plants - do I have enough?

[steph]

Hi All

Wondering if there is a recommended ratio for plants...I have a 250 g pond with 7 goldfish, wondering how many plants for shade, how many oxygenators, do marginals do anything or are they just for decoration? What about those floating little plants like duckweed, are they necessary or just for shade or decoration?

Right now I have a Floating heart, 1 parrots feather, 3 water hyacinths (not doing well), a mini bullrush, 1 water lettuce (with two babies attached) 2 hornwort, and a hippasomething...No water lily as they are $50.00 here (BC Canada)

Have had some green water problems but pond is new (fish added about 2 weeks ago) Bought a bigger filter, this is helping...

Also, I have a water lettuce that sprouted babies, do I cut the babies loose or just leave them?

Steph

 

[DrDave]

60% coverage is about the max coverage I would recommend. I have gone more but then you never see the fish and there are other consequences to worry about. Leave the babies on them and just remove the excess as the summer goes on. I have about a trashcan full each week.

 

[steph]

A trash can full! Lucky you!

Plants here are very expensive. One tiny water lettuce is about $6.00 CDN and a water lily is $50.00 CDN. A small margarine tub of floating duckweed or fern is $8.00...Wonder if I can take plants over the US border? Maybe they won't let me bring them to Canada...will have to find out. I live about 15 Kilometres from the border...
I understand some of them are considered invasive species.

But I can buy goldfish here for 49 cents! Bigger ones for $1.49...Baby Koi start around $25.00, maybe 3-4 inches long. Shubunkins and Sarassas $3.50 each, 2 inch.

Steph

 

[DrDave]

Last year, I sold over a 1000 that were as big as 12" (water leuttuce) for $1 each. I still had a trash can a week excess. Our nurseries sell them for $5 each.

This past winter I took out at least 30# of duckweed. I sell it for $1 a double hand full.
I don't ship so I rely only on locals for my plants.

I bet the shorter growing season drives the prices up there.

 

[oldmarine]

I have some Frog Bit that is left over from last year. I kept some in the house in a fifty gallon aquarium over the winter. The Frog Bit grows fast like Hyacinths, so they have to be thinned out regularly. Right now it is covering about 80% of my pond and between the lily pads and frog bit I can hardly see my fish. Time to thin things out.

Happy ponding,