Best Plants for filtration?

[texmaster]

Hi everyone. My big mistake in building our second pond was not setting up a bog filter and I can't get it clear for most of the summer. I've tried to put in lilypads but the fish devour them. I was looking for a plant that could provide filtration but be comfortable about 2-3 feet underwater. I have 2 platforms in the pond for plants (formally lilypads)

I also have a very large bio mechanical waterfall that gets air injected at the bottom filled with media but they just don't seem to be helping much at all. I'm thinking about replacing at least some of the media with plants but again, not sure what I should be looking for. The entire pond is covered with a pergola so it gets very little direct sunlight.

The waterfall area:

The pond

Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

Its a 9x7x3.5.

 

[hamstermann]

I'm told that floaters tend to be heavy feeders - things like hyacinth, Hornwart, Frogbit, parrot's feather, duckweed. most of them want to be in direct sunlight though, so I don't know what to tell you with shade. I would think any plants are better than none so maybe you could start with some marginals and put them on top of something to lift them partially out of the water? Maybe put some hostas in there sitting on top of some upside-down flower pots so their feet are wet but their foliage is above the water?

 

[Hound Heaven]

Most of my hostas do just fine in the bog with gravel up to their crowns. Only one didn't bloom this year out of 7. Pickerel weed, White Butterfly ginger, Luna Swirl hibiscus, carnivorous plants, elephant ears are all thriving in there too. My gravel is just slightly above the water. I had only Wanvisa water lily in the pond this year and it provided great coverage so no floaters were necessary. Good luck.

 

[j.w]

I love this one and it can take shade: https://pondinformer.com/water-hawthorn-aponogeton-distachyos/

Water Hawthorn- Makes little seeds that will float around and sprout and then you can capture them and plant and make more. The blooms are very small and fragrant.

 

[miamicuse]

I love this one and it can take shade: https://pondinformer.com/water-hawthorn-aponogeton-distachyos/

Water Hawthorn- Makes little seeds that will float around and sprout and then you can capture them and plant and make more. The blooms are very small and fragrant.
View attachment 164845

will water hawthorn grow in south Florida? Probably too hot?

 

[j.w]

will water hawthorn grow in south Florida? Probably too hot?

Says zones 6 to 10 and likes no hotter water than 70 degrees.
https://pondinformer.com/water-hawthorn-aponogeton-distachyos/

 

[hamstermann]

Says zones 6 to 10 and likes no hotter water than 70 degrees.
https://pondinformer.com/water-hawthorn-aponogeton-distachyos/

I'm in Zone 7 and my water has been up to 86 Fahrenheit, but it's full sun and the water column is only about 2.5 feet deep.

 

[j.w]

I'm in Zone 7 and my water has been up to 86 Fahrenheit, but it's full sun and the water column is only about 2.5 feet deep.

Well if you have them growing well then looks like they can take hotter water then they say! Think they like the cooler water for when they bloom in the fall.

 

[hamstermann]

Well if you have them growing well then looks like they can take hotter water then they say! Think they like the cooler water for when they bloom in the fall.

I haven't grown them yet - I'll try it next year. I was just showing that water temperature can easily go above 70 degrees in that zone range.

 

[j.w]

I haven't grown them yet - I'll try it next year. I was just showing that water temperature can easily go above 70 degrees in that zone range.

Yep even here where I live in the cooler area we can get warmer water and they grow here good. Maybe they just mean they bloom better in the cooler waters?

 

[Chumley]

How about zone 5, too cold?

 

[j.w]

How about zone 5, too cold?

Well this site here says you can do zone 5 or lower as long as the tubers don't meet up w/the freeze depth. https://www.inthecountrygardenandgifts.com/articles/plants/pond_plant_water_hawthorn.php