Question about duckweed and frogbit

[HotTunaCartel]

I just got duckweed about a month ago for my blackwater tanks and walstad tank.  

I would like something with longer roots and was wondering if I can add frogbit to the duckweed naturally or if I would have to make airline tubing rings for the different floaters? 

 

Thanks

[ange]

You can mix the two plants without worry. From my experience with frogbit some fish may nibble on the roots but that generally hasn't been an issue for the overall health of the plants.

The big thing that I recommend is to make sure to check the legality of the plant in your area as floaters are very commonly invasive. Some alternatives (in the event that you can't get frogbit legally) that aren't quite as long are water spangles (often labeled Salvinia) or dwarf water lettuce. You could also look at guppy grass or water wisteria as less traditional floating alternatives in the event that plan A doesn't work out.

[AndreaW]

I started out with duckweed and added water lettuce after and I love them! The water lettuce does tend to take over the duckweed, but I like that it fills in the gaps.

The best thing about the water lettuce is the beautiful roots that hang down. Their leaves do shade the tank quite a bit so I do have to clear out a handful each week to allow light down to my plants.

I do have some hair algae growing on the roots, as it's a new tank and I'm trying to grow enough algae for the Nerites. I just pull out the lettuce that has the hair algae.

[HotTunaCartel]

@ange @AndreaW  

Thanks for your responses, I'm not sure why I'm not getting email notifications anymore which is why I didn't respond back sooner.  

I would definitely like to mix and match, the covering has really helped all the inhabitants of the tanks feel safer.  

[HotTunaCartel]

On 3/22/2022 at 1:46 PM, AndreaW said:

I started out with duckweed and added water lettuce after and I love them! The water lettuce does tend to take over the duckweed, but I like that it fills in the gaps.

The best thing about the water lettuce is the beautiful roots that hang down. Their leaves do shade the tank quite a bit so I do have to clear out a handful each week to allow light down to my plants.

I do have some hair algae growing on the roots, as it's a new tank and I'm trying to grow enough algae for the Nerites. I just pull out the lettuce that has the hair algae.

I have a question for you as I'm really enjoying the pictures you included.  Are there different types of water lettuce or can I just google "water lettuce for sale"?   

Thanks

[AndreaW]

@HotTunaCartel ~ There are different kinds, but in one of Cory's videos he said floaters don't ship well, which. is why he doesn't' sell them at ACO. I know their leaves don't like to get very wet.

The first time I was at my LFS I purchased some live plants and asked if they had any floaters, which is where I got the duckweed. When I went back in the next week I asked if they had any floaters bigger than the duckweed, the guy took me in the back and their was a whole tank of the water lettuce and he grabbed me a handful. I have no idea what variety they are, but I've seen some with red roots that would be. coo, too.

I would check at your local stores or with local clubs as there's got to be someone who has it. I pull out a big handful a week to keep it from taking over my water surface.

[Brandon p]

I have not had very good luck with frobit and duckweed. The duckweed would out grow the frogbit. I finally I picked out the frogbit and then all the duckweed, then put the frogbit back. In a couple of weeks the frogbit  cover the majority of the tank

 

[HotTunaCartel]

On 3/26/2022 at 9:28 PM, Brandon p said:

I have not had very good luck with frobit and duckweed. The duckweed would out grow the frogbit. I finally I picked out the frogbit and then all the duckweed, then put the frogbit back. In a couple of weeks the frogbit  cover the majority of the tank

 

I ended up get water lettuce from a local place and they sent Salvinia Minima as well.  Going to try them in all the tanks and see what happens.  I do have a nice slow flow so hopefully the water lettuce does not get wet.  

[Jawjagrrl]

On 3/26/2022 at 6:00 PM, HotTunaCartel said:

I have a question for you as I'm really enjoying the pictures you included.  Are there different types of water lettuce or can I just google "water lettuce for sale"?   

Thanks

I just got some red root floaters (bigger than my giant duckweed, but smaller than the water lettuce, etc.) and really like them. The roots are red and the leaves can take on a pink/purple color in high light. I got online from a hobbyist that is only a state away and I knew it would only be in the mail a couple of days. I think how it's packaged makes a difference. Mine were in ziplock bags without anything else, minimal beyond what might have been on the leaves when removed from the pond they were in, and I think that was key. If there had been water in the bags the tops of the plants would have been submerged and perhaps rotted during travel. I just added some to my betta tank and he likes it - trying to phase out the duckweed as I remove so much of it every week in order to not shade out the other plants.

[HotTunaCartel]

@Jawjagrrl thanks for the reply.  I did get red root floaters for my walstad tank but I think I added them too early and they melted away due to no nitrates.   I know a lot of people don't like duckweed due to the intense growth; but I garden a lot and dry them out and use them in my compost or in favour of seaweed fertilizer.  

[Jawjagrrl]

On 4/8/2022 at 7:47 PM, HotTunaCartel said:

@Jawjagrrl thanks for the reply.  I did get red root floaters for my walstad tank but I think I added them too early and they melted away due to no nitrates.   I know a lot of people don't like duckweed due to the intense growth; but I garden a lot and dry them out and use them in my compost or in favour of seaweed fertilizer.  

Mine goes to my chickens.. Sometimes with bonus bladder snail proteins🙂

[Brandon p]

On 4/8/2022 at 6:46 PM, HotTunaCartel said:

I ended up get water lettuce from a local place and they sent Salvinia Minima as well.  Going to try them in all the tanks and see what happens.  I do have a nice slow flow so hopefully the water lettuce does not get wet.  

Do you have covered aquariums the water lettuce was would drop the Evaporation would gather on the tops and “rain down on them alll the time

[HotTunaCartel]

I did until I got them.  Now they are all uncovered.  I don't mind topping off either.  I have enough duckweed that it completely covers the top so I'm not worried about anything jumping out.