# best floater for a nano tank?



## jbrady33 (Jun 7, 2012)

My 3 gallon might have a little too much light, if I decide to try a floater, which one would be best? Not duckweed 

I think frogbit has the potential for little white flowers, do any of the others?


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## TWINSCREWED (Nov 21, 2011)

Red root floater is nice.


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## Borikuan (Jun 4, 2012)

I had floaters in my 2.5s and hated it. It goes everywhere when you do maintenance, and the filters tosses the stuff all over. Love the look, hate the mess. Unless you have very or little surface agitation, I suggest raising you light or downgrading. I had a very very cheap clip on lights on my nanos and I am growing HC in one of them succesfully. I still cant believe it.


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## Trickerie (May 10, 2012)

Ive got dwarf water lettuce on top of my 2.5 shrimp tank  Works really great


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## Knotyoureality (Aug 3, 2012)

Frogbit, redroot floaters, dwarf water lettuce or one of the salvinias. They're all large enough plants that it's easy to pull the excess and fast growers.


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## acitydweller (Dec 28, 2011)

Frogbit is okay but once the leaves are damaged through yellowing or necrosis, you will eventually lose the leaf. it is also easily upset if inverted underwater where the leaves wont grow flat but start curling, making the plant look more like a ball.

Red root floaters have a very thin cell structure so they are easily upset by heat, being flipped upside down or submerged. They also only turn red under high light.

Salvinia has the similar vine growth like RRF but also gets upset when turned over or submerged. If your tank is fairly peaceful and not aggitated, you will see beautiful furry leaves that will extend like a grapes along a vine. very pretty if your tank surface is stagnant.

Dwarf water lettuce as its the most durable. The long roots make it easy to control (unlike duckweed) and you visually will see the condition of the tank by the length of the roots as it will extend its roots to soak up nitrates. IMHO, the best of the ones forementioned so far. If there is sufficient nutrients in the water, the leaves will remain relatively small like a cauliflower. If the plant is hungry, the leaves and plant will continue to extend and grow up to 4x its size. Ive had varieties planted in water barrels outside with soil bottoms, in water containers and indoors and see the variety of shapes from the same plant. This is certainly an interesting morphing plant.


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## SpecGrrl (Jul 26, 2012)

I love dwarf water lettuce!

So if the roots are growing, it's time to dose?

But I have shrimpies and I don't want to hurt them!


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## acitydweller (Dec 28, 2011)

as long as your DWL is green and furry, you shouldnt need to add any ferts. They only get really upset if submerged for an extended period of time, or if repeatedly run under water (like caught under the HOB) or if there's insufficient light. These are the proverbial low maintenance plants.

Oddly, if the light source is low, these guys will actually shrink. these are fast growers so they change over a day or two. its just amazing.

if you want to experiment, try putting a plant in a cup with water and dirt by the window. you'll see what i mean.


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## Monster Fish (Mar 15, 2011)

Personal experiences of mine:

Duck weed: Great nitrate remover. Gets all over your hands and the other plants when putting your hand in the tank. PITA to eradicate. The best way IME to kill it off in a tank is to add surface agitation.

Giant Duckweed: Same as Duckweed but it gets a bit larger. Not too bad to get rid of. Leaves get the size of a BB when given plenty of light. The undersides turn red with high light as well.

Azolla: I think this stuff is worse than duckweed IMO. Turns red under high light.

Amazon Frogbit: Awesome plant. The leaves can grow larger than a quarter and mother plants can get as wide as the palm of your hand. Will grow super-long roots if the water column is lacking in nutrients.

Dwarf Water Lettuce: Another good plant. Has a nice looking root system. Will stay small if given less light. High light will make it explode in size. Like the frogbit, it will grow longer roots if there are no nutrients in the water.

Hygroryza aristata: aka Asian Watergrass. I recently started growing this plant. It kinda looks like corn. Grows roots like DWL and can tolerate some current. Easily removed since it's leaves grow from a single stem.

I currently have DWL, frogbit, both types of duckweed, and the Hygroryza aristata growing in the same tank.


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## jbrady33 (Jun 7, 2012)

Would Dwarf water lettuce be ok with some surface agitation? (HOB filter outflow)


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## Monster Fish (Mar 15, 2011)

jbrady33 said:


> Would Dwarf water lettuce be ok with some surface agitation? (HOB filter outflow)


If you kept the water level up, it might work. Though if you start with a decent amount of DWL, adjacent plants would keep the others from getting pushed around.


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## acitydweller (Dec 28, 2011)

My current floater ratio is 70% DWL, 10%frogbit, 10%salvinia 7% large duckweed & 3% duckweed.
If you come out next wed or our next meet in the city (first sunday in nov) i'll give you a few baggies worth to start your own colony.

i think azolla is only suitable in ponds or potted setups. awesome for blocking out egg laying mosquitos in water pots outdoors but its a completely different story in an aquarium.


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## jbrady33 (Jun 7, 2012)

Thanks for the offer, but that would be quite a drive! I live in Maryland


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## ADJAquariums (Jul 5, 2012)

Watter lettuce but you cant beat good ol duckweed


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## Tad (Oct 2, 2012)

*looking for duckweed starts*

New, I am interested in find a source for duckweed minor. NE Florida. I want to start it in a tank, for transfer to our pond.

Thanks


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## jbrady33 (Jun 7, 2012)

Tad - if no one answered you yet, check the WTB/RAOK room on this board. The stuff grows so fast that there is at least one person a week on there giving away a baggie full for just the cost of shipping.

post a thread there "WTB duckweed", you should get plenty of responses. Be sure you really want it, once it hits that pond you will never get rid of it


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## pandamonium (May 14, 2012)

Dwarf water lettuce is great and the roots don't get as long as frogbit roots do. I put some frogbit in my roommates nano tank and the roots grew into the substrate! The DWL stayed pretty near the top and good looking


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