Are My Floating Plants Stopping Light Getting To My Other Plants?

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Ilikefishes

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Hi everyone, I am new to planted tropical tanks and need your help. I have added different plants over the last few weeks. First some Java fern and moss, then some vallis and last week some amazon sword. I also added some floating plants (duckweed) about 2 weeks ago. The vallis doesn't look that healthy - the reeds look damaged like you could easily break them up and now the amazon sword is going paler and brown and developing holes in it.

Do you think the floating plant is taking all the light from them. The duckweed does cover about half of the top, and moves around depending on which direction the water pump is going, and also whenever I turn on the air pump it will move to a different place.

What do you think? I really would like to keep these plants alive as they look great.
 
No the tank is still bright with the lights turned on, as the floating plants does not solidly cover the top. Was wondering if anyone else has used this plant or something similar and had this happen?
 
I'd try to get a different floating plant, like Amazon Frogbit, or Salvinia; Duckweed can be VERY difficult to get rid of if you ever want a change and you'll have to make sure you get rid of every single bit of it.
 
Hi - the tank is a 180litre Juwel vision:

11072009064.jpg


I will probably try adding the nutrients and see how it goes, and then move onto co2 if I have no luck.
 
I'll be fully honest I think Vallis is a pain!!!

It always looked like it was on the verge of dying but then it eventually sprouted up. I read that you should pluck of the dead or dying leaves: my plant had a few that were literally detached from the roots completely.

And I agree with Geoff1991: co2 is a must! I haven't started using ferts yet....won't need to for a little while at least thats what I was told...
 
The Vallis is actually sprouting small new plants all around the main bunch. These do look really healthly but then most of the tall ones look terrible. I am looking for a simplier method than co2 - like adding nutrients every now and then. I am sure Ive read about people having nice planted tanks with any co2 and nutrients.
 

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