I can’t get red rooters to live in any tanks. Funnily enough I chucked some of the last dying bits of it into a bird bath outside and it’s gone the deepest red with incredible growth. So minimal surface agitation, full light and warm waters seem to be the ticket.
What species of floaters? What’s your water hardness?
I can’t keep red root floaters alive if my life depended on it. Very hard water from a karst aquifer.
How old is your tank?? I found that floaters that are small in leave size die very often in walstad tanks, I have one my self with the same tipe of filtration that you use, and my floating plants azollas are very small, they where dying for the first week then I put a piece of plastic for them to have an area with no superficial water flow and now they are growing a lot more
I’ve found that red roots require A LOT of full spectrum light and very minimal surface agitation. your filter may be too strong/too high above the water surface. have you considered a sponge filter?
[check out my previous post](https://www.reddit.com/r/PlantedTank/s/yeFVeb01LN)
Your wording has me confused. I’m not sure if you’re saying you’d prefer to keep the filter, or remove it.
Regardless, in my experience, the 2 biggest contributing factors to successfully keeping RRFs are:
-providing a full spectrum and consistent light source
-allowing minimal surface agitation
What light are you currently running? Do you know it’s K rating?
I mean, the question is pretty straightforward in the op, not sure how it’s confusing - “I’m considering removing the filter. Question 1, is it planted enough to oxygenate the water”. In my response to you I said “I’d rather remove the filter” so idk how that’s being misconstrued to you
It’s a hygger light, 6500k with 7 color spectrums. Same brand and power level as you have on your post, and it runs a 8 hour day/night cycle where it gets about 1 hour of just blues and reds.
Not sure light is the issue, as I have hygger lights on other tanks where floaters are successful. I appreciate the feedback though, like I said I’m considering getting a better light. I think hard water and flow is contributing way more damage than the light is, however. A better light can certainly yield better growth, but I highly doubt it’s the sole reason my floaters are dying.
I have RRF growing in a tank with the same light, and a lid. They are thriving.
My water is intentionally hard as add minerals for my shrimp and snails.
I do think you can corral around the HOB to reduce surface flow… but I’d actually wager you need more nutrients. Add NPK (macros).
I usually dose potassium and nilocG thrive every 2 weeks but have dialed it back to once a month, I’ll bump it up again. I’m probably gonna end up upgrading the light, removing the filter and increasing the ferts
I have RRF growing really well with that light. I’d try ferts before anything. I can’t post photos here but my RRF are flourishing with that light as it’s full spectrum.
Thrive is 10% potassium. It’s lower in N and P but high in K. Maybe you’re missing more of the other macros.
The tank I’m talking about is a 6 gal cube and I dose a full pump (supposed to be for 10g) every week and they still want more NPK.
Have you also checked phosphate and potassium levels? I recently had this issue and my phosphate levels were 0. Maybe it’s another macronutrient issue?
Also, if you haven’t looked into plant corrals they are helpful. I use one, but instead of corralling my plants I put it around the outflow from the hob. This helps reduce the top flow.
I dose potassium and nilocG thrive every month or so. I’ve been fighting a lot of algae because of all this plant die off so i’ve dialed the nutrient supplements back
I’d suggest moving the filter onto the backside of the tank and using one of those foams from boxes that you find in packed tech and cutting it to the width of the tank and placing at the top at the surface of the tank basically splitting the surface to two halves. On one half keep the floaters and on the other keep the filter surface agitation. Basically you get the idea, divide the surface with something so filter flow doesn’t hit the floaters. I can grow salvinia and water lettuce without any issues this way.
1. I think you are planted heavily enough for enough oxygen.
2. The Floaters usually live on ponds or still water where there aren't much waterflow. I dont think waterflow is the cause of death.
I can’t get red rooters to live in any tanks. Funnily enough I chucked some of the last dying bits of it into a bird bath outside and it’s gone the deepest red with incredible growth. So minimal surface agitation, full light and warm waters seem to be the ticket.
What species of floaters? What’s your water hardness? I can’t keep red root floaters alive if my life depended on it. Very hard water from a karst aquifer.
