they all end up in the overflow which is at the left hand side of the tank without direct light and they end up melting away after a few weeks. Has anyone experience with this or any creative ideas on what to do?

 

[Konsa]

I like floaters too BUT I have a sump and they all end up in the overflow which is at the left hand side of the tank without direct light and they end up melting away after a few weeks. Has anyone experience with this or any creative ideas on what to do?

Hi
Two suckeres tied with tin fishing line about 5mm-10mm underwater will hold them in the area U want them.I have mine along the front of the tank about 15 cm wide area(suckers on both sides)as redusing the light over the open sand area.
It works as a charm and since I fixed them there and they not bashed all over the surface they grow like crazy.
The only thing is I have to move them out on every wc and put only what I need back in.
Regards Konsa

 

[Costa]

Konsa thank you! I was thinking of a solution along these lines, glad to know someone else has tried it and works!