Child Safety and water lillies compatible in Pondless?

[Beanbone]

Hi -

I'm constructing a pondless waterfall, but plan to have about 6 inches of water above my river rock line.

I hope to plant water lillies in pots INSIDE OF reservoir cubes in the pond. I will then cover my cubes lightly with river stone. The water line will be 6 inches above the river stone. I link to the product is below -

http://www.pondsolutions.com/Pond_Supplies/Pond-Supplies-Waterfall-Units-Reservoir-Cubes-1.html

Two questions -

1) I'm hoping to limit the water line above the river stone to 6 inches. I have a toddler at home. Is this safe?
2) The water lillies will be under at least 20" of water, but will need to grow throw the holes in the resovoir cube. Do you think this will work?

 

[ididntdoit99]

[sup]Well my 5 gallon bucket at home says my daughter can drown in a inch of water if she really puts her mind to it. [/sup]

[sup]as far as the lillies... that would be a good experiment, the leaves are already pretty big as they starts rising to the surface, whether or not they fit through the holes I dont know. Not to mention, you will have the plant buried under rock, and inside that basket, they really wont get any light, will they grow at all? [/sup]

 

[fishin4cars]

Toddler safety, A fence or raised wall. If there is water they will find it. 6" should pass any codes I think, But as stated a toddler can drown in less. As for the lilies, I don't think they will do very good. if anything you may want to try a marginal.
I would try Water poppies if anything. Bright yellow flowers thats roots will grow down into the gravel, they only need about a inch of water and they will spread. this would eleminate the possiblity that the toddler would get in the water, and a nice plant to watch grow. Plus they like water spray, Lilies don't.

 

[Beanbone]

thanks for the tip. I will lower my water level to more like 3 inches and go for water poppies. sounds safer and easier!

 

[Waterbug]

Code is generally water deeper than 18-24" is a pool. Most states require a barrier for pools.

Obviously a toddler would be in danger in far less water. But this case is much more like the danger of 5 gal buckets, where a toddler gets trapped underwater. I know people think the warning on 5 gal buckets are a joke but lots of toddlers fall into these buckets and can't get out. For example in Cook County Illinois 12 toddlers died in these buckets between 1985 and 1989, a quarter of all toddler drowning deaths. Google "5 gal bucket drowning" for lots of tragedy.

As long as the cube was upside down, so the kid couldn't fall into the cube, I'd think 6" of water would be safe, even 12".

Another option is to skip the lily for a few years and just have the feature with other plants. As the kids get older it isn't too hard to dig out the gravel and plant a lily then.

Couple of side issues...digging out the cube each year to trim and divide the lily isn't going to be too much fun. You might think about a grate top that can be removed to get at the plant. Second, water staying below the gravel means no string algae. Inch above probably means string algae at some point.

 

[Beanbone]

Thanks Waterbug. I do think I'll skip the lillies, and go for some other plants like water poppies. Do you think adding underwater
Oxygenator plants would help prevent string algea?

 

[Waterbug]

Do you think adding underwater Oxygenator plants would help prevent string algea?

I only tied a few times to grow underwater oxygenators and they always died quckily. And I've never read anything about them killing string algae. It is possible, but I don't even have a guess.

 

[brandonsdad02]

My wife runs a state registered in home daycare and for us to keep the pond, we had to build a fence that was at least 4ft above the water. We planned on building a fence around it anyways for our 1yr old. We put up a spaced picket fence that we stained a cedar color and put a spring loaded swinging, locking gate. Works great to keep the kids out and maybe some of the local critters.

 

[JCschild]

at the risk of sounding rude, and yes i have had (much older now) and still have a kid and aware of how quick they can get into things.. as well as a just turning 2 grandbaby.
i would be on my kid like flys on poo if She got anywhere near the pond. i also have a pool that is very accessable with no protection.
so i fail to see the need to be concerned unless you intend to let the kid run wild and not keep an eye out.

 

[sissy]

you could grow some great looking lotus in shallow water .Addy has a lotus pond and it looks great and lotus don't mind shallow water.I have seen lotus here in only 6 inches of water .

 

[Waterbug]

i would be on my kid like flys on poo if She got anywhere near the pond. i also have a pool that is very accessable with no protection.
so i fail to see the need to be concerned unless you intend to let the kid run wild and not keep an eye out.

Here in Phoenix it seems like we get weekly stories in the summer of kids drowning and the family on the news saying basically the same thing...we just turned around for a moment.

 

[HARO]

A former co-worker of mine lost one of his twin daughters (about 4 years old) in a swimming pool drowning. The pool was fenced, the gate latch above her reach, and both parents were in the yard with the girls. They never figured out how, but somehow she got into the pool area, and drowned within a minute or so. Fence or no fence, eternal vigilance is a necessity when dealing with toddlers!
John

 

[JCschild]

wow i cant even imagine a loss like that.. and with a 4yr old you are a little less concerned than a 2. heartbreaking for sure..
even with my 9 yr girl someone has to be outside watching (or at minimum inside thru the double doors where we can see the eintire pool) with her in the pool (just that crazy cautious) and when its 100 out its the last thing one of us wants to do..

 

[Beanbone]

Hi sissy

I love the lotus. I'll probably go with water poppies in three inches of water until we get past three years old. Then I'll deepen when he gets older. Unless I can grow lotus in three inches of water. Maybe I'll try it!

 

[Waterbug]

The pool was fenced, the gate latch above her reach, and both parents were in the yard with the girls. They never figured out how, but somehow she got into the pool area.

I can't think of many things more heart breaking. We hear so many stories like that here in Phoenix I sometimes wonder if people can't handle a short lapse in judgement and block it out of their minds. I mean if say I left the pool gate open and my kid drowned I'd have two choices, say and truly believe in my own mind the gate was closed, or put a bullet thru my head because how could you go on?