Water hyacinth is likely "dirtier" than water lilies: the water
hyacinth grows quite rapidly and has a very high leaf attrition rate
(it sheds lots of dead leaves, contributing to the muck at the bottom
of your pond). Then again, water hyacinth is the better of the two at
reducing nitrogen and phosphorus compounds in the water column,
thereby limiting algal blooms.

You mention the kitty litter originally in your water lily pots had
dispersed throughout the pond. The water lilies are not to blame for
this, however. It's more likely your koi and catfish.

I noted with keen interest the impact a common carp population had on
a small pond I recently drained. Sister, carpless ponds were loaded
with endemic submersed and emergent vegetation (100% coverage), clear
water (you could see the bottom at six foot depths), and consolidated
(firm) sediments. The pond infested with carp, however, was devoid of
vegetation (except for a few small patches of Vallisneria, Sagittaria
and an assortment of submersed aquatic plant species protected with
cages for research purposes), murky (visibility under six inches), and
the soft bottom (shin deep muck) was littered with small craters.

These ponds are approximately 3/4 acres in surface area, each
containing roughly 750,000 gallons of water. There were twelve adult
carp in the denuded pond. That is roughly 1 fish per 60,000 gallons
of water. And there were virtually no plants left. And sediments
were shifted significantly. And....koi are naught but selectively
bred common carp.

Exclude the fish from your plants and pots, and they will become
cleaner, as should your pond..


"Bob Sisson" wrote:

We just mucked out our pond for the spring....

Drained the pond, moved the fish to a kids pond, and then the work began.

Pumped it down and then started raking, sweeping and power washing.

Yes, yes I know don't wash off all the good stuff. Well, the "good stuff"
was a foot thick in places.

Many many buckets later, we filled it again (well water) started the pumps,
and moved the fish back.

The water was COLD, so I wasn't worried too much about the fish, although
one did jump out of the kiddy pool and spend some time in the mulch before
we noticed. Seems happy now in his CLEAN pond.

However... I have to think that the lilies contributed a LOT to the muck on
the bottom. I know the aquatic "soil" (looked like kitty litter) was
everywhere BUT in the Lilly containers. Same with he small stones and
anything else.

What can we put in the pond in the way of plants that won't "Migrate" to the
bottom, shed leaves into my filter, and can deal with LARGE rocks for soil
(Something the fish won't move).

How big a pond you ask...

Take a look...

http://www.sissonfamily.com/pages/pond.htm

Our Six (6) Koi survived another winter, along with about 8 Comets and 6
Shubunkins (sp?) a frog and a catfish. They all survived (so far) being
moved twice today, and all but the cat fish seem to like a cleaner pond.

My wife would love to keep it aquarium clear, but I don't think I can do
that with any plants.

all ideas welcome....