Well, I finally did it! Wild water plants in the pond!

[Phaewryn]

It's been years now that I've been struggling with not having enough plants in my pond to have decent water quality (cultivated ones are expensive and many are toxic to cats) but finally I got around to going down to the Connecticut River with a shovel digging myself some wild water plants! NO IDEA what any of these things are, but LOOK, the water quality is ALREADY improving after just 3 days with the additional plants! I'm absolutely sure none of these are appropriate for a 65-80 gallon system, but hey, FREE! All I had to do was risk leeches to get them! (I did thoroughly rinse all the roots until totally bare in the hope of not introducing nasties)

 

[addy1]

Great!

 

[Phaewryn]

The water is looking better and I have new growth on the two tall plants. Anyone willing to take a stab at identifying what I've got here?

 

[mrsclem]

One is cattails, not a good choice for a pond. The roots can damage the liner.

 

[j.w]

I have dwarf cattails in my pond between the rocks and I see no damage to my liner and they have been in there for 15 yrs. Some people say they do no damage, others say they do.

 

[mrsclem]

I've heard the dwarf variety don't get the same roots as the larger version . I've had them vut they didn't survive.

 

[addy1]

From what I read the cat tails have spiky roots, can drill right through the liner. The dwarf don't.

I had dwarf, they all poofed away

 

[Lisak1]

I've heard the dwarf variety don't get the same roots as the larger version . I've had them vut they didn't survive.

Exactly. Two totally different plants. We saw an in ground pool that was being rebuilt because the owner had planted cattails around the back side and the roots went right through the cement. And they are nearly impossible to control.

 

[j.w]

Exactly. Two totally different plants. We saw an in ground pool that was being rebuilt because the owner had planted cattails around the back side and the roots went right through the cement. And they are nearly impossible to control.

Glad I have the dwarf ones then. Never will I ever put the big ones in there.
They do get rather raggedy looking tho when the stems all turn brown and it's hard to get them outta there so guess what? They just stay like that as I'm not trying to wear myself out anymore.

I had them in my bathtub pond too but took them out as they grew too well and popped the pot!

Moved to the bigger pond:

Weird how they had little heads on them in the bathtub and in the bigger pond they are more elongated. Guess the fish poo agrees w/them

 

[Phaewryn]

One is cattails, not a good choice for a pond. The roots can damage the liner.

It's in a mesh basket on a shelf, with a rock under it in a preformed pond without a soft liner. Think it's still gonna be a problem? I plan to just throw it in the trash in a couple of months when winter starts. If I see them escaping the basket, trash will happen sooner.

 

[j.w]

It's in a mesh basket on a shelf, with a rock under it in a preformed pond without a soft liner. Think it's still gonna be a problem? I plan to just throw it in the trash in a couple of months when winter starts. If I see them escaping the basket, trash will happen sooner.

I think in your situation it will be fine. Would be even better if it were the dwarf variety. Just enjoy it as long as you feel like it. If it gets too big you can divide it and just keep some. I think it will last over winter.

 

[addy1]

Just watch they can grow fast.