Best Plants for removing Nutients / Waste & Toxins

[Yabbadoo]

This has probably been covered a million times before but.......What are the best plants to use for removing Nutrients / Waste & Toxins from the water???

I have the small leaf variety of Duckweed in all my tanks. Suppose to filter 99% of nitrates??? Is this true???

It's a pain when it clogs the filter pads but it looks cool. Luv the way it makes the water glow green under lights.

 

[Lupin]

Fast growing plants particularly duckweeds, Egeria densa and hornworts.

 

[cassharper]

I have the small leaf variety of Duckweed in all my tanks. Suppose to filter 99% of nitrates??? Is this true???

Whoever told you this has a nasty habit of over generalizing statements. Depending on the nitrate production of your tank, the amount of duckweed you have, and the rate that photosynthesis can occur will all determine how much nitrate is removed from the tank.

It is true that duckweed can accomplish this, as many fish farms use this very plant to boost filtration. It is also true that you may have duckweed that does nothing for your tank.

It all just depends on several factors, I would say you fall somewhere between the 2 extremes.

 

[Yabbadoo]

Whoever told you this has a nasty habit of over generalizing statements.

One of them fishing tales.....

I only have crayfish in the tanks at low stock rates but I do tend to overfeed.....I try to keep 2/3 of the surface covered with DW.
I can't have any plants in them as they get eaten very quickly and I have to replace the DW each week. I'm looking to plant out a refugium in a sump tank.

 

[ewurm]

Fast growing plants particularly duckweeds, Egeria densa and hornworts.

Add to that Wisteria. I have never seen a plant so prolific as Wisteria.

 

[Noto]

Other good fast-growing floaters are salvinia, water lettuce, and the various frogbits.

Fast-growing emergent plants are also great nitrate sponges. Peace lilies, "lucky bamboo", parrot's feather, etc. You can even use willow cuttings.

Floaters and emergents can use up nutrients quickly because they are not limited by low CO2 in the water- they have access to atmospheric CO2.

 

[Kogo]

in general, new growth = filtration. The more new mass... the more filtration. while some plants will have variations in the ability to pick up things like heavy metals and such, any fast growing plant will clean water.

if duckweed is working, then keep it up.

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=153346
My plant filter build