Plants growing inside the Bio-fall box is it a good or bad idea?

[Gemma]

Last time I stepped in the plants pond, a couple of Hyacinths broke loose so I put them in the waterfall box, on top of the bio media bag. To my surprise the fall didn't push them out, and they seem to be doing well there, but now I'm thinking.... is it a good or bad idea to have plants growing with their roots in the bio-fall?

 

[Lisak1]

Absolutely positive! I've seen people with floating plants, impatiens, irises, cattails - you're adding plant filtration to the mix. Plus it's pretty!

 

[Mmathis]

And those roots are going to trap and collect all sorts of floating crud! Just for fun, go back in a day or 2 and pick up one of the hyacinths or swirl it in the water! Amazing what they trap!

 

[mrsclem]

As long as they don't redirect the water out of the pond.

 

[Mmathis]

As long as they don't redirect the water out of the pond.

True!

 

[Gemma]

I really like them there, now I feel better knowing they are actually doing good for the pond
Thank you guys!

 

[CliffandJoann]

It has been our experience that the long flowing hyacinth roots are the best
natural water purifier you can have...Unfortunately, for us our koi love to
eat the roots...I can hear them chewing on them in my sleep.
You are doing good having them in your waterfall box.

We keep hyacinth in our biological pond so that they scrub the pond water flowing
through the biological pond on it's journey back to the main pond.

 

[Gemma]

Update:
After several weeks of trial having placed Hyacinths in one of the bio falls, I've decided that it's NOT for me!
The bio fall without plants is crystal clear, the bio fall with plants has collected a lot of brown debris and grown algae on the edges, so in my opinion it might not be worth having the extra plants, if it means slowing down the flow of the waterfall, allowing debris to collect

 

[Lisak1]

So the plants are doing what they are supposed to - helping filter the water. Are you filtering that debris out somewhere else?

 

[Gemma]

So the plants are doing what they are supposed to - helping filter the water. Are you filtering that debris out somewhere else?

yes, the other plants outside the waterfall box do the filtering without slowing down the flow.

 

[Lisak1]

I can see that restricting the flow would be an issue, for sure. I've seen people restrain their floaters so they stay at the back of the box, or put plants in pots in the biofalls, probably for the same reason.