Weeble wrote:
I realised after I posted how toxic copper is, so scratch that idea. Maybe
a reflecting pool with a small fountain or a rock garden with a fountain
will be nice. With heat indexes in the 100's fire in the fire pit is
definitely out

Thanks for the help and information

Shell
"Phisherman" wrote in message
...

On Mon, 19 Jul 2004 17:20:59 GMT, "Weeble" wrote:


I have a copper fire pit which has never been used and likely will never

be

used for fire. I would like to turn it into a small water garden with
small waterlily and a few other plants and a small fountain. Any ideas

on

the suitability of the copper for a water garden? And any ideas on

plants

which woud be easy care?

Shell



Copper is poisonous to fish. And without a couple small fish in your
small water garden, you will need to take extra precautions about
breeding mosquitoes. You could line the copper fire pit with a rubber
or vinyl membrane which should be safer for fish. Given the right
conditions with plenty of sunlight, most water plants are easy care.
I have parrot feather, three water lilies, screw rush, striped rush,
elodea (anacharis), water hyacinth, and mint. Cattail and azola are
growing too, and very invasive. All of these have overwintered in
zone 7, although the hyacinth usually freezes out.





It's probably OK for scaly fish, but it would likely kill any snails,
shrimp, or other aquatic invertebrates.

The solubility of copper is very low, and people throw pennies into
fountains all the time without killing the fish. But copper would not
be my first choice of materials for a pond.

Best regards,
Bob