Good Floating Plant for a Small Tank

[ScottS]

Can anyone offer some advice regarding good floating plants? There are no live plants in the tank to worry about, and I'm trying to purposely darken up the tank, and taking the side benefits that come from real plants.

The tank is a 20G High that's waiting to be stocked with Cardinal Tetras. The water is soft ~6GH and the PH is slightly acidic, acheived by combining RO water with my tap water 4:1.

Duckweed grows a little too wild and too easily I gather, so what are some good alternatives that won't overrun the tank and won't fill it with an elaborate root system that blocks the rest of the tank and still fit under the hood?

Hope I didn't create too difficult of a question!

Thanks!

[ScottS]

Just in looking, is "Frogbit" or water lettuce good?

Well I would say get some Phyllanthus fluitans.

[RogerMcAllen]

Water lettuce needs a ton of light, best in ponds and such.

[dralarms]

green cabomia, good floater and grows fast.

[Patwa]

nawww.....just get duckweed...if all you need is shade....the leaves are small, but because duckweed if quite prolific, it will soon cover the water surface....to control the amount of duckweed is very simple, just scoop it out with your net.

it's dirt cheap and they grow very fast....watch out, cuz some fish eat this plant up like anything...

water lettuce is a picky plant and usually dies off pretty quick if you don't have the right amount of light.

cabomba is just a bad plant in general......never liked it......and when it floats its looks just as bad as hornwort

here is a pic (its the tiny small leaf ones):



Zach.

[dralarms]

That's why I tye mine down, looks like little trees in the water.