Water in motion, good or bad?

[Rick42wood]

I have the return line from my filter set so it causes the water in the pond to rotate. I am trying to grow water lilies that I have read prefer still water. I thought I might make a diffuser to install at the end of the return pipe to slow the water down, Any advice?

 

[Mmathis]

Hello and welcome!

How big is your pond? Can you post pictures?

 

[Tula]

In general water lilies prefer calmer water, however mine seem to grow in areas with lots of water movement too.

 

[j.w]

@Rick42wood
Would be good to see some photo's of what this looks like. If it's not a ton of movement it should be ok.

 

[Rick42wood]

Pond is quite small, about 8' long by 3' wide at the widest. 20" deep, About 160 Gal. I think.

 

[Mmathis]

Does your filter flow through the waterfall? With a pond that small, the waterfall might be all the movement you need, and it should be fine for a water lily.

 

[Rick42wood]

I had the return line as the waterfall but it created so much foam I couldn't see the fish so I left one outlet from the pump as a very low flow waterfall and the other hi flow I put below the surface pointed along the edge. Hence the swirl in the pond.

 

[Beercan31]

The disatvantage with water movement is fish need a place to relax, if they have to constantly have to navigate moving they become week and could become ill.

 

[j.w]

Doesn't look that turbulent to me. I see calm waters.

 

[Rick42wood]

Doesn't look that turbulent to me. I see calm waters.

I guess the safe thing to do is slow the movement down. Would no or very little movement cause problems?

 

[addy1]

Some of my ponds have minimal movement. The big pond has the most via waterfalls.
All do equally well.

only two ponds have fish, part of the big pond is minimal movement, part waterfall movement.

 

[j.w]

I guess the safe thing to do is slow the movement down. Would no or very little movement cause problems?

I would think as long as the water is still circulating and filter is cleaning things up so water is not just stagnant you could slow it down some and see how it goes. My pond has lots of action on one end w/aerator and pounding waterfall but the other end is calmer. Fish can choose what mood they want to be......................party hardy or cool as a cucumber