Re: Duckweed!!!

[Dan Resler <resler at liberty_egr.vcu.edu>]

On Thu, Apr 03, 2003 at 03:20:56AM -0500, Chuck H wrote:
> Goldfish will eat it.  I got rid of mine by scooping it up with a plastic 
> cup and pouring it through a "permanent" coffee filter -- basically just a 
> fine-gauge nylon mesh in a plastic bowl.  A cup with some filter floss and 
> holes poked in the bottom works okay, too.  Depending on the size of the 
> tank, you should be able to get rid of it in just a couple of 'scoop and 
> pour' sessions.  Be sure to shake it out of any plants along the surface or 
> any other hiding places.

Well, yes and no. It is fairly straightforward (though time consuming and
frustrating if you have a large tank) to remove all visible signs of
duckweed. And you can do this for days and even months ... until one day you
realize you haven't seen any for weeks and you break out the wine and
celebrate your victory in The Duckweed War, not remembering that pride-goes-
before-the-fall and that the duckweed gods are quietly laughing at you from
above (or is it below?). For they know you have won a battle but the war is
not over - they will be back! I have had an apparently duckweed-free tank
for months with no additions of new plants or fish or anything and suddenly
- it's BACK. From where?? How???? Grrrrrrrrr.

It can be very difficult to get rid of.

So learn to enjoy it. It's easier that way.

dan
-- 
Dan Resler                            email: dresler at vcu_edu
Computer Science Dept.
Virginia Commonwealth University           
Richmond, VA 23284-3068 USA