Hairgrass in your tank?

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AusPleco

Retired Staff
Oct 1, 2011
676
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Rural NSW
Hairgrass in your tank? err i mean duckweed

Just wondering how those with hairgrass in their tank find by way of look and the affects it has on removing ammonia?

I understand it grows like a plague so want to weigh up if its worth it or not
 
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jessonthenet

jessonthenet

Member
Oct 16, 2010
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Newcastle upon Tyne
AusPleco said:
Just wondering how those with hairgrass in their tank find by way of look and the affects it has on removing ammonia?

I understand it grows like a plague so want to weigh up if its worth it or not
Click to expand...
I think it looks lovely in iwagumi setups. You would rathe r it grow like a plague then struggle and look rubbish. I don't know how effective it is at removing ammonia compared to other plants.

You shouldn't really want to have plants to remove the ammonia. If it was present then I would look at why.
 
Ike

Ike

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Nov 9, 2011
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Phoenix, AZ
You really need Co2 to fully carpet these types of plants, and I wouldn't suggest adding plecos until the carpet is fully established or else it can be uprooted easily by adult plecos and cories. Beautiful stuff when fully carpeted though.

I find that floating plants such as duckweed and Frogbit are some of the best Nutrient sponges, Following them I'd say suspended plants like hornwort and Najas, then after that I'd place all other ornamental plants like hair grass. That's not to say they don't help because imo almost any plant helps reduce nitrates and nitrites. Converting the Ammonia is really more of the job of the beneficial bacteria in your filter.
 
Ike

Ike

Member
Nov 9, 2011
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Phoenix, AZ
This stuff behind my pleco is Hornwort:



It stays suspended in the water, or can be planted if you're careful.
 
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odie_88

Member
Feb 7, 2012
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sydney
I have the dwarf hairgrass and its quite nice and manageable. being shorted than normal HG I think its nicer too.. I guess if I have any complaints is that is hard to contain it from spreading across the tank... If I can re-plant it, I would use some barrier in the substrate to contain it so...
 
jessonthenet

jessonthenet

Member
Oct 16, 2010
723
0
16
Newcastle upon Tyne
AusPleco said:
Just wondering how those with hairgrass in their tank find by way of look and the affects it has on removing ammonia?

I understand it grows like a plague so want to weigh up if its worth it or not
Click to expand...
Duckweed is good at looking after my small tank and is hard to completely remove. Shrimp love the stuff and it can become a plague if left and will block light out completely. I remove a few nets full at every maintenance (at least once a fortnight). If I left it for a month it would of taken over. When I had riccia floating on the top as well the duckweed killed it off, riccia just couldn't compete.

Mine grows close to an 11 watt light in an open top tank and it must be perfect conditions for it even though I think it could grow under any. Hence a weed.

I gave some away to someone who said their oscars eat it. What I remove normally gets binned. Growing across the whole surface won't stop it it will just grow on top and underneath itself.

Just as well I use a HOB filter to oxygenate the water as normal filters wouldn't be able to move the surface very well.


I really think that if I removed the filter completely the duckweed would take care of the tank. I wont be doing that to find out just in case.
 
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odie_88

Member
Feb 7, 2012
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sydney
someone gave me duckweed 2 yrs ago, and I 'tried' to remove it the month after... I still get it from time to time in the tank...so hard to fully eradicate it....
Every week I'm finding new leaves...


If you really want a floating plant, try Amazon Frogbit instead... its bigger than duckweed and easier to remove if you decide not to have it anymore...
 
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