Do I Need To Have Surface Agitation For Oxygenation.

This might seem a silly question but I have to ask.

I've just added some amazonian frogbit to my intended shrimpery in an attempt to reduce the nitrates. In the past I haven't had much luck growing this plant because of the surface agitation required to improve oxygenation for the fish.

So my question is this. Do I need the filter agitating the surface or can I rely on the plants that are growing to oxygenate the water sufficiently for shrimp?

Its quite hard to adjust the filter, with the outlet trough faced up, even with the venturi control turned low the frogbit is still doing circuits. I guess I need to fiddle. I was hoping photosynthesis would sufficiently oxygenate the water.

I've got frogbit in my puffer tank, which has 2 filters and surface movement. It doesn't appear to be a problem. It's the same in the danio/platy/cory tank, which has quite a bit of surface movement. In each case the frogbit has floated around and come to rest against some of the silk plants that reach the surface, with the frogbit roots dangling into the rest of the plants.
 

The water lettuce seems to be a bit more delicate though.

The majority seems to have settled on the opposite side of the filter.

I have used the airline and suction pad to contain it before, I might give it another go. I've never had much luck with frogbit, I'm wondering if the heat from the lighting could damage it? I have some LED lights that need to go in the tank, maybe they'd be a better option.

Okey dokey. I guess I'll wait and see what happens I guess.

The small ones should grow into big ones if the conditions are OK. That's how frogbit reproduces. It only takes a few weeks for my tank surface to become covered with it after reducing to just a few plants.

I find that the roots of one plant tend to catch on something such as the leaves of a plant growing just under the surface and it comes to a halt. This first plant then acts as a sort of starter, others catch onto it and I end up with a raft of them in one part of the tank which slowly gets bigger and bigger as the plants reproduce.

I've seen people construct a floating plant holder, with suckers and airline, to stop their plants from dancing around the surface of the tank.

I did stumble across a floating plant holder that stuck to the inside of the tank  with a suction cup. But I can't remember were I saw it  , I think it was on ebay or amazon.

Found it!
If you all ready haven't.

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/3x-Aquatic-Plant-Pot-Bowl-Holder-with-Suction-Cup-Aquarium-Fish-Tank-Live-Plant-/201323072293?nav=SEARCH

What I have that was purchased as frogbit has round and relatively thick leaves. So thick that you can't really bend a leaf as it would snap. My frogbit seems fine in water with a lot of movement and just collects in a corner and carries on growing.
The plants I purchased as water lettuce are much more delicate. It also has round leaves, but these are smaller and much finer leaves (which are flexible) compared to the frogbit. The water lettuce seem to be doing much better now I've moved them to the sail tank, which has much less water movement.