Curious case of no Nitrates? Expert opinion needed.

[Hufsa]

I need to add more nitrate to mine, even my duckweed looks sad. I'm surprised it's not already been mentioned, but definately search the forum for 'duckweed index' for a guide to working out when your plants need ferts.

Just keep in mind @The.WishMaster , the index is named after the duckweed, but the frogbit is the most common plant to use, as its easier to keep under control 😊
I still think it should be renamed the Frogbit Index, its not too late. @dw1305 's naming has infected more people globally with duckweed than anyone else I know 😂

 

[Wookii]

I still think it should be renamed the Frogbit Index

+1
I second the motion - I still shudder every time I read the word Duckweed - it managed to get in my tank about a year ago somehow, and still haven't managed to get rid of it.

 

[Hanuman]

Not the most ideal picture but I have taken the liberty to write it down and convert the "as oxide" numbers. Not entirely sure what they mean with the Nitrogen description, so have left that as is.

Agree. A little effort in taking the picture would have gone a long way. Regardless, I also found that someone had already posted the product label in the forum: Colombo Special Fertilizer - "FloraGrow Pro"

I incorporated the product in the IFC calculator with following values:

Macros​	Traces​
0.36% N 0.0175% P 0.72% K 0.199% Mg​	0.062% Fe 0.02% Mn 0.003% B 0.001% Zn 0.002% Cu 0.005% Mo 0.0004% Co​

Which gives us ladies and gentlemen:

In other words nothing much. The hardcore leaners will probably be delighted by this product. I would say perhaps a product aimed at very low tech tanks.

@The.WishMaster You probably would need to double the dosing at least and see from there.

 

[Wookii]

Another contestant for @dw1305 's "Worlds Most Expensive Water" award!

 

[Hufsa]

@The.WishMaster You probably would need to double the dosing at least and see from there.

I would triple it honestly and see where that gets you, dose it as frequently as you can, daily is best but something like three times a week would also be an improvement I think.
Triple is about 9.57 NO3 and 0.36 Fe weekly, less than what I am dosing in my high tech sand substrate tank, and I also frontload extra nutrients with every water change.

 

[Hanuman]

Another contestant for @dw1305 's "Worlds Most Expensive Water" award!

They should just bottle TAP water and brand it as such. It's all the same and probably has more nutrients.

 

[Hanuman]

Triple is about 9.57 NO3 and 0.36 Fe weekly, less than what I am dosing in my high tech sand substrate tank, and I also frontload extra nutrients with every water change.

He has a low tech @Hufsa. Careful you are borderline insulting the lean metaverse with such extravagant dosing.
@MichaelJ 😘

 

[Hufsa]

He has a low tech @Hufsa. Careful you are borderline insulting the lean metaverse with such extravagant dosing.
@MichaelJ 😘

Oh my goodness, my apologies to the OP! He could have overdosed! 😱 (joking)
I shall endeavor to contain my extravagantness and perhaps read the original post a smidge more thoroughly before posting 😁

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

I still think it should be renamed the Frogbit Index, its not too late. @dw1305 's naming has infected more people globally with duckweed than anyone else I know

I know <"it would make sense">, but I'd already started calling it the <"Duckweed Index"> before I changed over from Lesser Duckweed (Lemna minor) to Amazon Frogbit (Limnobium laevigatum).

I think, even though I'd written about the technique before 2008, that I only started calling it the "Duckweed Index" after I'd joined UKAPS and the "Index" bit was because it was an <"alternative approach"> to the <"Estimative Index">.

Another contestant for @dw1305 's "Worlds Most Expensive Water" award!

I <"honestly don't know"> how <"they get away with it">.

cheers Darrel

 

[X3NiTH]

I do it once a month anyways but I will increase it to once a week now.

I would dose way more frequently than that and judging by the content analysis I would be at the very least double dosing that weekly amount while spread out to dosing every other day.

🙂

 

[MichaelJ]

I still think it should be renamed the Frogbit Index, its not too late. @dw1305 's naming has infected more people globally with duckweed than anyone else I know 😂

I'll up-vote that one! It's not that duckweed is too bad if you keep it by itself, but when you mix it with frogbit or other floating plants it gets really problematic (these are older pictures):




Removing duckweed is now an integral part of my maintenance routine...
I like to joke around and "blame" Darrel for my Duckweed nightmare, but the truth is that I only deliberately planted frogbit (on his advice) - the duckweed came in by accident with some other plants - always rinse off your plants before planting! 😉

Cheers,
Michael

 

[Witcher]

Duckweed - it managed to get in my tank about a year ago somehow, and still haven't managed to get rid of it.

Removing duckweed

Ducks gentlemen, ducks are the solution.

 

[MichaelJ]

Ducks gentlemen, ducks are the solution.

Brilliant! And super cute to boot! 🙂

Cheers,
Michael

 

[Wookii]

Ducks gentlemen, ducks are the solution.

View attachment 208376

My kids would literally love that!

As for the duckweed, I went through the process of removing it from the tank in the image below about a month ago. I literally removed every visible trace of it, even removing the last tiny pieces with tweezers.

A month later, this:



I’ve gone to extreme lengths to try and prevent it’s transfer to the new tank, but every now and then the sneakiest little b@$t@rd bit of it will suddenly pop up from under a piece of Frogbit, cackling manically at me like a power hungry megalomaniac:

 

[sparkyweasel]

I literally removed every visible trace of it, even removing the last tiny pieces with tweezers.

It can drop into the substrate in a resting stage (turion) like a tiny brown bud. And pop up again weeks later.

 

[PARAGUAY]

+1
I second the motion - I still shudder every time I read the word Duckweed - it managed to get in my tank about a year ago somehow, and still haven't managed to get rid of it.

I feel your pain every time l think l got rid it's back, then it's a case of getting the salvinia free to put back. Looks nice in the barrell pond and removing once a week

 

[MichaelJ]

A month later, this:

Wow! that is some serious duckweed infestation!

Cheers,
Michael

It can drop into the substrate in a resting stage (turion) like a tiny brown bud. And pop up again weeks later.

Right! or even when you do maintenance and stir up the water they get stuck under leaves of submerged plants, but eventually make it back to the surface....

I've totally given up on getting rid of it - I just try to contain it.


Maybe I should get creative and make a duckweed water fall:



Cheers,
Michael

 

[OllieTY]

Or buy a goldfish from your LFS and then take him back once he's had his fill!

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Right! or even when you do maintenance and stir up the water they get stuck under leaves of submerged plants, but eventually make it back to the surface....

You might have <"Lemna minuta">, rather than Lemna minor, it really is a PITA.

Maybe I should get creative and make a duckweed water fall:

Fantastic, I'd buy it.

cheers Darrel

 

[Wookii]

Or buy a goldfish from your LFS and then take him back once he's had his fill!

. . . of the duckweed, or the rest of the tank inhabitants? 😂