aquatic compost

Discussion in 'Compost, Fertilisers & Recycling' started by pottering142, Mar 28, 2011.

  1. pottering142

    pottering142 Apprentice Gardener

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    hi everyone:).

    im looking for some help!!!
    last year i started a new wildlife pond and planted iris.lily's and mint.
    I used poor quality soil for the pots and the plants grew well for a while but then i noticed the leaves on all the lily's stayed tiny?
    Does this meen i need to replant???? if so does anyone have a good receipe for homemade compost as i am on a very tight budget.:scratch:
    Thanks....
     
    pottering142, Mar 28, 2011
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  2. wiseowl

    wiseowl Admin Staff Member

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    Hi Pottering142 no worries my friend your OK, I have moved your post here, and I did send you a pm before I moved it:thumbsup: I am sure you will get an answer sooner than later.:)
     
    wiseowl, Mar 28, 2011
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  3. ARMANDII

    ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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    Hi, don't put any nutrients in the soil!, it will cause your water to go green if you do as the algae will feed off it . All your marginal plants will get all the nutrients they need from your pond water, which also helps to keep your pond water clear. Give your marginal plants some time to get established and they'll grow bigger with time!!
     
    ARMANDII, Mar 28, 2011
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  4. pete

    pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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    The bottom of my pond now has a covering of for want of a better word c ra p, dead leaves and silt.
    But its never been cleared out since 1989, so.... the fish (goldfish) still thrive.
    When I started I just planted into crates of the clayiest garden soil I could find and most things did well.
    I think you need fish to provide the plant nutrient.

    Water lilies, I find tend to always grow large, and usually escape any containers you provide them with, once they do, there is no stopping them.
     
    pete, Mar 28, 2011
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  5. ARMANDII

    ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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    Yes, I've got 9 fish in my pond to which the downside is that they eat all the forgspawn and hence I've have no frogs. I've over planted with marginal plants, in plastic crate containing ordinary garden soil kept in hessian sacking with gravel on top, because the plants does feed on the nutrients in the water, and that's all they need - plus sunlight, so they stop the water from going green.

    I'm pretty sure that the fish excrement is taken up pretty quickly by the plants otherwise it would help to feed the algae, turning the water green.
     
    ARMANDII, Mar 28, 2011
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  6. pete

    pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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    I've never used a uv light or anything like that, I do have a biological filter, very basic,and a pump and waterfall, mainly for filtration and oxygenation, the water is pretty green right now, and will be for a month or so, until the plants get going and start using up the nutrient provided by the fish.
    I just let mine take its course, I've never know it not to clear during the summer.
    You have to look upon it as a natural cycle, I think, plants and fish creating a balanced environment, where by each supports the other.
     
    pete, Mar 28, 2011
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  7. ARMANDII

    ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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    Yes, I agree, Pete, although luckily,my pond is always crystal clear. It will get murky next warm period as I'm going in with my waders to clear it of leaves and debris. I don't use a UV or filter as when initially I was researching it, before digging it out, there was a piece on balancing the water nutrient level by over planting and letting the plants do the work in a natural way, and for me it has worked for the 20 years I've had the pond.
     
    ARMANDII, Mar 28, 2011
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  8. Spruce

    Spruce Glad to be back .....

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    Hi Depending on the variety some lilys have tiny leaves as you can grow some in a bucket or 4 ft 6ft deep to me it sounds that you pygmy ones , so it may be that do you know its name .
    Spruce
     
    Spruce, Mar 30, 2011
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  9. pottering142

    pottering142 Apprentice Gardener

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    hi,
    i have two lily's, one is a pygmy, the other is a large white one!!! both of the lily's had got smaller than normal leaves.i expected the little one to have up to 3" leaves and the large one 5-6"
    Im just wondering if they need some sort of feed???
    thanks:rolleyespink:
     
    pottering142, Mar 30, 2011
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