Floating plants: advice and guidance needed

[geeky]

Hi everyone,
Just a quick question if I may?
We've been growing floating plants with great success until now, but they're starting to die off due to an issue we're experiencing.
Our filter's output is pushing them all to one end of the aquarium, causing them to clog up and get tangled. This results in some plants with smaller leaves being buried, turning yellow, and eventually dying.

We tried using clear tubing to contain them, which worked well initially, but now it's not keeping them in place. They somehow manage to get underneath the tubing.

What's unusual is that these floating plants aren't pushing against each other like our previous ones did, creating a nice even covering. Instead, they're pushing underneath each other.

I'll try to take some pictures over the weekend to better illustrate the issue.

[Lunaria]

I'm curious, what type of floating plants are you using? It's possible that repositioning your filter or finding a way to reduce the flow could help alleviate the issue. Introducing some larger plants to the mix might also do the trick, as they'd be better equipped to withstand the flow and perhaps shield the smaller ones from getting tangled and dying off.

[boomer]

I've found that Water Sprite (Ceratopteris cornuta) is particularly effective in this regard. Its long fronds can stretch across the tank, and when you have enough of them, they help keep each other in place. This really helps to minimize the movement and prevent the plants from getting tangled up. I've also had similar success with Frogbit and Water Lettuce over time, as they seem to have a stabilizing effect on the tank. On the other hand, smaller floaters like Salvinia don't quite have the same ability to hold their own against the current.

[geeky]

The plants are either water sprite or water wysteria - I'm still not entirely sure which they are, to be honest.

I do think I see what's going on, though. A few of the plants have really taken off and their leaves are spanning the width of the tank, which is great. However, when the filter pushes the smaller ones around, they get caught up in the larger leaves and end up getting pushed underneath. It's almost like the bigger plants are crowding out the smaller ones, and that's not giving them a chance to grow.

I appreciate the suggestion to move the filter, but unfortunately, that's not an option for us. It's an external filter with fixed outputs, so we can't just move it around. We have tried adjusting the flow output, but that didn't seem to make a difference.

Maybe we just need to let things play out and see what happens. Perhaps the stronger plants will come out on top and the weaker ones will, well, not. It's not ideal, but it might be the best solution for now.

[boomer]

I've found that managing filter returns can be a challenge. In my experience, having them at one end of the tank can be beneficial. To minimize the force of the water return, I've taken a few approaches. Aiming the return into the end wall seems to help distribute the flow more evenly. Adding a standing chunk of bogwood can also weaken the flow, giving your plants a better chance to thrive. There are a few other options you could try as well.

[brayk]

I think I might have a solution to your problem, geeky. Instead of trying to contain the plants with tubing, why not try putting the tubing around the filter output itself? This way, you can control the flow of water and direct it in a way that doesn't push the plants to one end of the tank. It's worth a shot, and might just solve the issue of the smaller plants getting tangled up and dying off.

[WildFins]

Hi everyone,

I'm having a bit of a problem with my floating plants. They've been doing great so far, but now they're dying off. The filter output is pushing them all to one end of the tank, causing them to clog up and get tangled. This is burying the smaller ones, which then turn yellow and die.

We've tried using clear tubing to contain them, and it worked for a bit. But now the plants are getting under the tubing somehow. It's weird because our previous floating plants would just push against each other and stop, covering the surface evenly. These ones seem to be pushing under each other instead.

I should've taken pictures before, but I'll try to get some over the weekend.

[geeky]

I think I might have a solution to your problem, geeky. Instead of trying to contain the plants with tubing, why not try putting the tubing around the filter output itself? This way, you can control the flow of water and direct it in a way that doesn't push the plants to one end of the tank. It's worth a shot, and might just solve the issue of the smaller plants getting tangled up and dying off.

We gave it a shot over the weekend and I'm pleased to say it's looking good. The bunching's nowhere near as bad now, so we'll just leave it as is and see how things pan out. Fingers crossed, it's just a matter of time before the smaller ones grow big enough to hold their own against the larger plants.

[brooklyn]

Here's a potential solution to your issue. I found a helpful guide on reducing aquarium filter flow that might be worth checking out. Additionally, I've noticed that filling my tank to a higher level seems to minimize the impact of the filter's flow on my floating plants.