Topic: Deep water plants which tollerate moving water

[OberonUK]

I'm just at the 'get spade and roll up sleeves' stage of putting in a pond, so a little way off stocking it, but also aware that aquatic plant availability seems to be quite seasonal, so I am planning in advance with the possibility of buying some plants now and keeping them in a deep tub until the pond is ready. The pond will have some fish, nothing spectactlar - goldfish and the sort, and therefore will need filtration. I would love some lillies but I know that they don't like moving water. Any advice or suggestions as to either some lillies that will cope in that environment or alternative plants that will provide cover and colour? Water Hawthorn is one that I have considered but it isn't as colourful as a lilly.

Pond will be 2m x 2.5m x 0.75m deep (but I will add shelves for marginals etc).

I want to get the plants while they are available - so supplier recommendations would also be much appreciated!

Thanks. 

[queenbee]

Good luck with your digging. If you are keeping goldfish I would suggest a little deeper than .75 metre. Goldfish grow quite quickly and can reach a fair size. We made the mistake of not making ours deep enough and finished up having to build it up above ground with a new liner to accommodate the fish. We had a large pump but we were able to grow the native waterlily Alba. It was really successful and never really outgrew the pond. Some of the coloured waterlilies are not hardy particularly in the North of England where I live. Oxygenaters are a must as they compete with the algi. You may also consider a filter with a UV light as they really clear green water which is inevitable when you start a new pond. The aquatic section of garden centres sell a wide variety of water plants.
I hope you enjoy your pond as much as we have in the last 20 odd years that we have had it.

Best Regards
Queenbee

[jjt]

There's lots of ponds with fish in that don't have filtration and work perfectly OK. Just don't overstock massively or chuck in 3 times as much food as necessary. Personally I think it's all a bit of a con, just more expense, hassle, and potential problems. If you do have it, there's plenty of ponds with filtration and water lilies in them. Just don't put the pump right on top of it. I would certainly try one. If you want to buy plants online look at paul bromfield aquatics. I've never used them, but used to go to their nursery place. Top people. And I reckon 2'6" is about deep enough unless you're keeping koi.

[OberonUK]

I'd always understood that in the UK a depth of 18" - 24" was fine for overwintering goldfish (Koi needing much deeper), so I hope my plan of 30" is suitably in excess of that - and there will be about 60% of the pond cut at that depth.

I've got a pressure filter with bult-in UV, and it is over-rated for the volume of the pond (ie I am not skimping). I guess the pond will be about 3000l and the pump will easily pass that in an hour. I'll pay attention to positioning though and try to site any deep-water plants away from the pump and return. That works out well actually as would mean lilllies would be in the part of the pond that gets sun almost all of the day and I think they like that?

Please keep ideas and suggestions coming though - I want this pond to be as good, healthy and colourful as possible (you have no idea the amout of persuasing and chocolate it took to get 'permission' to excavate in the first place!) so it's my one chance to get things right!

I have had ponds before, but one was inherited, so I did't have to think too hard and the other was a wildlife pond which had no pump/filtration but did have a lovely lilly!



But that was a few years ago now and I just made things up as I went along, probably breaking most of the rules along the way! It wasn't even edged properly. That was under 2' deep and further North than I am now, and the fish were fine over the winter.

This new one, because of its location, will be quite a bit more formal, edged with paving bricks, and certainly bigger. Will do a search for the shop you suggest jjt, thanks!

[GrannieAnnie]

We have a modest fountain and moving water which hasn't bothered our water lilies.
The pond is hip deep in one area for the gold fish (this is USA-cold in winter).
We never feed the fish just let them feast on bugs so there is less nutrient build up.
No filter, just barley straw.

[OberonUK]

GrannieAnnie - looks lovely. Do you know what lilly you have there? Love the colour of the leaves and the flower is perfect. I have something now to which to aspire :)

[GrannieAnnie]

I'm sorry I don't know the name, only that it is a native American lily that can stay in the pond even though it freezes solid sometimes so I'm spared lugging it out and saving it in the basement. It doesn't have huge leaves, maybe 6-7 inches?