Frogbit

[Zac]

So my sponge filters tend to push my frogbit out of my light and into the corners/edge of my tank. They seem to be growing okay tho. I posted a picture of where they usually sit. Are they getting enough light?

[Kurt Brutting]

I have the same problem with one of my aquariums, I had to get a second light. You could purchase one of those feeding ring kits. Some come with airline tubing that you can setup to section off your floating plants where you want them.

Your floaters do look good, just keep an eye on them. 

[Odd Duck]

Frogbit is very tolerant of less than perfect conditions.  You can make floating rings for them to corral them if you want them in higher light areas of the tank.

First pic shows the ring from underneath with red root floaters and a piece cut from a feeding ring on this one.  The black suction cup is barely visible at the back of the tank.  Second pic is showing suction cup with zip ties holding the floating ring.  I like double diameter silicone tubing rather than regular diameter airline since it works better to keep the floaters contained.

Edited May 19, 2022 by Odd Duck
Add info about the suction cup.

[Tanked]

On 5/19/2022 at 11:56 AM, Odd Duck said:

Frogbit is very tolerant of less than perfect conditions.  You can make floating rings for them to corral them if you want them in higher light areas of the tank.

First pic shows the ring from underneath with red root floaters and a piece cut from a feeding ring on this one.  The black suction cup is barely visible at the back of the tank.  Second pic is showing suction cup with zip ties holding the floating ring.  I like double diameter silicone tubing rather than regular diameter airline since it works better to keep the floaters contained.

Two Questions:  Was Close Encounters the look you were going for in the first pic?  What did you use to close the ring?

[Odd Duck]

On 5/20/2022 at 7:11 AM, Tanked said:

Two Questions:  Was Close Encounters the look you were going for in the first pic?  What did you use to close the ring?

😆 No, but when I posted that pic on a Facebook page somebody said it looked like a volcano, so that became the name of that tank.  I don’t even have a ring in that one anymore and it looks very different now, but the name has stuck because of that rock (it’s petrified wood).  It does look very Close Encounters, too.  😆 

I have end connectors that I also ordered from Amazon when I ordered the tubing.  Pack of 10, I think it was.  I got some T connectors, too, but don’t use them nearly as much. I have used them to make 2 connected rings, like this:

 

[Bev C]

@Odd Duck love your Tank  very pretty rather a Volcano or Close Encounters   thank you i am buying some of the tubing  i use the airline  airline connectors and my pennywort and amazon escapes  may i ask what size tubing you used the wider fat rings looks looks they would hold them in place better 

[Odd Duck]

On 5/20/2022 at 4:19 PM, Bev C said:

@Odd Duck love your Tank  very pretty rather a Volcano or Close Encounters   thank you i am buying some of the tubing  i use the airline  airline connectors and my pennywort and amazon escapes  may i ask what size tubing you used the wider fat rings looks looks they would hold them in place better 

I think that tank was near its best at that stage.  It looks very different now and is in need of a reset.  But that is still my very favorite piece of petrified wood.

The fat tubing is double diameter from airline tubing at 3/8” (vs the 3/16” of standard airline).  It’s more expensive than airline tubing at around $10.00 for 10 feet, but worth it to corral floaters so much better.  I just ordered some tubing in black (which is even pricier than clear) to see how it looks in my 100 G angelfish tank.  I’d really like to put floaters in there (especially with my hatchetfish), but that tank is nearly always viewed from a seated position so I see the underside of the surface always, and I’d like the rings to NOT be the star of that show.  I’m hoping they are less obvious than the whitish, translucent ones since those pick up the light and glow a bit unless they’re very thoroughly covered by the floaters.  I’d like to do 2 rings, one with red root floaters for the color and one with frogbit to have long, luxurious roots for my hatchetfish, but this species (Thoracocharax stellatus, AKA spotfin hatchets), seems to be far bolder than most other hatchetfish I’ve had.

[Tanked]

On 5/20/2022 at 12:56 PM, Odd Duck said:

😆 No, but when I posted that pic on a Facebook page somebody said it looked like a volcano, so that became the name of that tank.  I don’t even have a ring in that one anymore and it looks very different now, but the name has stuck because of that rock (it’s petrified wood).  It does look very Close Encounters, too.  😆 

I have end connectors that I also ordered from Amazon when I ordered the tubing.  Pack of 10, I think it was.  I got some T connectors, too, but don’t use them nearly as much. I have used them to make 2 connected rings, like this:

 

The glowing ring, red roots and that fantastic piece of petrified wood just screamed Close Encounters of the Third Kind too me.  

I've tried those rings with airline tubing and clear silicone to make them as invisible as possible.  If I did not anchor them, they always drifted into the HOB and tipped.  I guess the larger diameter tubing and barbed fittings is the answer.  Thanks.

[Odd Duck]

On 5/21/2022 at 10:38 AM, Tanked said:

The glowing ring, red roots and that fantastic piece of petrified wood just screamed Close Encounters of the Third Kind too me.  

I've tried those rings with airline tubing and clear silicone to make them as invisible as possible.  If I did not anchor them, they always drifted into the HOB and tipped.  I guess the larger diameter tubing and barbed fittings is the answer.  Thanks.

I anchor them, too.  The anchor for the volcano/close encounters one just happens to be at the back of the tank for that volcano picture.  I would shift it around to let light down to different areas of the tank.  You can see the black suction cup just below the ring and to the right of the rock.

In the double ring pic, the tubing is around cords to hold the paired rings in place in the pic of the red root floaters from the top.  One heater cord in the left ring and a temp sensor in the right ring.

Edited May 21, 2022 by Odd Duck
Correction

[Bev C]

@Odd Duckthank you for the size of the tubing that size looks like it would hold them in better    i just ordered the black  from amazon   it was harder for me to find the the connector  i was not sure what they was called ,, with the  fish airline  tubing i have to make rings and they still escape specially the pennywort and plus I have had to take a straight piece with suction cups and under the middle black bar  front to back to keep them from my canister filter outtake  if the amazon frogbit stays  in the rings it is  easier to move them when you do maintenance

Edited May 22, 2022 by Bev C