What plants can grow under Duckweed

[Moz]

Hi All! Hope this message reaches Everyone well.

I bought some Duckweed a couple of weeks ago, and it's multiplying pretty fast. I have it in a floating ring. Furthermore, I was wondering what plants grow well under Duckweed since it will block some light coming from the hood, if I would remove it from the floating ring?

Thank you!

-Moz

[Tony s]

Any kind of low light plant should be good. For sure anubias, Java fern/moss. Most crypts. Buce .

if it gets out of hand , i’d put in an air stone. It can slow gas exchange at the surface.

[Pepere]

On 3/15/2024 at 8:59 PM, Moz said:

I bought some Duckweed a couple of weeks ago

I always marvel when I read of someone having spent money to get duckweed.

In the past 2 years I have never bought it but have worked at eliminating it from a tank or two at a time at least 4 times… once was the incredibly pernicious super tiny version of it…Wolfweed iirc…or wolfia or some such name…. The stuff just mysteriously shows up in a tank…. It is almost enough to think the stuff mysteriously spontaneously generates itself into life…. Or floats in on air currents…

I wonder how anyone can sleep at night, having charged money to someone selling it to them….

[Jeff]

I agree with @Tony s  More than you think. 
 

Practically any plant that ACO sells on their site. I've had Frogbit and Duckweed as my floaters, and still had Dwarf Hairgrass, Crypts, Pogostemus Stellatus Octopus, Anubias, Vallasenaria, etc all grow. The list goes on. 
 

The key, is having a light, where you can dim or intensify the brightness. 
 

With that said, I would HIGHLY recommend the ACO light. It's the best light on the market, and practically indestructible. Go watch Cory's video from yesterday - you'll laugh and be impressed by it all at the same time. 

[Moz]

Thank you! Appreciate your advice!

On 3/15/2024 at 11:08 PM, Tony s said:

Any kind of low light plant should be good. For sure anubias, Java fern/moss. Most crypts. Buce .

if it gets out of hand , i’d put in an air stone. It can slow gas exchange at the surface.

Awesome thanks for the advice!

[Bsquared]

On 3/15/2024 at 8:08 PM, Tony s said:

Any kind of low light plant should be good. For sure anubias, Java fern/moss. Most crypts. Buce .

if it gets out of hand , i’d put in an air stone. It can slow gas exchange at the surface.

Definitely agree about an air stone if the surface starts to get too covered. It depends on your stocking level of course but if you have a decent amount of fish in the tank you want to make sure your no inhibiting any gas exchange and that there is plenty of oxygen in the water

[Bsquared]

On 3/15/2024 at 8:08 PM, Tony s said:

Any kind of low light plant should be good. For sure anubias, Java fern/moss. Most crypts. Buce .

if it gets out of hand , i’d put in an air stone. It can slow gas exchange at the surface.

Definitely agree about an air stone if the surface starts to get too covered. It depends on your stocking level of course but if you have a decent amount of fish in the tank you want to make sure your no inhibiting any gas exchange and that there is plenty of oxygen in the water

[TJ _isme]

All low light plants can grow under duckweed, I have some Java fern and Amazon sword and a few compact swords under the duckweed and it grows well

[gardenman]

If duckweed becomes a problem (and it typically does become a problem) a few modifications to a cheap (under $20) surface skimmer can turn the surface skimmer into a duckweed-eating monster that will clear the tank of duckweed. Widening the openings in the surface skimmer to make them large enough for duckweed to go in will have it keeping the surface of the tank clean. If any duckweed comes back, another go-round with the surface skimmer should remove it.