duckweed as a "natural filter" ??

[kahunabill]

I have duckweed covering about 1/3 of a discus tank. Is that a good thing for water filtering and discus health? Or am I better off, just skimming it out?

[gators111]

IMHO it should pull some nitrates out of the water, however in maybe an infinitesimal amount. But on the other hand it will provide shade for your fish to hang out under, which they like. Drawbacks would be messy and could clog filter. And a reduction in the amount of gas exchange by reducing the water's surface area in direct contact with the air.

[RandalB]

Works well, but tends to be messy. There are several other floating plants that do as well with much less mess IMHO...

RandalB

[raglanroad]

Right you are, Randal. floating plants work like gangbusters, and don't even let nitrites or nitrates into the picture. They suck straight ammonium out of the water, preferring it vastly to nitrate, as plants usually do. Nitrate causes plants to do a stutter step when they first sense them, but ammonium they just suck up. And the floating plants are amongst the best. They might put your biofilter out of business every time the lights are on. You could even do a refugium with plants, using light on the refugium when the tank lights are out. No biofilter needed, much better than a biofilter.
Dave

[Greg Richardson]

Can someone list names of floating plants they like available in LFS? Been thinking about it. Seems like a good way to keep the BB and still give them a bit of happiness.

[blaze]

tnx didn't know this, just one question thought: is it jsut floating plants athere are this beneficial, or will potted plants work as well?



Right you are, Randal. floating plants work like gangbusters, and don't even let nitrites or nitrates into the picture. They suck straight ammonium out of the water, preferring it vastly to nitrate, as plants usually do. Nitrate causes plants to do a stutter step when they first sense them, but ammonium they just suck up. And the floating plants are amongst the best. They might put your biofilter out of business every time the lights are on. You could even do a refugium with plants, using light on the refugium when the tank lights are out. No biofilter needed, much better than a biofilter.
Dave

[yogi]

I find water sprite to be a great floating plant. Duck weed seems to be a bit messy IMO.

[Greg Richardson]

Thanks! I'll look tomorrow for that plant. Anyone else have favorites?

[kahunabill]

ok. thanks for the help folks!

[ed8t]

Thanks! I'll look tomorrow for that plant. Anyone else have favorites?

I like water sprite and have it in all my tanks, but don't find the older plants very attractive when the leaves start to turn black and die off.

I got some newer floaters that is doing well right now, "Pisita Stratiotes" or Water Lettuce which are growing like weeds and very pretty with their long furry roots. Currently my favourite floater.

[Greg Richardson]

Thanks ed82t. Good to know.

[raglanroad]

tnx didn't know this, just one question thought: is it jsut floating plants athere are this beneficial, or will potted plants work as well? You could run a trickle of the tank water through a box or trough of household tropical plants, or into a little hydroponic planted set-up, no extra aquarium needed, just lights on the little garden during the night shift when the tank lights are out. So you could put the hydroponic plant filter sytem in a box so that it is dark when the tank is lit, and vice versa. Pothos has been mentioned, for growing right on top of the aquarium and there are many that would be suitable, as long as they grow quickly. Anubias or slow growers would be almost useless. Bunch plants seem to grow so fast. But the water lettuce and those floaters really suck it up-only problem is with rotting leaves, especially from water droplets- and the other problem is from pH buffers that are intended to raise the pH to 8 or so for african tanks or such. They just kill the water lettuce.
Dave

[nacra99]

If you have an open top, water hycinth (spelling??) are pretty nice.. .they have nice long flowy roots for discus to hide under. Plus they have very pretty purple flowers when in bloom.