Duckweed removal

[Mattyd123]

After spending about 12 hours over the last 3 days staring at the top of my 6 tanks with a fine net and a surface skimmer i am in dire need of some inspiring stories of how you guys managed to beat your duckweed infestation! Any tips or tricks are appreciated

tanks look so much better and my hands aren’t covered in gunk every time i want to reach in and do anything. 

[JoeQ]

Small net, manual labor, stay on it! Be on the look out for anything that resembles a pumpkin seed, you might even consider buying an ehime skimmer! Good luck

Edit: meant to say small underdeveloped watermelon seed.

Edited September 30, 2023 by JoeQ
Added edit

[Tanked]

Installing Silver Dollars will elimnate the Duckweed and all of the other plants.  Increased water surface movement will discourage it.  Not exactly the cure you are looking for, but installing some type of floating ring enclosure could provide a window throgh the Duckweed.  

I haven't tried this, but occassionally increasing the light intensity for a few hours may sunburn the DW causing it to slow down. My project tant presently has a lot of bleached out DW.  The only change in the tank is raising the water level, bringing the plants closer to the LED lights.   I have burned submerged plants in the past by getting them too close to the lights.  Temperature was not an issue in either situatioon.

[Odd Duck]

On 9/30/2023 at 10:47 AM, Tanked said:

Installing Silver Dollars will elimnate the Duckweed and all of the other plants.

This may be why the duckweed is finally gone from my 75 G.  I’ve only had a little bit pop up in there off and on since it has very good surface agitation.  But I haven’t seen any in a few months.  My other plants are definitely suffering in there since the silver dollars have started to get some size.  The left end pot of well established Amazon swords got mowed down.  I would have hoped that they would actually eat it all, but no.  They apparently go for the bases of the leaves and leave the bulk of the leaf floating around for me to fetch out.  🤦🏻‍♀️ 

I knew it would likely happen eventually, but that’s a trade I’m willing to tolerate.  The fish will be fine since I have loads of emerse plants in the tank but it sure is annoying to find leaves floating around.  “You can take as much as you want but eat everything you put on your plate!  There are starving children out there who don’t get enough to eat.  Don’t waste food.” - I can still hear my mother saying this and I’m sure her mother said it to her.  😝 😂 🤣 

[Tanked]

On 9/30/2023 at 12:25 PM, Odd Duck said:

This may be why the duckweed is finally gone from my 75 G.  I’ve only had a little bit pop up in there off and on since it has very good surface agitation.  But I haven’t seen any in a few months.  My other plants are definitely suffering in there since the silver dollars have started to get some size.  The left end pot of well established Amazon swords got mowed down.  I would have hoped that they would actually eat it all, but no.  They apparently go for the bases of the leaves and leave the bulk of the leaf floating around for me to fetch out.  🤦🏻‍♀️ 

I knew it would likely happen eventually, but that’s a trade I’m willing to tolerate.  The fish will be fine since I have loads of emerse plants in the tank but it sure is annoying to find leaves floating around.  “You can take as much as you want but eat everything you put on your plate!  There are starving children out there who don’t get enough to eat.  Don’t waste food.” - I can still hear my mother saying this and I’m sure her mother said it to her.  😝 😂 🤣 

Last summer I introduced wild Duckweed behind a grate in one of the tanks.  This was an experiment to create a self sustaining food source.  Fail!  Yesterday I broke another rule and introduced Duckweed to the TFBs.  I expect the same results.  Both of those fish will eat DW, BBA, plant trimmings any plant matter. 

 I offered to donate my plate of peas and carrots to those starving children.  Mom wasn't having it.  Likely a reason why I speed eat today.