Aquascaped ponds?

[Lisak1]

In AK you could be anywhere from a 6B to an 8A. I will definitely be watching your progress. Did you say you started a showcase? Or are you referring to your Inspiration post?

Small fish would be more compatible for sure - but most people with garden ponds want larger, more colorful fish.

@Jhn - do you know if your aunt and uncle have the anacharis rooted in the pond? I've dreamed up some ideas for starting plants underwater but none have worked, so I'm always curious if anyone has been successful doing so.

 

[Jhn]

Also if you need some I can hook you up

Lol, will let u know when I am ready to get some.

Yes, darters and dace will be the native fish.

 

[Jhn]

@Jhn - do you know if your aunt and uncle have the anacharis rooted in the pond? I've dreamed up some ideas for starting plants underwater but none have worked, so I'm always curious if anyone has been successful doing so.

If I remember correctly, they had it in a wide shallow pot of pea gravel initially, and it kind of spilled over the sides and took over the deep end of their pond. Next time, I see them I will ask them how they got it to grow like that or I could go up and check their pond out and see if it is still in there. (it has been a couple years, since I saw their pond).

I have tried to mimic what I thought they did in my pond, but between the koi and their fast growing babies I can't get it going in there w/o it being uprooted and eaten. At the moment trying to get it going in a large tub then transfer it after it takes the tub over.

 

[Lisak1]

That was kind of my idea - start the plants in a gravel filled shallow tray or pan and then transfer to the pond once it gets going. I'll look forward to hearing what you find out!

 

[brokensword]

I am skeptical of the feasibility of growing underwater plants in a garden pond - my reasoning? I've seen lots and lots AND LOTS of ponds of all different kinds and not one of them had any kind of underwater plantings. (I don't count hornwort, as that is generally free floating rather than actually planted.) I feel if it were possible to do it, I would have seen it by now in one of the dozens and dozens of ponds we have visited.

One big deterrent will be fish - I know mine would LOVE for me to plant some things underwater for them to root around in. And that would be the end of that. My husband is always wanting to try growing some underwater plants, but the various searches we have done have turned up the usual two or three varieties, all of which we have tried with no success. The closest we have come is parrot's feather, which will grow from the shelf to the surface, but anything deeper than that has been unsuccessful.

I'll watch your attempt with interest @brokensword especially since we're in the same zone.

Lisa;

I tried last year to root some Hornwort but the fish/turtles ate it all. I've tried throwing bunches of the stuff in past years and it doesn't last, either. This year, I put many more 'sprigs' in and they took root. So far, I have them still (plus new growths) and the summer is 2/3 over. I go down to the local pond and plantnap a bunch, tie stones to their root system, and plopped them onto a shelf below the waterfall. I DO see some predation on the upper pieces but since I knew it would possibly take over the pond, I am watching carefully. The fish seem to be grazing as it's not out of control. Worst case scenario, I harvest the topmost portions, or I replenish next year (it's free, so no problem). All this said, I have gf, not koi. From what I've read, you'd probably have to plant a good number this way to stay ahead and maybe then, you'd lose out.

I'll upload a bit of video and you can see how my 'hornwort forest' is doing. Should be posted by tomorrow as I have to edit and upload to youtube first. My previous bits don't show it.

Still, I'd give it a shot if you're interested. I did my little hornwort garden to give the turtles and fish something else to eat in the early spring as well as to filter out anything coming off the waterfall. It is much better this year and I may augment what I have next year if I see no further progress.

Btw, my pond is liner with a smallish thickness of built up mulm/sand/soil, etc, so not like I have ideal growing conditions but from how the hornwort grew in the local 'big' pond, I knew it was aggressive and might survive.

Michael

 

[DutchMuch]

In AK you could be anywhere from a 6B to an 8A. I will definitely be watching your progress. Did you say you started a showcase?

North arkanses, central north.
Yea I started a showcase
But what I didn't say in it (ill edit it later) is the pond will be 3500 gallons plus, hasn't been holed yet.

 

[DutchMuch]

Next time, I see them I will ask them how they got it to grow like that or I could go up and check their pond out and see if it is still in there. (it has been a couple years, since I saw their pond).

This is just off the top of my head:
If you get anarchis to grow over the edges of the pot, and grow in a carpeting manner, its most likely from these reasons:
High nutrient content in the water column, and high light
Shallow pond, giving high light
Was trimmed and learned to grow horizontally

 

[brokensword]

That was kind of my idea - start the plants in a gravel filled shallow tray or pan and then transfer to the pond once it gets going. I'll look forward to hearing what you find out!

Lisa; here's a vid of my 'hornwort' field attempt so far;

 

[Meyer Jordan]

This is just off the top of my head:
If you get anarchis to grow over the edges of the pot, and grow in a carpeting manner, its most likely from these reasons:
High nutrient content in the water column, and high light
Shallow pond, giving high light
Was trimmed and learned to grow horizontally

Anacharis will grow vertically until it reaches the surface of the water. It will then grow horizontally....and bloom. Cute little white flower.

 

[DutchMuch]

Anacharis will grow vertically until it reaches the surface of the water. It will then grow horizontally....and bloom. Cute little white flower.

yea....
Thought she meant carpeting?

 

[Crazme]

Indeed.

Let me ask you this - how would an aquascaped pond add to the enjoyment of your pond? I can see why a tank is cool, but a pond is viewed from the top, not the side.

The joys of a pond are multitudinous! Looking at it from the top and from even a distance can reveal an entire landscape which includes not only fish but beautiful water lilies, interesting rocks, not to mention cascading waterfalls. I started with an aquarium but like a boat I moved to a pond that is 13 x 20 x 3 1/2 feet which is always stunning to watch!

 

[Nepen]

haha I tried putting lots of plants that's sold for tank in the pond... result? all died from either too much sun or fish ate all of it (even tied to rocks, the fish still got them floating and ate the roots). I put in amazon sword, different type of java fern... Now, I have hornworth and Anacharis that's growing very well BUT it all got covered in string algae OR fish poo.... so they are not super pretty

I think about 75% or my pond is covered. I need my pond covered by lily pads because with the 30 feet stream and in the full sun, my water can get very very warm. So with the shade from lily pads, it kept my water cool. That also mean I dont have a lot of space for other plants to grow under the lily pads.

That's why I have A BOG!!! so I can grow water plants and use it to filter my pond.

I do feel like if you want to plant plants in the pond but then need netting fine enough to cover the plant so fish dont get to it.. what's pretty in that? the netting would make it so it doesnt look natural and take away the beauty of it. I understand netting the roots and bottom part but those plants that grow below the surface is that i'm talking about.

 

[Lisak1]

The joys of a pond are multitudinous! Looking at it from the top and from even a distance can reveal an entire landscape which includes not only fish but beautiful water lilies, interesting rocks, not to mention cascading waterfalls. I started with an aquarium but like a boat I moved to a pond that is 13 x 20 x 3 1/2 feet which is always stunning to watch!

You kind of made my point - the beauty of a pond is different than the beauty of an aquarium. If you can't view the underwater plants from the side, they really won't add beauty to your pond. That's not to say they won't be beneficial - I just don't see them as making the pond look better.

 

[Lisak1]

Lisa; here's a vid of my 'hornwort' field attempt so far;

Looks cool from underwater! But big koi would destroy that without even trying - just by swimming through it, don't you think?

 

[DutchMuch]

plants from the side

Plants from the top, are when they are most beautiful. Look at this for example, a video my friend Sl!pFinger made:

That's will a lot of surface agitation, and about halfway grown out background/midground high tech plants.
Imagine the possibilities in a pond, don't know what something tastes like until you try it.