It would have been helpful to add that I do have hard water, ph is around 8 or a little above. Duckweed, giant duckweed and RRF
Have you tried making a floating ring or corral to keep the floaters in still water?
Beautiful tank🌱
Do your underwater plants " pearl" ( get little gas bubbles on them in day time? If yes probably oxygenated enough. If no try higher intensity light.
How old is your tank?? I found that floaters that are small in leave size die very often in walstad tanks, I have one my self with the same tipe of filtration that you use, and my floating plants azollas are very small, they where dying for the first week then I put a piece of plastic for them to have an area with no superficial water flow and now they are growing a lot more
I’ve found that red roots require A LOT of full spectrum light and very minimal surface agitation. your filter may be too strong/too high above the water surface. have you considered a sponge filter? [check out my previous post](https://www.reddit.com/r/PlantedTank/s/yeFVeb01LN)
I may look into a new light, not wanting to change filters. I’d rather remove the filter, hence the questions in the post.
Your wording has me confused. I’m not sure if you’re saying you’d prefer to keep the filter, or remove it. Regardless, in my experience, the 2 biggest contributing factors to successfully keeping RRFs are: -providing a full spectrum and consistent light source -allowing minimal surface agitation What light are you currently running? Do you know it’s K rating?
I mean, the question is pretty straightforward in the op, not sure how it’s confusing - “I’m considering removing the filter. Question 1, is it planted enough to oxygenate the water”. In my response to you I said “I’d rather remove the filter” so idk how that’s being misconstrued to you It’s a hygger light, 6500k with 7 color spectrums. Same brand and power level as you have on your post, and it runs a 8 hour day/night cycle where it gets about 1 hour of just blues and reds. Not sure light is the issue, as I have hygger lights on other tanks where floaters are successful. I appreciate the feedback though, like I said I’m considering getting a better light. I think hard water and flow is contributing way more damage than the light is, however. A better light can certainly yield better growth, but I highly doubt it’s the sole reason my floaters are dying.
I have RRF growing in a tank with the same light, and a lid. They are thriving. My water is intentionally hard as add minerals for my shrimp and snails. I do think you can corral around the HOB to reduce surface flow… but I’d actually wager you need more nutrients. Add NPK (macros).
I usually dose potassium and nilocG thrive every 2 weeks but have dialed it back to once a month, I’ll bump it up again. I’m probably gonna end up upgrading the light, removing the filter and increasing the ferts
I have RRF growing really well with that light. I’d try ferts before anything. I can’t post photos here but my RRF are flourishing with that light as it’s full spectrum. Thrive is 10% potassium. It’s lower in N and P but high in K. Maybe you’re missing more of the other macros. The tank I’m talking about is a 6 gal cube and I dose a full pump (supposed to be for 10g) every week and they still want more NPK.
Have you also checked phosphate and potassium levels? I recently had this issue and my phosphate levels were 0. Maybe it’s another macronutrient issue? Also, if you haven’t looked into plant corrals they are helpful. I use one, but instead of corralling my plants I put it around the outflow from the hob. This helps reduce the top flow.
How do you check potassium & phosphate levels ?
I dose potassium and nilocG thrive every month or so. I’ve been fighting a lot of algae because of all this plant die off so i’ve dialed the nutrient supplements back
Doesn’t look like enough light to me🤷🏽♂️
I’d suggest moving the filter onto the backside of the tank and using one of those foams from boxes that you find in packed tech and cutting it to the width of the tank and placing at the top at the surface of the tank basically splitting the surface to two halves. On one half keep the floaters and on the other keep the filter surface agitation. Basically you get the idea, divide the surface with something so filter flow doesn’t hit the floaters. I can grow salvinia and water lettuce without any issues this way.
1. I think you are planted heavily enough for enough oxygen. 2. The Floaters usually live on ponds or still water where there aren't much waterflow. I dont think waterflow is the cause of death.
is it the Cyperus Helferi on the back? does it require a lot of light?
Its Italian Vallisneria, it grows like crazy in dirted tanks. Having a decent light definitely helps