Newbie Plant Advice

[nos870]

Afternoon all,

Hoping to get some plant advice for my pool / pond that I had recently put a post up in here.
Pond Details
Location : Australia, South East Queensland , Sub tropical temperatures and currently in Spring
Been running for around 6 months now
40000L pool/pond with bog filter plus extra aeration
Fish : around 150 mixed fish no bigger than 6cm, mostly livebearers ( guppies, swordtails etc) and native Aussie rainbows, gudgeons.
Ph is sitting at 8 and Kh at 3dKH(50ppm)
Ammonia is reading around 0.25 ppm , nitrite 0 and Nitrate 0.
Most of the plants are marginal plants and are situated around the pool just below water level in the following type channels filled with 9mm peagravel.
I have also attached photos of what is sold at our local warehouse for pond plants ( I cannot get spikes similar to what appears available is the US ).

Up until now, none of the plants have died or withered, but also not grown a lot, and I am aware I am now into warmer temperatures for where I am so growth should begin to pickup. My question relates to the fertilizer in the picture with how I have my plants situated in gravel. Do these tabs look like they would be suitable to push into my gravel? And if so, would I need to be worried about having to much enter the water column? The product says its safe for fish and stays in the root zone, so I'm curious as to peoples opinions?

Cheers
Sean

 

[addy1]

I use osmocote all of the time, it works well. I use the granules dumped under my lilies, it has not bothered my ponds at all. Put some tabs in, start with a small amount and see how they do.

 

[Dimelius]

Afternoon all,

Hoping to get some plant advice for my pool / pond that I had recently put a post up in here.
Pond Details
Location : Australia, South East Queensland , Sub tropical temperatures and currently in Spring
Been running for around 6 months now
40000L pool/pond with bog filter plus extra aeration
Fish : around 150 mixed fish no bigger than 6cm, mostly livebearers ( guppies, swordtails etc) and native Aussie rainbows, gudgeons.
Ph is sitting at 8 and Kh at 3dKH(50ppm)
Ammonia is reading around 0.25 ppm , nitrite 0 and Nitrate 0.
Most of the plants are marginal plants and are situated around the pool just below water level in the following type channels filled with 9mm peagravel.
I have also attached photos of what is sold at our local warehouse for pond plants ( I cannot get spikes similar to what appears available is the US ).

Up until now, none of the plants have died or withered, but also not grown a lot, and I am aware I am now into warmer temperatures for where I am so growth should begin to pickup. My question relates to the fertilizer in the picture with how I have my plants situated in gravel. Do these tabs look like they would be suitable to push into my gravel? And if so, would I need to be worried about having to much enter the water column? The product says its safe for fish and stays in the root zone, so I'm curious as to peoples opinions?

Cheers
Sean

In your pot pic, 1st plant from left seems like a Cyperus alternifolius(fake papyrus) and it will need BIGGER pot for sure...can become 1.5meter tall...at least a 30x30cm pot in my opinion...and can use only pea gravel or pea+lava rocks or add some clay soil(heavy soil) and a layer of pea or lava rocks.
I don't know that tabs, but i put 1 of mine per plant when i make pots and then 1 per year(I know like that)...then plants will get nutriments from water and will fight algae...
BTW is spring, so now your plant will grow...
Can you find in AUS any of these plants: Juncus, iris pseudacorus, versicolor, laevigata, some kind of typha, hibiscus mosquetos, pontederia cordata?..are only some of em(because you asked help in other post)

 

[Marck]

Interesting. "prill technology". Osmocote inside a plastic bubble, presumably so the pellets won't float up in water since Osmocote pellets are already time released.
I've never tried these, but I do put in Jobe's fertilizer spikes once in the Spring. I like the spikes for their shape. They are easy to drive into the media.
Late in Spring and early Summer I also put in a small amount of liquid ferilizer (gasp!) in the water. With the weather warm and plants actively growing, I haven't had any algae problems.
Finding the amount right for your pond may take a little trial and error, but if you act in small increments you can't go too far off. Just don't overdo it, you can always add a bit more if you still aren't noticing new, green growth.
If you don't entirely clean out or drain your pond each year, there will still be year-to-year nutrient residue for most elements, perhaps not so much Nitrogen. I partly drain and replace water during winter to reduce this excess, preferrably with rain water. The drainage water is used to water terrestrial plants in my garden.