Plants Question???

[Karen]

Hi. What are the best plants to add to a koi pond? And....is it better to build a "bog area" or is it just as good to use pots for the plants? I actually think I'd rather do the "pot" thing, if it'd work just as well. That way I can put them where I want them and not just in the bog area. I've read that you need pots without holes in them, don't know if that's true?? I've been doing some research on plants but thought I'd ask. Anyone use the mini-elephant ear plant?? Thanks for any advice!

 

[AmandaD87]

I have my first very own pond but my parents had an extremely large pond which is where I first began to enjoy it. We both have Water Iris, hyacinth and lily pad plants in our pond. The hyacinth plants float on the top. The lily pad is potted and can sit on the bottom. The iris's are on the shelf in their pot.

Hope this helps!

 

[fishin4cars]

when the koi are small you can get away with about any aquatic plant, as they get big, koi will eat the lily's and any roots they can get to. best plants for koi, are thalia, taro(minature eleaphant ears...lol), papyrus, Iris's, pickerel Rush, pretty much anything you can put in where the Koi can't get to the new shoots. lily's seem to do best in pots with no holes, most other plants will do fine in pots with holes but you need to make sure and put gravel in the bottom or a piece or burlao so the planting media doesn't escape out the bottom. You can build protective screen's to go around lily pots to protect them from koi and it you do this it is a great place for the babies to get and be protected.

 

[Karen]

OK....I added some plants today, but now my water is very "dirty" looking....from the rocks/dirt in my pots that has leaked out.....How can I get my water clear? It's not algae...

 

[JoaniePA]

patience.. it will settle.

 

[addy1]

Best thing to do is not use dirt, but I think from your other post you fixed that. I stick with pea gravel or kitty litter clay. (the pure stuff)

 

[ashirley]

I use lava rocks for mine. The tiny holes are a good place for beneficial bacteria to grow. My koi eat pretty much any plant that sits all the way in the water like lillies. I raise the pots up where only the bottom of the pots are in the water. If you sit them on milk crates or strawberry pots, it gives the fish a place to hide and provides some shade which is important here in SC

 

[addy1]

I use lava rocks for mine. The tiny holes are a good place for beneficial bacteria to grow. My koi eat pretty much any plant that sits all the way in the water like lillies. I raise the pots up where only the bottom of the pots are in the water. If you sit them on milk crates or strawberry pots, it gives the fish a place to hide and provides some shade which is important here in SC

Yep anything that will hold the plants works, I don't have a good fish load for nutrients yet, so try to give the plants a little something to live off.