# Duckweed + Filter = Problem?



## Ogre44 (Nov 5, 2011)

I went over to see my brother-in-law's tanks the other day and he gave me some things to help me get my own tank in order; 5 bioballs out of one of his filters, a softball sized wad of java moss, and about a cup of duckweed.

The bioballs are floating in my tank, hopefully seeding it full of beneficial bacteria, and the java moss has spread out to a mass about 6 inches in diameter, the tetras love being under/in it.

The Duckweed, however, is causing me some difficulties.
The flow from the filter pushes the weed under the water, where it is then sucked up tight to the filter's intake.
I have a piece of filter sponge over the intake to slow it a bit and to help keep and incautious fish from becoming unliving fish, and this is now constantly covered in a giant green afro of duckweed.

I love the way the duckweed looks on top of the tank, so I'd like to keep it.
I really don't want to buy a new filter at the moment so I'm thinking of modifying my existing filter.

I was thinking about getting a foot or so of the clear vinyl tubing they sell at the hardware store and running the intake from the filter to the far corner of the tank to avoid the filter's flow.

Has anyone else done this?
Will increasing the intake length strain the motor or decrease the filter's flow too much?

Anyone have an better ideas?


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## zof (Apr 23, 2010)

Duckweed tends not to do really well unless their is only a very small surface flow so it can stay in one place so I think its kind of a losing battle, you might try and baffle your outflow which would be much better then increasing your inflows length.


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## Ogre44 (Nov 5, 2011)

This is after I took the baffle off.
With the baffle on it all went under the water and either stuck to the filter intake, or wadded up behind the baffle.

I was also trying to come up with some way to make a screened off area that was clear of the duckweed in front of the filter.


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## zof (Apr 23, 2010)

Well you only need the surface part blocked so anything that would float that you could some how attach to tank, filter to hold in place should work, maybe some fishing line?


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## thekoimaiden (Oct 19, 2011)

I actually had your exact same problem. I wanted duckweed in with my goldfish, but the filter keep brutalizing it. I ended up using a different waterfall buffer than the sponge. I used a 2-litre coke (or any soda really) bottle and cut off the top and bottom, then cut a line down the side. I attached that to the waterfall outflow. It has basically removed any current from the top and allowed the duckweed to take hold. If my instructions weren't clear enough (lol probably not), then I can find you the tutorial I used.


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