Sick Hyacinths

Background:
1200 gallon pond, about 3 months old, 2 koi & several fancy goldfish, many
plants. Water is crystal clear and the pH is stable at 7.2

Problem:
All my plants seem stressed. I had 10 hyacinths. They started turning brown
and shriveling up. They were obviously crashing so I pitched them and
replaced them. New ones looked great for a couple of weeks but have started
doing the same thing.

Based on what I have read, I would normally suspect a high pH. However, I
check every day with a calibrated meter, so I don't think that's the
problem.

I'm baffled. Any thoughts?

Captain Ed

On Mon, 2 Jun 2008 22:42:05 EDT, "Ed" <>
wrote:

>Background:
>1200 gallon pond, about 3 months old, 2 koi & several fancy goldfish, many
>plants. Water is crystal clear and the pH is stable at 7.2
>
>Problem:
>All my plants seem stressed. I had 10 hyacinths. They started turning brown
>and shriveling up. They were obviously crashing so I pitched them and
>replaced them. New ones looked great for a couple of weeks but have started
>doing the same thing.
>
>Based on what I have read, I would normally suspect a high pH. However, I
>check every day with a calibrated meter, so I don't think that's the
>problem.
>
>I'm baffled. Any thoughts?
>
>Captain Ed

Hyacinths are high nutrition needers.... iows, you don't have enough fish
poo to do the job. ;-)

Re: pH You might want to run a pH check in the early AM and at dusk, to
see how stable you pH is. I'd be more interested in your KH #. ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us

Any chance your salt level is > .1%?

If so, Hyacinths are fussy about that.

Here's a useful table from another thread regarding salt vs. plant
survivability:

http://www.bonniesplants.com/how_to/salt_vs.html

If it's not salt level, Koi love eating the roots, so make sure it's
not that. Also your water temp should be > 70F (ideally 75+) for them
to do well.

Dave

Our koi think hyacinth roots are great to munch on. How did your
roots look? You could try floating one in a laundry basket to see
what they do without root-eaters.

Jim

"Ed" <> wrote in message
news: m...
> Background:
> 1200 gallon pond, about 3 months old, 2 koi & several fancy goldfish, many
> plants. Water is crystal clear and the pH is stable at 7.2
>
> Problem:
> All my plants seem stressed. I had 10 hyacinths. They started turning
> brown and shriveling up. They were obviously crashing so I pitched them
> and replaced them. New ones looked great for a couple of weeks but have
> started doing the same thing.
>
> Based on what I have read, I would normally suspect a high pH. However, I
> check every day with a calibrated meter, so I don't think that's the
> problem.
>
> I'm baffled. Any thoughts?
==================
Either the koi are eating the roots which they dearly love, or the hyacinths
need nutrients. Some plant nutrient is lacking.
--

RM....
Frugal ponding since 1995.
rec.ponder since late 1996.
Zone 6. Middle TN USA
~~~~ }<((((*> ~~~ }<{{{{(ö>

Any feedback yet on the hyacinth?

Jim

Hi Ed,

How are your hyacinth doing?

Ours are finally taking off. They have gone from a handful of small
ones in the 4 x 8 veggie filters to covering half the surfaces. Daily
spreading.

Jim