duckweed - MyFishTank.Net Freshwater Saltwater Aquarium Fish Forum

MrParker · 10-11-2009, 11:27 AM

What are your feelings on duckweed in this forum?

Good? Bad? Why or whynot?

Newman · 10-11-2009, 10:52 PM

I'm a fisherman, and i've seen what this stuff can do and how and where it grows. Basically i can barely give any positive feedback on it, in terms of using it in a regular aquarium.

Negs:
Needs relatively calm water to grow in, otherwise its gonna be floating all over the tank (at all tank levels)

Grows really fast, blankets the top and hogs all the light, killing off any plants below.

Really gonna be annoying in tank cleanings as a lot of it tends to stick to everything, including your arms.

Smells pretty bad, as peices rot off, and ...well in general.

WILL CLOG YOUR FILTERS
Quite hard to get rid of ! LOL

Pos:

If you can contain it in a corner of the aquarium that doesnt have any water flow (calm water) and you can control it through frequent "prunings" (achieve that by just taking excess duckweed out) then you can end up with a really nice looking covered shady area in your tank which would look cool in combo with your plants.

It can provide food for a few species of fish such as angel fry and other types of fry. Good for a tank with small fish.

Over all though, its only a choice for you if you agree to take care of its maintenance quite often.

Sick looking plant from the top thought

bmoraski · 10-12-2009, 10:25 AM

i remember reading an older post that said they had problems with it.
cant remember the details just that they were not happy with it, at all.

OrangeCones · 10-12-2009, 04:37 PM

If you like it, go for it.

If you ever want to get rid of it, you cannot! It will find a way to reinfest errr grow in your tank again!

Newman · 10-12-2009, 06:40 PM

Yes, beware of the duckweed curse lol.

MrParker · 10-13-2009, 11:10 AM

i used to have some a long time go, it did make a cool shading, but when it did get pulled into the filter stream, it would be pushed down and drifting around, kind of annoying at times i guess. But it never really looks dirty...or messy because its so bright green. i do remember it sticking to my arm though.

What if you had a small tank with just substrate and rocks with a underwater filter and then duckweed covering the top. Would that prevent or hinder algae growth in the under layer, assuming the duckweed is using the nitrates, and blocking a lot of light?

Newman · 10-13-2009, 12:43 PM

Sounds like it would theoretically. But algae can adapt to even the darkest areas =/ *damn you algae*

Are you thinking of doing that in the 5 Gal you want to buy lol?

MrParker · 10-13-2009, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Newman

Are you thinking of doing that in the 5 Gal you want to buy lol?

Following my trail I see... haha I'm bouncing a lot of ideas around right now

stoddern · 10-14-2009, 01:58 AM

I hear duckweed is alot like milfoil, in nature you can't get rid of them they are both invasive species so in a tank they would probly grow very fast over whelming everything and be very hard to get rid of

MrParker · 10-22-2009, 04:30 PM

does anyone have some they could send to me? I'll pay the shipping. If you have some, contact me and I'll let you know how to ship it if you aren't sure how to go about it.

I would love it if someone could do me this favor

10-11-2009, 11:27 AM	#1 (permalink)
MrParker Medium Fish Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: So Cal Posts: 419	duckweed What are your feelings on duckweed in this forum? Good? Bad? Why or whynot? __________________ Current - 45 Gallon :: 3 otos :: 1 Chinese Algae eater :: 16 neon tetras :: 1M & 3F Fancy Guppies :: 5 Ghost Shrimp :: 2x32WATT T8 6500K :: DIY CO2 :: Substrate From SandDunes :: Wisteria :: 4 Melon Sword :: Microsword 3 10 Gallon Tanks Empty 2004 - 10 Gallon ::9guppy fry(4 weeks old)::5Ghost shrimp, 1 amano::2 SAE::3 otos::4 neon tetras:: 2 Redwag Platies :: DIY CO2::My own Substrate:: ::anacharis::Wisteria::Ovalis::Lilaeopsis brasiliensis(Microsword)::Limnophila indica(ambulia)::

10-11-2009, 10:52 PM	#2 (permalink)
Newman Large Fish Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Northern NJ Posts: 815	I'm a fisherman, and i've seen what this stuff can do and how and where it grows. Basically i can barely give any positive feedback on it, in terms of using it in a regular aquarium. Negs: Needs relatively calm water to grow in, otherwise its gonna be floating all over the tank (at all tank levels) Grows really fast, blankets the top and hogs all the light, killing off any plants below. Really gonna be annoying in tank cleanings as a lot of it tends to stick to everything, including your arms. Smells pretty bad, as peices rot off, and ...well in general. WILL CLOG YOUR FILTERS Quite hard to get rid of ! LOL Pos: If you can contain it in a corner of the aquarium that doesnt have any water flow (calm water) and you can control it through frequent "prunings" (achieve that by just taking excess duckweed out) then you can end up with a really nice looking covered shady area in your tank which would look cool in combo with your plants. It can provide food for a few species of fish such as angel fry and other types of fry. Good for a tank with small fish. Over all though, its only a choice for you if you agree to take care of its maintenance quite often. Sick looking plant from the top thought __________________ AQUARIUMS: 40 Gal 1 Female Orange & Black Oranda GF 1 Female Blood Red Swordtail 5 Otocinclus 3 Swordtail Fry 3 Cherry shrimp 1 Gold Apple Snail Java fern, Anubias, Anacharis, Cabomba, Marimo Moss, Flame Moss, Dwarf Hairgrass 10 Gal 2 Otocinlus 20+ Swordtail Fry 4 Cherry Shrimp Dwarf Sag HC 2.5 Gal Christmas moss 1 Female Deltatail Betta Credit goes to Lludu

10-12-2009, 10:25 AM	#3 (permalink)
bmoraski Medium Fish Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 560	i remember reading an older post that said they had problems with it. cant remember the details just that they were not happy with it, at all. __________________ 2.6G Fry ( snails + water spider ) 10G Guppies 20G Guppies, Pleco + ( Hornwort ) http://mysite.verizon.net/vzet42j1/index.html Bryan......................

