Floating plants for beginner

[Lamie]

I was just wondering if anyone new of any other floating plants I could use in my tank? I have a problem with the water flow. It's pushing the 2 floating wisteria to one corner. I have low light and the plants are not growing well. Would there be other floating plants that would require less light maybe?

 

[outofwater]

Water sprite seems to tolerate water flow in my experience, and giant duckweed is what I have now. Although you'll find that it propagates like crazy once it finds its groove in your tank

 

[Lamie]

Water sprite seems to tolerate water flow in my experience, and giant duckweed is what I have now. Although you'll find that it propagates like crazy once it finds its groove in your tank

Yes, giant duckweed. What's the other name for it and where can I get it. Does it tolerate low light? I think I have water sprite. But it may need more light than I have. I'm just not sure.

 

[Colin_T]

Water Sprite (Ceratopteris thalictroides/ cornuta).

Get a second light unit or a better light unit for more light.
Leaving the light on for longer (up to 16 hours a day) can help.

You can make a plastic loop that floats on the surface and stops the floating plants being pushed around. Get a length of airline and an airline joiner. Join the airline to itself.
Tie a piece of string about 12 inches long to the airline and to a suction cup.
Stick the suction cup to the glass (inside the tank) about half way down on the side furtherest from the filter.
Put plants inside the plastic loop.

 

[Sgooosh]

Yes, giant duckweed. What's the other name for it and where can I get it. Does it tolerate low light? I think I have water sprite. But it may need more light than I have. I'm just not sure.

giant duckweed is spirodela polyrhiza small duckweed is Lemonaides Minor
it does ok in low light for me

another thing i reccomend is water lettuce

 

[Lamie]

I don't know what airline is.

 

[ClownLurch]

I don't know what airline is.

Little 6mm clear plastic tube that is used with sponge filters or bubble makers.

 

[Back in the fold]

Can't go wrong with Hornwort. The easiest plant to grow. Ceratophyllum demersum in scientific parlance.

 

[Sgooosh]

I don't know what airline is.

something a lot cheaper is straws...
flatten one end of a bendable plastic straw, then fold it once to make it sharp. insert into another straw to make a polygon

 

[WhistlingBadger]

If your water flow is pushing your wisteria around, I doubt you'll have much luck with other floaters. You might have to decrease flow at the surface. Most floating plants really don't like being moved around.

That said, I agree with the suggestions given here. The easiest floating plant I've found (besides duckweed, which is awful) is amazon frogbit. Looks really cool too. And not exactly a floater, but dwarf lily (Nymphaea rubra) is dead easy to grow if you have a nice, deep substrate.

 

[StevenF]

I was just wondering if anyone new of any other floating plants I could use in my tank? I have a problem with the water flow. It's pushing the 2 floating wisteria to one corner. I have low light and the plants are not growing well. Would there be other floating plants that would require less light maybe?

Water flow and light is not your problem. My experience with duckweed, slvinia, and red root floaters is that flow doesn't kill them. Even when fully submerged for extended periods time they still grow and produce oxygen.

The primary reason for no or slow growth or death of floating plants is lack of nutrients in the water. You probably need to fertilize the water. Preferably try a fertilizer without micro nutrients and macros except for nitrogen or phosphate. Hopefully that will allow the plant to grow.

Slavinia and red root floater are also good choices for floating plants. Don't get dockweed. it is very difficult to eradicate from an aquarium when you don't want it any more. If you miss one tiny speck of it, it will grow back.quickly. Focus on larger plants which can easily be removed when you don't want them.

 

[Lamie]

Water flow and light is not your problem. My experience with duckweed, slvinia, and red root floaters is that flow doesn't kill them. Even when fully submerged for extended periods time they still grow and produce oxygen.

The primary reason for no or slow growth or death of floating plants is lack of nutrients in the water. You probably need to fertilize the water. Preferably try a fertilizer without micro nutrients and macros except for nitrogen or phosphate. Hopefully that will allow the plant to grow.

Slavinia and red root floater are also good choices for floating plants. Don't get dockweed. it is very difficult to eradicate from an aquarium when you don't want it any more. If you miss one tiny speck of it, it will grow back.quickly. Focus on larger plants which can easily be removed when you don't want them.

How long can I leave plants growing in the tank with no fish in there. I took them all out I'm not sure how to use CO2. Thanks

 

[Colin_T]

Plants can live permantly in an aquarium without fish.

If you post pictures and details of the carbon dioxide (CO2) unit, we might be able to help you figure it out

 

[Ava]

I was just wondering if anyone new of any other floating plants I could use in my tank? I have a problem with the water flow. It's pushing the 2 floating wisteria to one corner. I have low light and the plants are not growing well. Would there be other floating plants that would require less light maybe?

i love duckweed it’s fairly easy to take care of and it also gives the fish a snack to munch on

 

[FranciscoB]

Any plant that does well floating (true floaters or not) can be had at the surface, and if desired, it can be contained in floating corrals (as mentioned), so it does not go everywhere and clog filter intakes. Depending on the floating plant you choose and the degree of surface agitation in your tank, thicker airline tubing should be used. For me, the 6mm airline tubing is too thin, such that it does not do well its intended job.
Below an older photo showing my Prochi grazing within the "corral" when he was a wee little fellow. He is ~10 inches today.