# floating plant help????



## bigred35 (Apr 25, 2012)

ok i am looking for any good ideas on a floating plant for my tank... i thought of this one.. but not sure i can find it in my area...Hyacinth... and i wanted to try and find something better than just a lilly...

hope to get replys this time..lol lol


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

How big a floater, duckweed size?, water lettuce size?... Take a look...
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/sale-trade/85464-nano-macro-5-floating-plants-mix.html


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## bigred35 (Apr 25, 2012)

ok cool thanks for the info.. i wil have to check around my area..


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## totziens (Jun 28, 2008)

Beware of too many floating plants blocking the light from the plants at the bottom of the tank.


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## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

Floating aquatic plants:
Many of them float flat or almost flat in the tank:
Duckweed: Note the word weed in its name. It can become invasive in your tank. Easy to control, to a point, just scoop out as much as you want whenever you want. 
Salvinia: An aquatic fern. Not allowed in California. Some species grow so fast they can block water ways. 
Frogbit: I think there are at least 2 species that use this common name. One is more of a potential pest than the other. Good choice in the aquarium. 
Azolla: A symbiot between a fern and a cyanobacteria. Needs high light. Often seen growing in a pond, or calm areas in a stream, such as among cat tails. It is growing in my tanks in a greenhouse, high light. Can turn red in more light. 

Some plants grow taller, and need an open aquarium. 
There are several species of floating fern that work well.
Water lettuce is not permitted for sale in California, though it can still be found in hobby clubs. It does not like drops of water on its leaves. In aquariums with low light it tends to stay flat, and only 2-3 leaves. When grown properly (a lot more light) it will grow almost a head like loose leaf lettuce, but more open. Reproduces with runners, and can very quickly fill a small pond. 
Water Hyacinth: Grows wild in the Delta, take a drive and go help yourself. Needs high light, and grows about a foot above the water surface. VERY showy flowers. 

Some plants grow as long runners, a little above the water, some below the water, and may hang out over the side of the tank. 
Parrot Feather (Myriophyllum) get the dwarf if you can find it. Stays more compact. This one can cover the surface of a pond. 
Pennywort (Hydrocotyle) is not really a floater, but more of a stem that keeps on going. In one of my tanks it is making laps around the top, a bit below and some above the water surface. In another tank it made one long stem, crawled out of the tank and hung down and produced flowers (unimpressive little blobs)

If you get any of the weed-like fast growing plants and cannot share them with responsible people dispose of them properly, such as composting them. Take measures to be absolutely certain they do not end up in our water ways. 

There is a very good aquatic plant club in Sacramento. I am a member of a club in the SF Bay Area, and once in a while (less than once a year) we get together with them. Nice fish stores in that area, too!


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## bigred35 (Apr 25, 2012)

wow lots of info thanks...

to give you and idea i have a 150 gal... i have hafe the tops open on each side... i have made a square off holding area in each section that the plants will stay in... i used air tubing and things so it floats a bit.. i also have one in front of my over flow so it dont get blocked.(4in away from it)...

what gave me the idea of a floating plant was this one i saw.. but not sure i will be able to find it so was looking for something like it or better..*Hyacinth*..

i dont mind it hanging out the tank at all..

@Diana ya i saw they(sacramento) had a forum but it seems dead...


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## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

Most of the forums for the local clubs are not very active. A site that is worldwide has a lot more members. 

Water Hyacinth has a hard time growing indoors. Not enough light. If you aimed a spotlight with a plant-specific bulb right at it that would help. They grow in full sun in my garden and in the Delta. I do not know if they have made a success of any of the rivers in Sacramento. But a little bit downstream, yes. There are sloughs that are blocked with them, cannot see the water through them.


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## fletch616 (Sep 14, 2011)

If you have high lighting go with this...just buy one.. believe me only one..large water lettuce..under high light they turn into this...see attached photo..they look amazing


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