# Floating plants to combat algae growth



## Daisy Mae (Jun 21, 2015)

My current favorite is salvinia minima. 

Pros- short roots, fluffy, grows fast, no problem with water flow
Cons- grows fast (I remove almost half the mass weekly but it's easy enough), the older roots get darker (probably because they filter out gunk). So I try to pick off the older plants during weeding time.


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## bassbuster23 (Jan 7, 2008)

Daisy Mae said:


> My current favorite is salvinia minima.
> 
> Pros- short roots, fluffy, grows fast, no problem with water flow
> Cons- grows fast (I remove almost half the mass weekly but it's easy enough), the older roots get darker (probably because they filter out gunk). So I try to pick off the older plants during weeding time.


Is this the same thing as frogbit? I would need a plant that isn't too particular with surface flow because I run a canister filter and a HOB filter that generates some current at the surface.


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## Daisy Mae (Jun 21, 2015)

No it is not. I think the common name is water spangles but don't quote me on that. 

Frogbit is Limnobium laevigatum. 

I have frogbit too but in my experience it is fussy which is too bad, most people here say it's ok for them. The ones I have develop long roots. It's ok in a gallon vase with an air stone for circulation. Also ok in another tank with good flow, but I keep it corralled using air line tubing. Long roots though, the longest I've seen in my tank was close to ten inches. I just trimmed it.


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## randym (Sep 20, 2015)

Second the recommendation of salvinia. Avoid duck weed. It's the worst (almost impossible to get rid of). 

You could also use water sprite, which you already have. It likes to float.


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## Raymond S. (Dec 29, 2012)

+1 for salvinia minima. 
I use Dwarf Water Lettuce but I don't know how a HOB would fit/w it.
But a piece of air line around the filter would stop it from water pouring down on it.


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## bassbuster23 (Jan 7, 2008)

Daisy Mae said:


> No it is not. I think the common name is water spangles but don't quote me on that.
> 
> Frogbit is Limnobium laevigatum.
> 
> I have frogbit too but in my experience it is fussy which is too bad, most people here say it's ok for them. The ones I have develop long roots. It's ok in a gallon vase with an air stone for circulation. Also ok in another tank with good flow, but I keep it corralled using air line tubing. Long roots though, the longest I've seen in my tank was close to ten inches. I just trimmed it.





randym said:


> Second the recommendation of salvinia. Avoid duck weed. It's the worst (almost impossible to get rid of).
> 
> You could also use water sprite, which you already have. It likes to float.





Raymond S. said:


> +1 for salvinia minima.
> I use Dwarf Water Lettuce but I don't know how a HOB would fit/w it.
> But a piece of air line around the filter would stop it from water pouring down on it.


Looks like salvinia minima is the popular choice....so I believe I'll give that a shot!

Questions regarding salvinia. Where can I buy it? What is your lighting schedule using a floating plant? Have you had to increase or decrease lights as this floater starts covering your tank?


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## randym (Sep 20, 2015)

People sell it in the For Sale forum. You can also order it online at various sites. It's pretty cheap at Fleabay.

If it starts to shade your tank too much, remove some.


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## bassbuster23 (Jan 7, 2008)

randym said:


> People sell it in the For Sale forum. You can also order it online at various sites. It's pretty cheap at Fleabay.
> 
> If it starts to shade your tank too much, remove some.


I'll start looking for some then!


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## Daisy Mae (Jun 21, 2015)

All my tanks that have a 6-8 hour lighting period. Low to medium light, all are low tech with a little fert plus excel dosed after WC. 

I didn't change any of the lighting to accommodate footing plants. Like @randym stated, just remove some when it starts to get too thick. 

I just bummed some salvinia from the LFS when I bought a couple fish. Small handful quickly grew.


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## bassbuster23 (Jan 7, 2008)

Daisy Mae said:


> All my tanks that have a 6-8 hour lighting period. Low to medium light, all are low tech with a little fert plus excel dosed after WC.
> 
> I didn't change any of the lighting to accommodate footing plants. Like @randym stated, just remove some when it starts to get too thick.
> 
> I just bummed some salvinia from the LFS when I bought a couple fish. Small handful quickly grew.


 @Daisy Mae....do any of your tanks use a HOB filter? If so, how do you keep the floaters from getting undertowed all throughout your tank?


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## HDBenson (Jan 26, 2015)

I have Salvinia minima. like Daisy said I have to pull handfuls ever few weeks if your interested.


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## Daisy Mae (Jun 21, 2015)

bassbuster23 said:


> @Daisy Mae....do any of your tanks use a HOB filter? If so, how do you keep the floaters from getting undertowed all throughout your tank?


Yes, one of them has a HOB. 
I used an air line tubing, converted to a circle to corral the plants. 
If you use a T-junction, you can even anchor it to the glass using an air line tubing suction cup.

Another option is to use the tubing to crate a barrier near the HOB. The plants can free float everywhere else, but will bump up and not go beyond the tubing.

See here 
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/33-plants/941058-floaters-reduce-light.html#post8426634


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## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

I love salvinia minima, use it in most of my tanks. Doesn't have issues with condensation and doesn't get burnt by the light.
Some old photos from one of my betta tanks
above view


below view


close up of leaf texture


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## bassbuster23 (Jan 7, 2008)

Daisy Mae said:


> Yes, one of them has a HOB.
> I used an air line tubing, converted to a circle to corral the plants.
> If you use a T-junction, you can even anchor it to the glass using an air line tubing suction cup.
> 
> ...


That looks like a great idea! Does the tubing float?



AquaAurora said:


> I love salvinia minima, use it in most of my tanks. Doesn't have issues with condensation and doesn't get burnt by the light.
> Some old photos from one of my betta tanks
> above view
> 
> ...


Great pics, Aurora!


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## Daisy Mae (Jun 21, 2015)

Yes, the tubing floats as long as you seal off the ends, either with airline tubing connectors, or a piece of drinking straw.


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## bassbuster23 (Jan 7, 2008)

HDBenson said:


> I have Salvinia minima. like Daisy said I have to pull handfuls ever few weeks if your interested.


Yes, HD....I'm interested in getting some of this plant.



Daisy Mae said:


> Yes, the tubing floats as long as you seal off the ends, either with airline tubing connectors, or a piece of drinking straw.


Alrighty, Daisy.....I'll start figuring out how I want to block off the HOB & gather up my supplies.


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## HDBenson (Jan 26, 2015)

@bassbuster23 PMd you


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## bassbuster23 (Jan 7, 2008)

HDBenson said:


> @bassbuster23 PMd you


I haven't received it yet. Maybe the server is slow today???


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## bassbuster23 (Jan 7, 2008)

As I'm thinking about this, another question comes to mind. If you have blocked off part of your tank to keep floaters out of the HOB outflow, what happens during water changes? Do you simply unplug the HOB filter until after the water change?


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## Biznatch (Mar 26, 2005)

bassbuster23 said:


> As I'm thinking about this, another question comes to mind. If you have blocked off part of your tank to keep floaters out of the HOB outflow, what happens during water changes? Do you simply unplug the HOB filter until after the water change?


I always shut off filters during water changes regardless to avoid splashing.


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## bassbuster23 (Jan 7, 2008)

Biznatch said:


> I always shut off filters during water changes regardless to avoid splashing.


I've never done that, but it seems to be a good idea.


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