Been experimenting with hygroryza aristata, also known as floating bamboo or floating watergrass in several tanks over the last 6 months. I've noted it grows great in any tech tank from low tech to high tech. Best performance is in overstocked tanks with an abundance of nutrients.

Why I like this plant:

  • Grows very quickly, almost on par with water lettuce. Similar root structure as well.
  • Depending on how you cut it, it can grow in a spiral bush shape or straight line, so I use it to coral my other floaters. Which leads me to my next point.
  • It is able to tolerate turbulent water better than other common floaters. In the second image I have it as a demarcation between my other floaters and a wave maker which causes massive water turbulence for example.

Some cons for this plant:

  • Requires an abundance of nutrients, in my experience more than water lettuce. I have a very overstocked tank and it is able to keep the nitrate and phosphate in that tank between 10-20ppm nitrate and 0.5-1ppm phosphate. With just water lettuce alone that same tank runs 40+ppm nitrate and 3ppm+ phosphate. So having too lean of nutrients in a tank will starve it out.
  • Not enough scientific papers on it versus other common floaters. For example, water lettuce is known as what is called a "hyperaccumulator". This is a term coined to describe plants which can rapidly absorb toxins and heavy metals in the water. I know hygroryza aristata can suppress nutrient build up better than most, but unsure if it can handle esoteric toxins that water lettuce or water hyacinths can.

Overall though I like it. Easier to keep in check, trim and place where I want it. Works great in shallow tanks or deep tanks in my experience as I have it in both.

Posted by chak2005

2 Comments

  1. AutisticWeapon_ on

    Wow I have never seen this before! Where did you get it? I would love to get my hands on some

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