Howcome There Is Duckweed In My Tank?

[MewMew42]

as the title suggests really, what could have caused it?! its been sucking the oxygen out of my water! =[

 

[kelly528]

as the title suggests really, what could have caused it?! its been sucking the oxygen out of my water! =[

You probably got a leaf or two hitchhiking on an aquatic plant. They don't call it an invasive species for nothing

 

[Bignose]

as the title suggests really, what could have caused it?! its been sucking the oxygen out of my water! =[

How do you know it is sucking oxygen out of your water? Duckweed is a a great floating plant because it sucks up ammonia very quickly and since it floats it usually is not lacking for CO2 which it can take directly from the air instead of waiting for it to diffuse through the water column. And, while it is tough to get rid of all of it, it is easy to take out large clumps of it when it grows too big. If you want all the advantages of aquatic plants without really having to really do any actual aquatic plant work, there may not be a an easier aquatic plant to keep alive.

 

[howard_hopkinson]

I agree with Bignose, Duckweed is a brilliant plant for sucking up nitrates/nitrites and ammonia as well as other toxins. It is also a very good oxygenator.

Taken from HERE.

A lot of people hate duckweed. Ok lets face it, nearly everyone hates duckweed. If you bring home one little 1/4 centimeter duckweed plant, and don't pay much attention to it, pretty soon if you dip something like a net into your aquarium, it comes out completely covered in the stuff. If you have a light source beneficial to plants, and more than zero nitrates, it almost seems like it takes over the surface of your aquarium overnight!

To say duckweed grows fast would be a stupendous understatement.

It's a real pain in the neck and the fish don't eat it, and the fry can't hide in it, and it gets sucked up into your filters... what the heck would anyone want the stuff in their aquarium for?

If thats how you feel about duckweed, then I have some interesting information.

Do a google (or whatever search engine you use) search for "duckweed water treatment".

A few minutes of reading and you will begin to realize that duckweed is used in many parts of the world, from USA, all the way to Australia, for SEWAGE treatment.

A little further reading, and you will begin to realize that duckweed is where Nitrates go to DIE!

In fact, duckweed does much more than suck up every particle of Nitrate in your tank. In depth study will reveal that duckweed attacks ammonia vigorously, as well as Nitrates, Nitrites and just about any other molecule with the nitrogen atom in it, lol. In addition to that, duckweed sucks up phosphorus like a thin milkshake, actually removes suspended solids, and organic material and even other toxins!.
As if that weren't impressive enough, it produces oxygen like nobodies business!

What about my filter? You ask.
Please, duckweed or no duckweed, put a sponge on the intake of your filter! It adds many years to the life of a filter, provides mechanical and biological filtration, and can be easily cleaned with each water change.

But other plants do the same thing, right?
Well, a little. There is a reason Duckweed is used for water treatment and not Valisnera or some other plant. Other plants just don't compare to the amazing results you get from duckweed.

But, what about getting my net all covered in green plants every time I use it?
One of the things you have to do if you want to use duckweed to make your filtration system act like it is on steroids is skim excess duckweed every so often. So, every time you pull a wad of green plants out with your net, you are doing just that. (Ok so yes it is a pain in the rear dealing with the green mess of doom, but if you love your fish like I do, it is well worth it!)

Ok, your still not convinced.
Did you know you can take the skimmings, add a little ground tropical fish food flakes(just a little to make it *smell* like food), mash them up (really well, turn em to mush!), let them dry out in a centimeter deep layer, and presto, highly nutritional food for your fish! Move over Spirulina / Veggie wafers, here comes duckweed wafers!!!

 

[llamalord305]

But if you have a cycled tank, wouldn't there be some competition for ammonia and such?

 

[howard_hopkinson]

I'm pretty sure that Duckweed as with most other aquatic plants will compete with the bacteria in your filter, but by how much I don't know.

I have just found this interesting article HERE.

