[qwiksilvertrav]

Well I've finally ran into my first algae problem..well I *think* this is algae. Anyways it's a simple clover looking lilipad that floats on the top of the surface and muliply quickly. If I leave the tank untouched for about 5 days the entire surface of the water is covered in mini clovers and blocking out a lot of light for the plants below.
What the heck are these things? I'm really really getting tired of scooping them out constantly.
I have pressurized C02 and keep the tank at about 40ppm.
I dose regularly and also dose excel every few days.

 

[zzyzx85]

sounds like duckweed. Are they light green/yellowish, usually have 2 "petals" with a stem hanging down below? If so, duckweed.

hahaha, it almost is like an algae. Can be a pest.

 

[kyle3]

yep I'll second duckweed.

It's a pest most of us scoop it out of the tank weekly.

I will say tho that when I've had streaks of laziness(not fertalizing, not keeping up with DIY CO2, etc.) i think the duckweed helps prevent algae b/c it blocks light and takes up excess nutrients that would otherwise be taken advantage of by a host of much more troublesome algae-s.

cheers-K

 

[mumushummus]

duckweed rules! my fish like it! the pomaceas also....

 

[elihanover]

Congrats! You are the proud parent of what sounds like Duckweed.

 

[Spork]

Get a fish that will eat it, thats the only way to get rid of it unless you scoop every day until it is gone, and even then...it will come back some how.

 

[anastasisariel]

Duckweed is very easy to get rid of. I had it growing in a salamander paladarium setup and when I got tired of it I just removed it. It can grow back from pretty small pieces but its nothing to worry about at all.

 

[MoonFish]

When you scoop it out, some of it sinks down, gets stuck to something and escapes you. Suck out out with a shop vac.

 

[jreich]

a shop vac? lol that may be a little to powerfull. i siphon may be a better choice there.

 

[mosasaur]

When Katrina hit New Orleans, I was forced to be gone 40 days. When I got back, I was surprised to find nearly all my fish and plants were OK. The one exception was the duckweed - it had all died! Even a terrible disaster like that had a bright side, albeit very small.

 

[redman88]

When Katrina hit New Orleans, I was forced to be gone 40 days. When I got back, I was surprised to find nearly all my fish and plants were OK. The one exception was the duckweed - it had all died! Even a terrible disaster like that had a bright side, albeit very small.

they survived because they ate the duckweed

 

[jreich]

When Katrina hit New Orleans, I was forced to be gone 40 days. When I got back, I was surprised to find nearly all my fish and plants were OK. The one exception was the duckweed - it had all died! Even a terrible disaster like that had a bright side, albeit very small.

i'll keep that in mind next time i have a duckweed problem. :icon_cool

 

[qwiksilvertrav]

Well good to know it's not very harmful to the tank and better to know it'll take care of algae! I had a hair algae problem for a bit but now it's gone away.
I guess I'll live with it and just scoop out some of it once every few days...no big deal I guess. Thanks everyone!

 

[lauraleellbp]

When Katrina hit New Orleans, I was forced to be gone 40 days. When I got back, I was surprised to find nearly all my fish and plants were OK. The one exception was the duckweed - it had all died! Even a terrible disaster like that had a bright side, albeit very small.

Is THAT what I need to do to get rid of mine? :icon_lol: