"Nate" wrote in message
oups.com...
snip
Lily pads... One of the most incredible root systems that I've ever
seen in my life. There was literally an alien body in my pond which
words cannot adequately describe. A several hundred pound mass of
roots and rocks about 8 feet long and up to a foot and a half thick.
It was simply amazing. We had to cut it into pieces just to remove
it... roots, rocks, and sludge. And here I thought I was imagining
things when I thought my pond wasn't as deep as it used to be. Has
anyone else seen this?

snip


Oh, yeah. I let my lilies jump the pots. The whole bottom is one massive
root system. I am running haalf the volume I used to have. Stays clear,
though. When I decide to clean it up I'll have to do the same thing you did,
again!(don't have any rock lining it though). I did it once before a few
years ago. Had to watch the sludge carefully for the trapped fish. They
fight their way to the surface of the discarded sludge and I'd return them
to the pond, no worse for wear.

JD
http://www2.itexas.net/jdstone/