 

[kelly528]

I like it. Plus, the other plants in the substrate are probably root feeders (unless they're java fern or anubias) so since they are feeding off the mulm in the substrate you shouldn't have any problems with nutrient competition.

 

[snowflake311]

It was a hitchhiker for sure a little tiny bit found it's way into your tank from another plant or..... Do you have some growing around your home any place?? It could have been air born haha I don't think so but maybe. Were you playing in a pound did not wash your hands and then put them in your tank? Or do you have ducks swimming in your tank? They spread this weed.

Seeing that it is a weed it grew like crazy. If I were you I would just remove most of it and keep a little. It does have some benafits. To say a plant is sucking O2 from your tank is not right. But it will choke out your other plants when it comes to light. O2 is a waste product of all plants co2 is what the plants are sucking up.

It it's covering the surface of the tank it will limit gas exchange between water and air. Goldfish like to eat it.

 

[england]

Do not worry as everyone has stated, duckweed is great stuff, as long as you trim it back you will find fish benifit from it, i have this in my tank's, esp my two smaller tanks,a full blanket across each suface fully, just make sure you remove as it multiplys, otherwise you will end up with a thick blanket, when i remove mine iam lucky enough when i throw it in the big tank, pleccy and the silver dollar munch away until theres none left, haha then comes the big green poo's...
Always stay on top of it and you will find your water quality that much better

 

[england]

I agree with Bignose, Duckweed is a brilliant plant for sucking up nitrates/nitrites and ammonia as well as other toxins. It is also a very good oxygenator.

Taken from HERE.

A lot of people hate duckweed. Ok lets face it, nearly everyone hates duckweed. If you bring home one little 1/4 centimeter duckweed plant, and don't pay much attention to it, pretty soon if you dip something like a net into your aquarium, it comes out completely covered in the stuff. If you have a light source beneficial to plants, and more than zero nitrates, it almost seems like it takes over the surface of your aquarium overnight!

To say duckweed grows fast would be a stupendous understatement.

It's a real pain in the neck and the fish don't eat it, and the fry can't hide in it, and it gets sucked up into your filters... what the heck would anyone want the stuff in their aquarium for?

If thats how you feel about duckweed, then I have some interesting information.

Do a google (or whatever search engine you use) search for "duckweed water treatment".

A few minutes of reading and you will begin to realize that duckweed is used in many parts of the world, from USA, all the way to Australia, for SEWAGE treatment.

A little further reading, and you will begin to realize that duckweed is where Nitrates go to DIE!

In fact, duckweed does much more than suck up every particle of Nitrate in your tank. In depth study will reveal that duckweed attacks ammonia vigorously, as well as Nitrates, Nitrites and just about any other molecule with the nitrogen atom in it, lol. In addition to that, duckweed sucks up phosphorus like a thin milkshake, actually removes suspended solids, and organic material and even other toxins!.
As if that weren't impressive enough, it produces oxygen like nobodies business!

What about my filter? You ask.
Please, duckweed or no duckweed, put a sponge on the intake of your filter! It adds many years to the life of a filter, provides mechanical and biological filtration, and can be easily cleaned with each water change.

But other plants do the same thing, right?
Well, a little. There is a reason Duckweed is used for water treatment and not Valisnera or some other plant. Other plants just don't compare to the amazing results you get from duckweed.

But, what about getting my net all covered in green plants every time I use it?
One of the things you have to do if you want to use duckweed to make your filtration system act like it is on steroids is skim excess duckweed every so often. So, every time you pull a wad of green plants out with your net, you are doing just that. (Ok so yes it is a pain in the rear dealing with the green mess of doom, but if you love your fish like I do, it is well worth it!)

Ok, your still not convinced.
Did you know you can take the skimmings, add a little ground tropical fish food flakes(just a little to make it *smell* like food), mash them up (really well, turn em to mush!), let them dry out in a centimeter deep layer, and presto, highly nutritional food for your fish! Move over Spirulina / Veggie wafers, here comes duckweed wafers!!!

Vey good write up