George wrote:

"CanadianCowboy" wrote in message
...

since this is my first time introducing live plants to the pond,
I wanted to know what can be used instead of soil for plants to grow in.
I believe the soil will muck up the clarity of the pond.
I was given some plants that love to grow in water but need some kind of
soil or media to grow in.

I plant bare root, where possible. When a medium is needed:

You can use bentonite clay, if you can find a source (drilling supply
companies are one. Pump supply companies are another).

For the amounts used by the average ponder, 20kg bags of kitty litter
(unscented clay) work well. It _is_ bentonite.

After you've made up enough to plant your
plants, mix a little aquarium gravel in with it and simply plant your
plants in a
planter, and submerge the whole thing into your pond. It won't affect
your water clarity if you do it this way.

You could use the gravel; I wouldn't bother. kitty litter does need a good
rinse to get rid of the dust.
--
derek

2pods wrote:



I use plain old cat litter. It's very cheap and doesn't float away. Just
be
sure you get stuff that is just the clay, ie: not deodorizers.

.......also remember to take the cat out first ;-)

Doh! That's what I forgot...
--
derek

Elaine T wrote:

San Diego Joe wrote:

I use plain old cat litter. It's very cheap and doesn't float away. Just
be sure you get stuff that is just the clay, ie: not deodorizers.

Where do you find it? I'm in San Diego too and have yet to find cat
litter without deodorizers or antibacterials.

Obviously Joe should be able to help you, but for the sake of those who
aren't in San Diego, just look for the cheapest no-name stuff. It's
usually free of the deodorants (I can't say I've ever seen antibacterial
kitty litter - maybe they've started adding it to the stuff I get, and I'd
better check!).
--
derek

On Thu, 28 Apr 2005 19:57:28 GMT, Elaine T
wrote:

Charles wrote:

I just use dirt. Put some gravel or rocks on top to keep the fish
out. It sometimes clouds the water a bit, but then settles.

what is sold for potting soil here floats, lots of perlite and wood
bark products.

I have read that the Schultz product will break pumps, if that is a
consideration.

Break pumps how? If chunks of it get past the prefilter? Enquiring
minds with this stuff in their ponds need to know!


It would go through the strainer I have on my pump. I bought some,
but never used it. I have an ideal system, a friend runs a pond/water
garden store and does my repotting for me.


--
Charles

Does not play well with others.

George wrote:
"Elaine T" wrote in message
. ..

San Diego Joe wrote:

"CanadianCowboy" wrote:



Hello all,

since this is my first time introducing live plants to the pond,
I wanted to know what can be used instead of soil for plants to grow in.
I believe the soil will muck up the clarity of the pond.
I was given some plants that love to grow in water but need some kind of
soil or media to grow in.

Any suggestions ?


I use plain old cat litter. It's very cheap and doesn't float away. Just be
sure you get stuff that is just the clay, ie: not deodorizers.

Where do you find it? I'm in San Diego too and have yet to find cat litter
without deodorizers or antibacterials.

TIA!

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com


Pure, unadulterated cat litter is simply betonite. You can buy bentonite at any
drilling supply or pump equiptment dealer. In your case, you should have a
local, free supply of it, because bentonite occurs in the Otay Bentonite
Deposit, in San Diego County. Now all you have to do is find out where it crops
out in your area, get permission from the land owner, and have a bucket and
shovel handy. The easiest way to find bentonite in your area would be to
contact the U.S.D.A. Soil Conservation Survey, your county extension, and ask
for a free copy of the parts 1 and 2 (whichever you part of the county in which
you live) of the county soil survey, and ask them to help you locate
bentonite-rich soils on the map shown in the survey). Once you've done this,
you can do a little drving to find out where the best location is to collect
however much you need.


Whoa...cool! I have some friends on large properties out east, so maybe
they'll have some. Thanks!

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

San Diego Joe wrote:
"Elaine T" wrote:


San Diego Joe wrote:

"CanadianCowboy" wrote:



Hello all,

since this is my first time introducing live plants to the pond,
I wanted to know what can be used instead of soil for plants to grow in.
I believe the soil will muck up the clarity of the pond.
I was given some plants that love to grow in water but need some kind of
soil or media to grow in.

Any suggestions ?


I use plain old cat litter. It's very cheap and doesn't float away. Just be
sure you get stuff that is just the clay, ie: not deodorizers.

Where do you find it? I'm in San Diego too and have yet to find cat
litter without deodorizers or antibacterials.

TIA!


I bought some at the local von's store in clairemont.

Vons? Dang. My local one doesn't have plain old litter. Just 20 kinds
of smelly stuff. I know where the Clairemont one is, though. Thanks!

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

George wrote:
"Elaine T" wrote in message
...

Charles wrote:


I just use dirt. Put some gravel or rocks on top to keep the fish
out. It sometimes clouds the water a bit, but then settles.

what is sold for potting soil here floats, lots of perlite and wood
bark products.

I have read that the Schultz product will break pumps, if that is a
consideration.


Break pumps how? If chunks of it get past the prefilter? Enquiring minds
with this stuff in their ponds need to know!

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com


The particles are very small (~ 2 mm). Unless your pump is also very small, I
don't see how it is going to be a problem, especially since it is supposed to be
confined to the plant containers. My pump is a utility pump and will
practically pump sand (though obviously not for an extended period of time).


I've got a Mag-Drive 3, and it's well prefiltered. I've also got it
topped with pebbles in the barrel with the pump. *whew*

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

Elaine T wrote:
George wrote:

"Elaine T" wrote in message
...

Charles wrote:


I just use dirt. Put some gravel or rocks on top to keep the fish
out. It sometimes clouds the water a bit, but then settles.

what is sold for potting soil here floats, lots of perlite and wood
bark products.

