Greenwater - Duckweed - Azolla, Greenwater and floating plants Options

[Kinder]

Hi all,

Im looking to introduce floating plants like, duckweed or Azollo (so my goldies can indulge in them and same time get some shade from the summer sun). But the thing is i have a outdoor greenwater setup 150X40X20cm.

1> Now introducing these plants can harm my greenwater, since they all will be competing for sunlight & nutrients?

2> what if i was regulating their growth (duckweed & Azolla), would it still affect my greenwater?

Kinder

[goldrush]

Hello Kinder

I think you can't have the best of both worlds here.Your duck weed will out compete the green water in no time.Assuming you have green water first and you introduce duckweed,the weed may not thrive in the green water as they compete for the same nutrients.Now if you have duckweed and plan to cultivate green water,that's even a tall order.The floating plants will not only blanket any light source but devour all available nutrients for your green culture.Now a better solution is to cultivate separately in another clear water setup in full sun and feed to your fish in the green water periodically but not as a resident in the green water community


doc

[Kinder]

Thanks for the reply doc,

I have a greenwater setup, but not the plants im talking about. I thought the nutritional value of introducing such plants would be gr8 for my goldies.

As you suggested, its pointless to grow those plants in the greenwater setup, and im better off in a clear water setup.....so in that case would i need fishes in the clear water setup where the plants will grow....or can i do without the fishes....just a tub of clear water, sunlight and a air tube will do?

kinder

[goldrush]

If you are growing plants or duckweed in clear setup ,you can throw in a few feeders or mosquito eating fish(disesed free ) to prevent unwanted mosquito breeding and produce the required nutrients for a small scale ecological system to sustain all life forms.Periodically as you weed out the duckweed to feed your fish you will have a continuous supply if you get the balance right.To grow duckweed in your existing setup will be futile because even if you can get them to survive in that competitive flora environment(vs the green),I doubt they can surpass the fauna environment (the voracious appetite of your goldfishes for green)