10-12-2009, 04:37 PM	#4 (permalink)
OrangeCones Medium Fish Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: USA Posts: 403	Thumbs Down If you like it, go for it. If you ever want to get rid of it, you cannot! It will find a way to reinfest errr grow in your tank again!

10-12-2009, 06:40 PM	#5 (permalink)
Newman Large Fish Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Northern NJ Posts: 815	Yes, beware of the duckweed curse lol. __________________ AQUARIUMS: 40 Gal 1 Female Orange & Black Oranda GF 1 Female Blood Red Swordtail 5 Otocinclus 3 Swordtail Fry 3 Cherry shrimp 1 Gold Apple Snail Java fern, Anubias, Anacharis, Cabomba, Marimo Moss, Flame Moss, Dwarf Hairgrass 10 Gal 2 Otocinlus 20+ Swordtail Fry 4 Cherry Shrimp Dwarf Sag HC 2.5 Gal Christmas moss 1 Female Deltatail Betta Credit goes to Lludu

10-13-2009, 11:10 AM	#6 (permalink)
MrParker Medium Fish Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: So Cal Posts: 419	i used to have some a long time go, it did make a cool shading, but when it did get pulled into the filter stream, it would be pushed down and drifting around, kind of annoying at times i guess. But it never really looks dirty...or messy because its so bright green. i do remember it sticking to my arm though. What if you had a small tank with just substrate and rocks with a underwater filter and then duckweed covering the top. Would that prevent or hinder algae growth in the under layer, assuming the duckweed is using the nitrates, and blocking a lot of light? __________________ Current - 45 Gallon :: 3 otos :: 1 Chinese Algae eater :: 16 neon tetras :: 1M & 3F Fancy Guppies :: 5 Ghost Shrimp :: 2x32WATT T8 6500K :: DIY CO2 :: Substrate From SandDunes :: Wisteria :: 4 Melon Sword :: Microsword 3 10 Gallon Tanks Empty 2004 - 10 Gallon ::9guppy fry(4 weeks old)::5Ghost shrimp, 1 amano::2 SAE::3 otos::4 neon tetras:: 2 Redwag Platies :: DIY CO2::My own Substrate:: ::anacharis::Wisteria::Ovalis::Lilaeopsis brasiliensis(Microsword)::Limnophila indica(ambulia)::

10-13-2009, 12:43 PM	#7 (permalink)
Newman Large Fish Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Northern NJ Posts: 815	Sounds like it would theoretically. But algae can adapt to even the darkest areas =/ damn you algae Are you thinking of doing that in the 5 Gal you want to buy lol? __________________ AQUARIUMS: 40 Gal 1 Female Orange & Black Oranda GF 1 Female Blood Red Swordtail 5 Otocinclus 3 Swordtail Fry 3 Cherry shrimp 1 Gold Apple Snail Java fern, Anubias, Anacharis, Cabomba, Marimo Moss, Flame Moss, Dwarf Hairgrass 10 Gal 2 Otocinlus 20+ Swordtail Fry 4 Cherry Shrimp Dwarf Sag HC 2.5 Gal Christmas moss 1 Female Deltatail Betta Credit goes to Lludu

10-14-2009, 01:58 AM	#9 (permalink)
stoddern Little Fish Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Vermont Posts: 124	I hear duckweed is alot like milfoil, in nature you can't get rid of them they are both invasive species so in a tank they would probly grow very fast over whelming everything and be very hard to get rid of __________________ 10gal.-empty, gave to GF to set up think she'll put in gold fish. 20gal.-planted Anubias Lanceolota, Water Wisteria. 1 Gold Gourami, 1 Zebra Danios, 2 Barbs not sure what kind, 1 Barb not sure what kind.

10-22-2009, 04:30 PM	#10 (permalink)
MrParker Medium Fish Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: So Cal Posts: 419	does anyone have some they could send to me? I'll pay the shipping. If you have some, contact me and I'll let you know how to ship it if you aren't sure how to go about it. I would love it if someone could do me this favor __________________ Current - 45 Gallon :: 3 otos :: 1 Chinese Algae eater :: 16 neon tetras :: 1M & 3F Fancy Guppies :: 5 Ghost Shrimp :: 2x32WATT T8 6500K :: DIY CO2 :: Substrate From SandDunes :: Wisteria :: 4 Melon Sword :: Microsword 3 10 Gallon Tanks Empty 2004 - 10 Gallon ::9guppy fry(4 weeks old)::5Ghost shrimp, 1 amano::2 SAE::3 otos::4 neon tetras:: 2 Redwag Platies :: DIY CO2::My own Substrate:: ::anacharis::Wisteria::Ovalis::Lilaeopsis brasiliensis(Microsword)::Limnophila indica(ambulia)::