new to the forum

[wantabe23]

hey fellow pond lovers, I felt like I should join. I have a house, and have installed two preformed pond shells, and a DIY filter. I have always ben into fish and aquaria. so having a pond is just a larger version.
I would like to know what you use as a planting medium for a marginal plant? I want to line my space in burlap and then layer, but all I have read is heavy potting soil and organic mater. I want to avoid algae bloom, love the plants. Thanks, hope I can help out here, and be helped.
Collins:alieneyesa:

 

[wantabe23]

my overall plan is to see what kind of rodents will come out of the wood work having these small ponds in. Then plan a large one in which would house Koi, and possibly place some kind of solarium over so that I can get out of the rainy pacific northwest from time to time.

 

[hewhoisatpeace]

I use pea gravel and cat litter. Just the pure clay kind, like Special Kitty in the red bag (40 lbs $2.78 at Wal Mart) Algae will not seem to grow on the cat litter, I also add it to my pond every so often to cut down on algae and add minerals (like koi clay).

 

[hewhoisatpeace]

Oh, BTW, welcome to the forum.

 

[DrDave]

Welcome to the Forum.

 

[wantabe23]

I use pea gravel and cat litter. Just the pure clay kind, like Special Kitty in the red bag (40 lbs $2.78 at Wal Mart) Algae will not seem to grow on the cat litter, I also add it to my pond every so often to cut down on algae and add minerals (like koi clay).

great idea, i did use some of cat liter type of stuff called great turf, the stuff they use on baseball mounds. But cat litter is much easer to find as long as its non scented. thanks for the tip.

 

[addy1]

I just planted some lily's in the kitty clay from wally world, put a little pea gravel over the top of it. The lily's are already showing new growth, so they must like it.

But the non scented, cheap stuff like hewhoisatpeace says. Red bag at wally world.