# Floating Plant to Combat Algae?



## jrill (Nov 20, 2013)

Well, if too much light is the problem then yes.


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## Okedokey (Sep 2, 2014)

Turn the lighting down?


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## dcutl002 (Apr 8, 2014)

Pictures?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## latchdan (Sep 7, 2007)

I have floating plants riccia and frogbit, neither seem to help with my algae problem... co2 and ferts are non limiting so seems light has the only factor... tons of algae... still


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## tamsin (Jan 12, 2011)

Yep, works for me. It will depend how bright your light is and how much you let the floating plants cover. They need to physically limit the light going into the tank, so one bit whizzing around in the current won't make much difference.

Anything that blocks light will work so you can stick a piece of paper on your cover glass or tape over an LED. Raising the light also works, using a dimmer or just reducing the light period.


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## BBradbury (Nov 8, 2010)

*Algae Controlling Plant*

Hello Ste...

The floating plant you're looking for is Anacharis also called Brazilian water weed, Ditch moss, Common elodea, etc. A fast grower because it floats and all the plant has access to the light source. It's undemanding about water temps, but will block out the light to plants under it. Anubias, mosses and Java fern are unaffected, so you can have these living under this floater.

Anaharis gives off a mild antibiotic that's toxic to most forms of algae and uses dissolved nutrients so fast, that algae isn't able to get established in the tank. Get this plant going and allow it to get large enough and you'll have few, if any algae problems.

B


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## sleepswithdafishez (May 23, 2013)

BBradbury said:


> Hello Ste...
> 
> The floating plant you're looking for is Anacharis also called Brazilian water weed, Ditch moss, Common elodea, etc. A fast grower because it floats and all the plant has access to the light source. It's undemanding about water temps, but will block out the light to plants under it. Anubias, mosses and Java fern are unaffected, so you can have these living under this floater.
> 
> ...


Sorry to hijack ,but ,is Anacharis a nutrient hog ,if left floating?Being closer to the light ,wouldn't it outcompete the other plants for nutrients ,leading to other issues?


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## BBradbury (Nov 8, 2010)

*Anacharis*

Hello sleeps...

Floating plants are fast users of dissolved nutrients because they take food in through the leaves instead of the roots, like plants that must go into the bottom material. Algae processes nutrients at a slower rate, so floaters will tend to starve out most of the algae. When I set up a tank, I introduce as much Anacharis as possible, so algae is never able to start up.

The problem with having a lot of a floating plant, is you can't have much else besides low light plants on the bottom, because so much light is blocked. I keep Java fern, most of the mosses like Christmas and Singapore and Anubias nana and nangi. These grow fine in low or filtered light.

B


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## sleepswithdafishez (May 23, 2013)

BBradbury said:


> Hello sleeps...
> 
> Floating plants are fast users of dissolved nutrients because they take food in through the leaves instead of the roots, like plants that must go into the bottom material. Algae processes nutrients at a slower rate, so floaters will tend to starve out most of the algae. When I set up a tank, I introduce as much Anacharis as possible, so algae is never able to start up.
> 
> ...


Thanks Brad...
First of all ,since Stelt started this thread ,I would like to suggest him Najas Guadelupensis......although not a surface floating plant ,it is also a fast grower ,used mostly in breeder tanks.Difficult to keep it in place though ,as it "drifts"in mid water and shoots down long white roots.It breaks down easily if disturbed and segments go all over the place.I keep it in a 6g shrimp tank ,they love climbing on it.

Thanks for the Anacharis idea ,I didn't know about the mild antibiotic which helps to combat algae.
I'm gonna float some in a corner above my anubias.
I have a Dwarf Gourami pair ,and the male would always build a nest there ,when I used to float some water wisteria.The wisteria never lasted in any of my tanks ,whether floating or planted ,always turned brown.Gonna try some Anacharis ,to make him happy.


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