# General Topics > Plants, Plant Care & Plant Identification >  Duckweed! Thoughts?

## TeenyToad

Hi all! 

Another basic FF question here [emoji6]
What are your guys' thoughts on duckweed? I house fire belly toads, & I've heard that they really enjoy it! I also just love the look of it (from pictures). I have heard, though, that it's sort of a pain to tame & keep from completely covering the top of the water. Couldn't I just pull some out when it grows too heavily? 

I'd appreciate your guys' thoughts &, if possible, I'd love to see pictures from your personal vivs with duckweed! 

Thanks everyone [emoji4]


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## bill

Duckweed can make for a realistic addition to a water feature. I have several tanks with it. Controlling it can be trying at best. But you can always remove excess. The down side is if you have any aquatic plants, they will lose light. 

I can take pics of the tanks I have duckweed in tonight. 


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TeenyToad

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## Amy

What he said ^^  I used it and liked the look. ..but it created a DISASTER in my tank,  it was everywhere and choked out my aquatic plants because it diffused the light too much.

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TeenyToad

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## TeenyToad

I hadn't even thought of them stealing light from my aquatics. On one end, I have semi-aquatics, it is a much shallower area. And then on the other end I have fully aquatic plants. Both are "separated" by a dam. The water flow runs from the deep (aquatic side) to the shallow (semi-aquatic side). I'm wondering if I'd be able to maintain it to the one shallow side, with the help of the water flow, so it gives my aquatics a chance, or if the plant really is true to its *weed* name & I won't stand a fighting chance at controlling [emoji6] ah, I just love the look! I'd love to see your pictures, Bill!

As always, thanks again guys, you're always so quick to help a new hobbyist [emoji119]🏼


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## bill

High flow is actually one of the few ways to control duckweed. It needs slow moving or still water to reproduce properly. 


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## bill

I'll get some pics tonight. I am long overdue on updates anyway lol


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## TeenyToad

Well, I like how this is sounding! I do have a pretty high flow in my tank, especially on the dam. I'm sure duckweed would probably hate being in the fully aquatic section due to the waterfall then! Awesome [emoji106]🏼


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## Amy

That's true, it does "drown" when pushed under water with a heavy flow.  In my betta tank, it tends to condense and grow in the corners, away from the filter flow.  It's great for eating up nitrates and keeping the water clean though!

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## TeenyToad

Good to know, Amy! Now, let's say a cricket or wax worm gets into the water & my frogs go after it...do I have to worry about impaction from the duckweed? I have fire belly toads.


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## bill

Nope. They will pass it of they swallow it. 


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## TeenyToad

Awesome! Thanks Bill, I've heard that FBT's love duckweed, not sure if that's a fact or just speculation, but we'll see! 


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## bill

My duckweed tanks:




Some moss you may like. It's a combination of sphagnum, Java and Christmas moss. 


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Larry Wardog

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## Vivariums In The Mist

Looking good, needs more duckweed!!!! Lol

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## Amy

Are those in dart tanks?  Tree frogs cover the walls with duckweed.  :EEK!:

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## TeenyToad

That looks awesome, Bill! I love it. I'm still unsure if I want to commit to the duckweed, though. I think I'm going to cover some rocks with Java moss & see how I like that. I always just want more greeeen! [emoji4]


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## corruptedjesterx

As I'm very new to frogs and aquatic setups. Growing up I had a few turtles. That being said duckweed is a very beneficial aquatic plant. Working at a golf course I had the opportunity to research this invasive aquatic plant. 

Info: duckweed gets its name from ducks that wade in a pond with it. Flying from pond to pond helps it spread around. DW is also high in calcium some hobbyist scoop handfuls and freeze it to feed to their turtles and lizards that prefer plant matter. It is also hard to get rid of it. Once you have it established in your setup. 

My boss came up to me last year asking what was taken over our ponds at work. I told him what it was then he ask if it was easy to remove. Without chemicals no. Gold fish will devour the plant. I told him if we had carp it would keep it under control but this is a golf course so he used chemicals. The pond was clear till just recently I noticed it was coming back. That was  a year and a half.

To answer your question duckweed would be great. It has a high filtration rate . Sewage plants use it in there water helping the purifying process. 

Just keep it out of your filter. Or you will never get rid of it . I'm planning to add it to my setup once I have the cash to build a custom setup. Right now I have a basic setup. 

Sorry if this is all over the place. I'm on my way out to work. Some things are on auto pilot Hahaa 

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## celticstarb

Check your state laws before using duckweed. It is illegal to possess in many states.  It is highly invasive.  If it is legal, please be sure to boil, bleach, or dry it before disposing of excess. A single leaf can quickly multiply to cover ponds and lakes, choking out native plants.

If it is legal, it is a very effective nutrient exporter.  It will help keep nitrates down.  It also offers frogs and toads a sense of security by allowing ample hiding space. It is fairly easy to keep in check by netting out small amounts daily.

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## TeenyToad

Wow! That's crazy, I can't believe it's THAT invasive. I have other aquatic plants in my tank, I wonder if the duckweed would choke them out? 


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## Amy

> Wow! That's crazy, I can't believe it's THAT invasive. I have other aquatic plants in my tank, I wonder if the duckweed would choke them out? 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I take out any excess and throw it in a ziplock to dispose of it.   That's in my fish tank though, so I can see exactly how much light my plants are getting.

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## bill

Duckweed can choke plants out, it all depends on the circumstances. I have a few crypts fighting to break through the duckweed. Thank goodness they are tough plants.  :Smile: 


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## AAron

> My duckweed tanks:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Some moss you may like. It's a combination of sphagnum, Java and Christmas moss. 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


 The top 2 pics really got me thinking about putting a small stream like feature in my 75 Gallon. I'm like pondering about how to do it, it's like that serious haha, I could get rid of the black bin and just have a deeper part to where the water goes so the leopard frogs still can swim, but have running water for the toads to sit in and insects to drink. It would be great. The problem I have is how would I make this?


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## bill

There are literally as many ways to do it as you could describe it. It all depends on how elaborate you want to get. 


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Larry Wardog

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## AAron

I would like to get some rocks or something and have the water run down them. But I don't want there to be like a lot of water running down until it gets to the spillway where it collects. Maybe build up the soil and drainage layer and have the water run underneath with 2 pumps, one running down and one running up? I may have to PM you haha


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## bill

Start a new thread. Then everyone gets to learn  :Smile: 


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Larry Wardog

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## AAron

Ok, give me 5 minutes


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