I have read that the Schultz product will break pumps, if that is a
consideration.


Break pumps how? If chunks of it get past the prefilter? Enquiring
minds with this stuff in their ponds need to know!

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com



The particles are very small (~ 2 mm). Unless your pump is also very
small, I don't see how it is going to be a problem, especially since
it is supposed to be confined to the plant containers. My pump is a
utility pump and will practically pump sand (though obviously not for
an extended period of time).

I've got a Mag-Drive 3, and it's well prefiltered. I've also got it
topped with pebbles in the barrel with the pump. *whew*

Boy did that not make sense. I've also got _the aquatic soil_ topped
with pebbles... ROFL

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

Derek Broughton wrote:
Elaine T wrote:


San Diego Joe wrote:


I use plain old cat litter. It's very cheap and doesn't float away. Just
be sure you get stuff that is just the clay, ie: not deodorizers.

Where do you find it? I'm in San Diego too and have yet to find cat
litter without deodorizers or antibacterials.


Obviously Joe should be able to help you, but for the sake of those who
aren't in San Diego, just look for the cheapest no-name stuff. It's
usually free of the deodorants (I can't say I've ever seen antibacterial
kitty litter - maybe they've started adding it to the stuff I get, and I'd
better check!).

All the cheap no-name stuff I've found so far says "not for garden use"
on the back and has an antibacterial in it. Hope yours is different.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

They sell clumping type cat litter at the local Dollar Store and Big
Lots cxhain stores...its unscented, and 100% pure sodium bentonite
clay in granular form..7 pound jug for a buck..........Hartz Mountain
also makes an unscented clay and its often found in Wal
Marts.....Hartz is also marketed under another name but its the same
stuff, just look for the label to say sodium or western bentonite
clay.

On Thu, 28 Apr 2005 19:58:10 GMT, Elaine T
wrote:

===San Diego Joe wrote:
=== "CanadianCowboy" wrote:
===
===
===Hello all,
===
===since this is my first time introducing live plants to the pond,
===I wanted to know what can be used instead of soil for plants to grow in.
===I believe the soil will muck up the clarity of the pond.
===I was given some plants that love to grow in water but need some kind of
===soil or media to grow in.
===
===Any suggestions ?
===
===
=== I use plain old cat litter. It's very cheap and doesn't float away. Just be
=== sure you get stuff that is just the clay, ie: not deodorizers.
===
===Where do you find it? I'm in San Diego too and have yet to find cat
===litter without deodorizers or antibacterials.
===
===TIA!


==============================================
Put some color in your cheeks...garden naked!

Well if you were in this area I could load you up with all the
bentonite you could carry for free. I just got a heap of it for free
yesterday from a well drilling company as well as a free pond relining
with bentonite.........I have bentonite in powder form of 220 and 300
mesh size, in granular and also pellet form.......a form to cover
virtually all needs.......all in 50# bags. In all reality bentonite is
probably cheaper than dirt would cost. I can buy calcium bentonite
here (southern type) for my foundry use for under $6.00 a 100#
sack......but cacium does ot swell up like sodium bentonite does. ALL
well drillers use sodium bentonite for their slurry mix.

==============================================
Put some color in your cheeks...garden naked!

~Roy~ wrote:
They sell clumping type cat litter at the local Dollar Store and Big
Lots cxhain stores...its unscented, and 100% pure sodium bentonite
clay in granular form..7 pound jug for a buck..........Hartz Mountain
also makes an unscented clay and its often found in Wal
Marts.....Hartz is also marketed under another name but its the same
stuff, just look for the label to say sodium or western bentonite
clay.

Lovely! Now I know exactly what to look for. Thanks so much.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

On 28 Apr 2005 09:14:24 -0700, "JamesG" wrote:

I have been using potting soil with gravel on the top of the pot to
prevent soil from escaping. My pond is reasonably clear, I would be
curious about other better options.

Use strips of weed fabric between the soil and the gravel. Keeps the gravel
from settling into the soil, beside hold the soil from floating away when
putting in pond. ~ jan

~Power to the Porg, Flow On!~

"~Roy~" wrote in message
...
Well if you were in this area I could load you up with all the
bentonite you could carry for free. I just got a heap of it for free
yesterday from a well drilling company as well as a free pond relining
with bentonite.........I have bentonite in powder form of 220 and 300
mesh size, in granular and also pellet form.......a form to cover
virtually all needs.......all in 50# bags. In all reality bentonite is
probably cheaper than dirt would cost. I can buy calcium bentonite
here (southern type) for my foundry use for under $6.00 a 100#
sack......but cacium does ot swell up like sodium bentonite does. ALL
well drillers use sodium bentonite for their slurry mix.

==============================================
Put some color in your cheeks...garden naked!

The pellets work best IMHO because there is no dust and it is easier to handle.

On Fri, 29 Apr 2005 00:01:25 GMT, (~Roy~) wrote:

Well if you were in this area I could load you up with all the
bentonite you could carry for free. I just got a heap of it for free
yesterday from a well drilling company as well as a free pond relining
with bentonite.........I have bentonite in powder form of 220 and 300
mesh size, in granular and also pellet form.......a form to cover
virtually all needs.......all in 50# bags. In all reality bentonite is
probably cheaper than dirt would cost. I can buy calcium bentonite
here (southern type) for my foundry use for under $6.00 a 100#
sack......but cacium does ot swell up like sodium bentonite does. ALL
well drillers use sodium bentonite for their slurry mix.

==============================================
Put some color in your cheeks...garden naked!


you should sell it like these folks do:

http://www.koiclay.com/

http://www.pondpetsusa.com/pond_clay/


--
Charles

Does not play well with others.