Can anyone identify this floating plant?

[Lohoyan]

I gotfrom a local municipal water feature. Not sure what it is. It doesn't look like its been doing to well?

 

[toddnbecka]

Indeed, looks rather like water hyacinth bulbs. Do they have much of a root mass below?

 

[Lohoyan]

Yes, a couple inches. My pond was just built 5 weeks ago, its difficult to find pond plants in my area except for the local indigenous stuff which I'm not sure is appropriate or not. I have taken some clumps of local swamp plants, bulrushes and some other species and put them in pots on the pond. But now green algae has gone wild in there. Would I be better off with out those huge clumps of swamp dirt in there?

 

[toddnbecka]

Algae won't do any harm, my pond typically gets a couple outbreaks each year then clears up again. Water hyacinth is a tropical plant, very troublesome invasive species in FL, won't live through the winter much further north though. Get enough floating plants on the surface to block the light and absorb nutrients and the algae will disappear. Hardy water lilies are available online, check e-bay, you may find some pretty cheap this time of year.

 

[Lohoyan]

Yes, I'm looking around for plants. As for the plants surviving the winter that's a whole other topic. Our winter here lasts seven months with sustained periods of -30 and -40 degree C weather (-25 to -40F, just think Alaska). I'm planning to bring the pond indoors, it's a 110 gallon basin and hang a fairly strong plant gro light over it on a timer. Will this keep any plants and my goldfish happy? Will this work or should I just put everything in an aquarium over the winter.

 

[toddnbecka]

I used to use a floating heater in my pond over the winter to keep it from freezing over completely. Plants that are in pots should be fine as long as the roots or rhizomes don't freeze solid. After the heater fianlly died I didn't replace it, then last winter the entire pond was frozen solid for months. The water lilies all came up in the spring though, didn't have any fish left anyway. I had stocked it with rosy reds to eat mosquito larvae several years ago, but they finally died out the previous winter.

 

[robbeno]

I used to use a floating heater in my pond over the winter to keep it from freezing over completely. Plants that are in pots should be fine as long as the roots or rhizomes don't freeze solid. After the heater fianlly died I didn't replace it, then last winter the entire pond was frozen solid for months. The water lilies all came up in the spring though, didn't have any fish left anyway. I had stocked it with rosy reds to eat mosquito larvae several years ago, but they finally died out the previous winter.

Hi bud I'm a newbie just Reading your thread, so your pond froze solid n u lost all ur fish last year... What heater was it you were using ? Just a bit worried myself as my pond is only small 55 gallon 18" deep
I have just bought a Bermuda 150w heater and was wondering if this would do
Cheers Rob

 

[Lohoyan]

In my climate there's no way I could keep it unfrozen but it all depends where you live and how well the pond is insulated. If it's in the ground that will help a lot, mine was above ground. I've since brought it in, I feel a bit silly having a large goldfish pond inside my house but it's kinda cool too.

 

[robbeno]

Yea it's in ground but not that deep 17"or so
I'm in north west uk, but last yesr it went to 20f, wondering if those floating heaters work ok

 

[robbeno]

I got a biger pond I just bought also because I'm over stocked, can't insert it untill next year, was thinking of using it, to get fish in and use 2 airlines in there at surface to stop freeze Hopefully

 

[jlk]

I agree on the water hyacinth. Ive been trying to get it to survive in my aquarium as well as outdoors. They are seasonal plants that will die off during cooler temps/winter months. They are considered to be a weed in warmer/temperate climates.

 

[toddnbecka]

The floating heater worked fine for years, it eventually died and wasn't replaced.

 

[robbeno]

Ok snd thanks bud

 

[Lohoyan]

I agree on the water hyacinth. Ive been trying to get it to survive in my aquarium as well as outdoors. They are seasonal plants that will die off during cooler temps/winter months. They are considered to be a weed in warmer/temperate climates.

So how do you get the hyacinth to survive, as you can see in this photo it is slowly decaying away. Do they make seeds or anything? I want more of it, lots!

Does anyone know what the big plant is with the long thin leaves. The lfs just told me it was "grass" and suitable for a pond. I'm really wondering if it should be submerged like that or if I should raise it up so only the roots are in the water.