Live Plants? Forget it.

[duanes]

I agree about getting plants from other keepers.
Most plants (and even fish) I got in the states, came from ACA/GCCA conventions, and weekends, local aquarium club auctions, swap meets, club meeings and the like.
During my last 10 years in the states, I don't think I entered a fish store more than once.

 

[tlindsey]

During my last 10 years in the states, I don't think I entered a fish store more than once

Wow

 

[Trouser Cough]

Wow

No kidding!

 

[FINWIN]

Forgot to mention even the hitchhiking snails are climbing out of the tanks at record pace. I keep picking them off the top glass, LOL Even found a few on the floor!

 

[cockroach]

Many of your plants grow fast. And that may be evolutionary due to their inherent deliciousness.
So you providing semi-vegetarians with the best greens they could hope for.
Try slower growing plants as mentioned.
I have had luck with many slower plants except in my leporinus tank as they will eat/shred anubius, pothos roots and all else sometimes seemingly just for the hell of it.
Val has worked for me for a short time and then just seems to peter out.

I am experimenting with growing potted aquarium plants. When they get big and need a trim, I pop them in the veg eating tanks and let them get a "natural buzz cut" then remove and regrow as a source of "live" food. This is where the sump duanes mentioned is an asset surpassing it's price. It also allows unrestricted growth on emersed plants to soak up nutrients.

This is when they were first planted and started growing. Cabomba should renamed to The Bomba. Grpows fast. In low or bright light. Floating, planted. In a sump, in a tank in a bowl.




You could also add smaller air Driven "refugiums" on your tanks wher plants grow. When crowded, trim and drop into tank for fish to munch on. Or sponge off an area to protect plants.

 

[FINWIN]

Update on the floating duckweed in my tanks

I've discovered hrps now eat duckweed . Lazarus' tank was covered in the stuff 3 weeks ago and now it's all vanished except for a few random pieces. That was the tank I harvested from! In the growout I've seen some of the babies eating it but not a lot. It's growing VERY well in the parrot tanks. So now I'll be using those as the harvest tanks!

I read somewhere that duckweed doesn't grow as fast in high flow. That seems to be my experience. High flow slows it down but it will take off eventually. Lazarus' tank had lower flow and it grew like crazy.

 

[duanes]

None of the floaters (duck weed, Salvinia, water lettuce) have ever grown well in my riverine high flow tanks, but done well in sumpss.
So always end up in sumps with low or dispersed flow situaltions.


And in sumps is where they seem most beneficial, where they suck up nitrates.
But its that way in nature, the plants I collect in Lake Gatun, are only found in oxbows and sheltered coves.

Any rivers with even a modicum of flow, are usually aquatic plant free, except for the terrestrials along the banks, and on islands.

But some plants seem to need and thrive in high flow situations.
Vallisneria and Cryptocorne have worked for high flow rheophillic tanks.

 

[OutbackJack]

I can attest to floating lettuce. Loved that stuff, kept my water parameters mint and grew prolifically. It was to the point that I was selling it on FB Marketplace and trading my LFS for fish food/etc. Decided to go with a wave maker so unfortunately, I don't grow it anymore. Though, I may switch back.

As far as Hornwort, I got a big bush of it in my aquarium. I haven't had it really disintegrate and cause a mess; except when I had to treat my aquarium for fungi infections. Turns out, it HATES salt.

Also, I bought a pack of those Petco aquarium plant bulbs. They were duds except one. Took it a few months to grow and I literally forgot I buried it in there until I saw some leaves poking out of the substrate. It's taken off since then, I think it's a Dwarf Aquarium Lily.