Lost 95% of my water hyacinths

[OntarioTodd]

Hi all,
New guy here.
My wife and I created an above ground pond this past June. We stocked it with several plants including water hyacinth, lettuce, a lily, "arrow head", parrots feather and some water grasses. The hyacinth has pretty much died off and the lettuce isn't as dark green as it was. The lily is doing well and is flowering. The grass is yellowed in spots. The parrots feather and arrow head plants are doing well. Any suggestions? I added some fertilizer a couple of weeks ago. The pond is about 1000 gallons. We have about a dozen fish, a few crayfish a frog and some snails, all of which are doing well. I have a 1600gph pump. I live in SW ont. Our summer has been mostly cool and rainy. Could this be the reason? Everything was doing so well until the weather took a dive.. We are now getting hot weather- 90 degrees F tomorrow. I'm hoping this will help.
Thanks
Todd

 

[newday3000]

Hi Todd,

I live in Ottawa and have had the same summer as you. I have water hycinth growing so fast I throughout half. Non are brown and all grow really well. The pond get's 5 hours of direct sun per day. I have parrots feather (doing well), Yellow Iris (dong well but some browning leaves that I trim), several other plants that are doing well. Lillies blooming all summer long.

Something else is going. Water hycinth need sun and nutrients suspended in the water for the roots. You may not have enough nitrate, phosphate in the water (not that you want more as algea likes it as well). Is something out comepting the water hycinth for nutrients?

 

[koiguy1969]

check the roots to make sure your fish arent just tearing them up..my koi eat them like theres no tommorrow so i bult floating planter cages so they cant get to the roots see the directions in the DIY section if your intersted..."floating planter rings" is the thread.. youll see how mine look and im in michigan so were not far off on the weather.

 

[OntarioTodd]

Thanks for the tips guys. I'll look into the planter rings.

Todd

 

[DrDave]

Place your hyacinths where there is a current and they will do better, they don't do as well in still water.