# Planted Tanks > Plant Talk >  Whitish Duckweed

## 43a57

I have some leaves of duckweed very pale in colour. Whitish or yellowish, is it not enough light or not enough nutrient.
This is grown in a temporary plastic container in water placed by the window. I started with 3 pieces, it came as additional when i got a bag of other plant. since it was only 3 pieces and i'm not sure if they will survive i kept them separate. now grow until 9 separate pieces already. wondering if i should add ferts, i don't have aquatic fertilisers only normal plant liquid fert, but i dare not use that. if not i have to collect the fish waste water when changing tank water.

----------


## nicken

i used to have this problem , i realize its due to low photo period.
you may like to experiment it to see how

----------


## IlOutfitter

Mine turned white with no water and no light, added water yesterday and they are back to a pale green again, I am using lesser duckweed.

adding ferts wouldnt be a bad idea but I think if you go 10 hours of light 14 hours off it will come back.

is there anything else in with the duckweed? even feeding a few pieces of flakes a day will keep it healthy, I dont dose my tanks and my DW is in a QT tank with gravel thats it.
I am just going off what is working for me.

----------


## alien54d

hi my experience : 

my duckweed started to turn yellow and white when i started to do more water changes for my tank full of stem plants like elodea, cabomba, tapegrass.

I quite sure its the water column nutrients.

----------


## minute_me

Yes. I believe it's probably the lack of nutrients or bad water. duckweed in my established tank growing better than in the temporary tank.

----------


## mozaqua

> I have some leaves of duckweed very pale in colour. Whitish or yellowish, is it not enough light or not enough nutrient.
> This is grown in a temporary plastic container in water placed by the window. I started with 3 pieces, it came as additional when i got a bag of other plant. since it was only 3 pieces and i'm not sure if they will survive i kept them separate. now grow until 9 separate pieces already. wondering if i should add ferts, i don't have aquatic fertilisers only normal plant liquid fert, but i dare not use that. if not i have to collect the fish waste water when changing tank water.


Put a fish in there, sounds like you need some nutrients...Nitrogen mainly. By adding a fish, the fish waste will feed the plants. A guppy would work well for such a setup, since they don't need filtration.
Oh, duckweed will grow in low light/full shade, so don't think that is the issue.

Regards

----------


## kenny1111

Nitrogen mainly i the problem, i also seen this problem before, but after i add in a few fish, the weed grow back. now it cover up my whole tank surface.....

----------

