Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

i just remmembered a spot in a lake nearby that has about an acre of duckweed. anything special to harvesting it? i want to grow some in my fish tank

Hi V, just use a cup, depending on conditions your small sample can grow quickly. I stole some from a fire retention pond and it's still OK, although it hasn't really multiplied much (may need more nutrients in the water).

ah i was just reading about it i didnt realize that it is a floating plant. i was imagining more along the lines of lilly pads.

k just got back from the lake... lol i thought i could just scoop up a bunch of it in a ziplock bag. but that dosnt work to well. all i was getting was water.

i think i need to go back with my fishnet so i can strain the water out and get alot more of the duckweed.

so will goldfish feed directly on duckweed instead of feeding them flakes?

Yes. Yum yum.

Fishnet or kitchen strainer will work fine. Don't tell wife about second option.

oh kitchen strainer will work perfect thats my next tool good thing im the only one that sets foot in the kitchen hehe.

i noticed a bunch of small black bugs floating on the duckweed. anything to be scared of?

Only if you're scared of bugs

im not scared of them just wondered if i should be for the systems health

Extra protein for the fish. Black bugs are yummy, too.

My brother just recently dried out a large tray of Azolla (simliar to duckweed), he then put it through a grinder. It comes out like crumbly goldfish food. I have mixed it in with the Tilapia's food and they are loving it.

So that is another ideal way to harvest and store duckweed/azolla.

I am thinking about doing the same thing Tim..drying out duckweed and making pellets to mix with the standard pellets.

I think it would be fairly easy to do LB. The hardest part will be getting them into the pellet shape because you would need a binder of some sort.

hmmm I was thinking about using a fish oil or olive oil

eggs would bind it, but would they go off too soon?

LB, you've changed!

The oils in the duck weed itself should be a good binder. Rather than drying it out completely, blend it or pulp it into a good consistency, then extrude it out into the pellets, then dry it out. Might work?

What about using rice or lupins, boiled right down. The starches, when dried should be pretty hard. Or even rice or corn flour.