Growing Your Own Floating Plants

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I’m tired of spending money on floating plants. Would it be possible to have a plant only tank to grow my own floating plants in? If so, what’s the smallest tank I could do this in and what would I need to feed the plants? I have a 5 gallon empty at the moment. Could anything grow in that? Would I need to clean the tank and could an LED light lid work? Could I use a large tote and grow plants on the patio? Best floating plant to try. I’m wanting to do be able to use this tank as my grow tank and be able to grab from it for the fish as needed. Suggestions?
 
I assume you want floating plants for your goldfish to eat?

Just set up some large plastic tubs outside in the sun or under part shade. If it gets really hot in summer then have them under shade cloth during the middle of the day. Fill them with tap water (you only need 6-12 inches of water) and add some garden fertiliser (1 level tablespoon of granular fertiliser per 20 litres/ 5 gallons of water). Stir it up and add some plants. The water will go green and soupy but the plants will also grow.
Any floating plants will grow outdoors, including Water Sprite, Duckeed, Azolla, Water Lettuce, Water Hyacinth, Salvinia.

You can grow Water Sprite and Duckweed in the small tank under LEDs. If there's no fish or shrimp in the tank, add garden fertiliser at the same dose rate mentioned above.

You can either drain the tank/ plastic containers every week or two and refill them with clean water and more fertiliser, or just add a half dose of fertiliser every 2 weeks. If the plants are growing really well, then you can add a half dose of fertiliser each week.

If you don't rinse the containers out and refill them each week, you will probably get lots of insect larvae in the water (mozzies and bloodworms) and these can be fed to the fish. You should watch for dragonflies, if they are hanging around the containers, they might lay eggs and you might get dragonfly larvae in the containers. They will eat small fish so check plants before adding to a tank with small fish or shrimp in.
 
That is a good idea! For me, I have internal filters, so I really can’t grow duckweed. How do you make more plants out of one Water Sprite? Or can you? Like can you trim it, and it will grow more plants? :)
 
Water Sprite produces little baby plants that come off the leaves by themselves. You get one plant and within a month you will have a bunch of babies plus the bigger original plant.

Under ideal conditions, Water Sprite can grow to 2 foot+ in diameter and have roots that are 18 inches long.
 
Whenever I remove any water sprite because it is looking old, I always check it and and remove the baby plants, which go back into the tank.
 
Ok, thank you! I am looking into getting a water sprite, are they ideal for a betta tank? :)
 
I've got some in mine. It will grow pretty big as Colin said but by the time it starts to take over there should be plenty of baby plants.
 
I assume you want floating plants for your goldfish to eat?

Just set up some large plastic tubs outside in the sun or under part shade. If it gets really hot in summer then have them under shade cloth during the middle of the day. Fill them with tap water (you only need 6-12 inches of water) and add some garden fertiliser (1 level tablespoon of granular fertiliser per 20 litres/ 5 gallons of water). Stir it up and add some plants. The water will go green and soupy but the plants will also grow.
Any floating plants will grow outdoors, including Water Sprite, Duckeed, Azolla, Water Lettuce, Water Hyacinth, Salvinia.

You can grow Water Sprite and Duckweed in the small tank under LEDs. If there's no fish or shrimp in the tank, add garden fertiliser at the same dose rate mentioned above.

You can either drain the tank/ plastic containers every week or two and refill them with clean water and more fertiliser, or just add a half dose of fertiliser every 2 weeks. If the plants are growing really well, then you can add a half dose of fertiliser each week.

If you don't rinse the containers out and refill them each week, you will probably get lots of insect larvae in the water (mozzies and bloodworms) and these can be fed to the fish. You should watch for dragonflies, if they are hanging around the containers, they might lay eggs and you might get dragonfly larvae in the containers. They will eat small fish so check plants before adding to a tank with small fish or shrimp in.
Thanks! Great info.
 
Water Sprite is the best floating plant for Bettas and Livebearers. It has lots of roots for micro-organisms to grow on and baby fish feed on these. The plant has loads of branches that provide heaps of hiding places for adult and baby fish.
 
So Water sprite is kind of like duckweed? (As far as reproduction goes?) :)
 
Me and my black thumb had no luck with Water Sprite. It died. Funny, my flower garden is beautiful and all of my fingers are green there. Aquatic plants just kill me though.
 
OK, I set my water garden up as instructed by @Colin T. Grow babies, grow! See Colin...I do listen to you...sometimes.
 
Could I setup a duckweed “farm” the same way @Colin_T? I have a huge pool, that stopped working like 2 years ago, and it has a lot of tadpoles in it. Could I put a little bit of duckweed in it, and will it grow? Or would I be better suited in a clean, 25lb kitty litter container? (Plastic) :)

(And by “Garden Fertilizer”, what do you mean? Is it a liquid, or a small pieces of minerals? Please include a picture, or a link!] :)
 
Could I setup a duckweed “farm” the same way @Colin_T? I have a huge pool, that stopped working like 2 years ago, and it has a lot of tadpoles in it. Could I put a little bit of duckweed in it, and will it grow? Or would I be better suited in a clean, 25lb kitty litter container? (Plastic) :)

(And by “Garden Fertilizer”, what do you mean? Is it a liquid, or a small pieces of minerals? Please include a picture, or a link!] :)
A huge pool that quit working? We found a place for all of those comet goldfish that people need ponds for? Just send them to PheonixKingZ!!!
 

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