Have You Tried Dwarf Water Lettuce?

[10 Tanks]

Hello TFF. Have some Dwarf Water Lettuce going in this 50 gallon tank. It's a perfect plant for hiding fry from adult fish and does a good job of filtering the nitrogen from the tank water. Add to that some Chinese Evergreen and you have extra clean tank water. The water lettuce is such a fast growing plant and needs only florescent light. I use a two bulb strip light typically no more than 30 to 40 watts per bulb and 6500K in the the outdoor daylight range, or whatever you can get at the local hardware store. The only problem with the Dwarf Water Lettuce is that it grows fast and really outgrows the name "dwarf". Here's a photo of the two plants in the 50 gallon tank.

10

 

[Ram419]

I've had some in my small pond in the back yard in the past, definitely overtook the surface. The do the same thing that frogbit does, throws runner stems out to grow a new plant.

 

[Back in the fold]

Very interesting .

 

[MuddyWaters]

Pretty leaves-

Only floater I have are red root floaters. I thought it would start really taking off, but so far it has not. Plus I'm not getting the red roots like I thought I would.

I have really soft water, so I'm having to up the dKH to get the CO2 to come on. I can get a PH of 6.6 or less without using very much CO2 at all. It's fine for my fish, but the plants really need the CO2. I started adding Potassium Carbonate (or whatever that concoction is). Ran through the bottle quickly. I've ordered a larger container of it- hopefully that'll help- it'll get here after Christmas..... well, that's tomorrow LOL so it'll be here soon.

I guess I could use baking soda. Also planning to add some crushed coral to the filter when I clean it. Well, that got way off your topic, 10 tanks LOL- anyway- your plants are very pretty- wonder if the flat leaf'ed ones would work under glass lids? I don't like super-long roots, though- that's why I like those red-root floaters- short roots.

 

[BrianK]

I have dwarf lettuce and red root floaters in several tanks. I am tossing about half of both every week because it grows so fast. Must be doing a good job in the tanks as the nitrates and nitrites always come out zero even with the fertilizer.

 

[MuddyWaters]

I am tossing about half of both every week because it grows so fast.

Hopefully mine will catch on like that- it's a pretty new setup, so I'm still tweaking lighting, fertilizer, etc. I'd like to have the issue of needing to throw some out LOL. I do see new ones growing, but certainly not yet at the rate you describe. knock on wood, I'll get there. ...maybe I should be careful what I wish for though....

 

[BrianK]

Hopefully mine will catch on like that- it's a pretty new setup, so I'm still tweaking lighting, fertilizer, etc. I'd like to have the issue of needing to throw some out LOL. I do see new ones growing, but certainly not yet at the rate you describe. knock on wood, I'll get there. ...maybe I should be careful what I wish for though....

relatively still water and lots of light