Floating plants for aquariums: benefits and care

[goldminer]

That's duckweed, Lyuba. Grows incredibly fast, barely any effort needed. It'll cover the top of your tank in no time. Looks nice, in my opinion.

Duckweed's a hardy one, doesn't need a lot of light. It's a nutrient sink, grows fast because it's got a lot of nutrients in the water. If yours is growing like crazy, that's why.

[Koralin]

I've got a good balance of floating plants in my tank, some might say I've overdone it but I think I've got it just right.

I appreciate the info.

[Koralin]

I've got a good balance of floating plants in my tank, some might say I've overdone it but I think I've got it just right.

I've been out of commission for a while, got sick and didn't do much with my tank. Just fed my shrimps and betta, that's it. Didn't get around to making that filter contraption yet.

Today, I noticed my duckweed almost vanished. I'm wondering if it got sucked into the filter? It's still working fine, but I'm stumped.

How can I save what's left? I really like the way it looks in my tank. Or did my shrimps eat it? I feed them twice a day, so that seems weird.

Also, I have a question about my snail. If this isn't the right place to ask, please let me know where I should post it. I gave my snails some algae wafers on Tuesday, and now my big snail is covered in a bubble. I've had snails for a while, but I've never seen this before. Pic attached.

And to make things more confusing, I think I have a new snail in my tank. The pet store guy told me my snails don't reproduce in freshwater, so I'm not sure what's going on.

[flamberg]

I've got two things to say. First, you should totally put that duckweed in a separate container and make that contraption Nick showed you - it's a lifesaver. Second, I gotta advise you to cut back on the fish food, once a day is max. Overfeeding's a recipe for disaster, trust me - it can lead to ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite spikes. Now, I know plants can help absorb some of that, but still, it's better to be safe. As for the duckweed, I'm pretty sure your betta's the one munching on it, those guys love that stuff. Now, about that snail pic - I can see it okay, but a better pic would be awesome, if possible.

[sSjey]

That's duckweed, Lyuba. Grows incredibly fast, barely any effort needed. It'll cover the top of your tank in no time. Looks nice, in my opinion.

A slight correction - plants actually utilize ammonia, and if that's not available, they'll take up nitrate instead. They don't absorb nitrite at all.

[boomer]

That's duckweed, Lyuba. Grows incredibly fast, barely any effort needed. It'll cover the top of your tank in no time. Looks nice, in my opinion.

I agree with the general consensus, but I'd like to add some nuance to the discussion. While plants do prefer ammonium (ammonia) for synthesizing proteins and storing nitrogen, research suggests they may utilize nitrite under specific conditions.

Diana Walstad references a study in her book Ecology of the Planted Aquarium, which indicates that aquatic plants might turn to nitrite when ammonium is insufficient. However, this process involves converting nitrite back into ammonium, requiring additional energy.

One study on the duckweed species Spirodela oligorrhiza found that it took up nitrite in preference over nitrate when both were present. Nevertheless, as Walstad notes, there's limited data supporting the idea that plants generally take up nitrite over nitrate when ammonium is scarce.

It's essential to remember that plant fertilizers for aquarium use typically provide nitrogen as ammonium and/or nitrate. In most situations, plants will absorb available ammonium, making the uptake of nitrite/nitrate relatively insignificant. The Nitrospira bacteria play a more substantial role in this process.

While some plant species may prefer nitrate, I won't delve into that topic here. The key takeaway is that, although plants may use nitrite under certain conditions, it's not a reliable or significant process in the context of aquarium maintenance.

[novafx]

That's duckweed, Lyuba. Grows incredibly fast, barely any effort needed. It'll cover the top of your tank in no time. Looks nice, in my opinion.

I think feeding nano fish twice a day can be beneficial, but you need to keep the meals small. They should be able to consume the food quickly, without leaving any leftovers.

If you're having issues with ammonia, I'd recommend reducing the frequency of feedings and only increasing them slowly once the ammonia levels reach zero.

[flamberg]

In freshwater, I was just saying. I also have a saltwater tank with some blue green chromis - they've got super high metabolisms, so they need lots of little meals throughout the day, whenever possible.

[goldminer]

Nano fish have a higher metabolism compared to other fish, that's why they're different. They require more frequent feedings, but in very small amounts. It's not about how much you feed them, but how often.

[Koralin]

That's duckweed, Lyuba. Grows incredibly fast, barely any effort needed. It'll cover the top of your tank in no time. Looks nice, in my opinion.

Hi!! I have a baby betta named Boris and I was told that babies need to be fed twice a day. Boris always seems so hungry - he eats everything I give him and never leaves any leftovers. I tried to take another picture of my snail, but it's hiding again - here's the one I posted before. My water parameters are checked weekly and my tank is cycled, so everything seems stable. I'm going to try to save my duckweed - I really like how it looks in my tank.