water gardening in a barrel

hi, I have a water lily in a half barrel, there were also snails and frogget, but they've died a death over the winter, could someone please tell me what I need to get to keep the water clear, as it went all green and stagnant on me.
I really need something solar powered as I have no electricity running to the barrel. Thanks

 

Hello dixy, to be honest, solar is the last thing you need.
In a pond with fish you would have a biological filter, a U.V and a pump, these need to be on 24/7 so that rules out solar, and solar is feeble at best, expensive at worst.
Besides as you have no fish, you don't need them.
Over winter things do get cold, and with a half barrel being on the surface (I presume it is) it would have got very cold, so short of wrapping it in insulation there was not much you could have done. I would now suggest you tip it all out and refill it and re plant it, your lilly may have survived, I don't know, but if it looks dead, then compost heap time.
Get another lilly and some oxygenating plants and restock your barrel. I am not going to say which plants you should get. If I say "you should get xyt" and no one sells xyt near you, you wont get an alternative, so see what lilies and oxygenating plants you can get and put those in, the sooner the better.

Oh, as an aside, lilies don't like moving water.

Good luck and post a couple of pictures, now, then and later.

 

Dixy, same as you I have a pond in a barrel. I've not managed to over winter any plants yet over three years and have had to replace each year. I'm waiting to see if any of the Giant Ramshorns have survived (they usually do appear again) as they are good for eating the algae. I keep a hook handy and every few days wrap up the green slime. Keep it on the edge of the pot for a day or two to allow any "friendlies" to crawl back in.
I've just put an oxygenator plant in and will restock shortly.
Good luck.

 

Hi Dixy...what you have to do is top empty up in winter and move all the plants in a frost free aerea or greenhouse , the frost will kill all the plant and with the time will damage the barrel as well , a good trick to have clear water is using rain water only and avoid sunny location , I`ve got 3 of those and work with me ......same story in the pond no filter but clear water .

 

thank you all very much for your advice, I've taken it all on board and will get some new aereating (??) plants again, I've only got the lily sitting in enough water to keep it goin (if it hasnt died) and as you said, my barrel is indeed sitting in full sun, (ur wee pot looks lovely by the way sal73), as I live in a country area I'll have to go away again to get the plants and snails so shall ask which to get, thank you all again

 

Actually I need some advice regarding water plants in comtainers.

I have a waterlily in a pot that is sitting in a large container full of water. Can I keep the lily in a pot, will it be okay or does it have to be out of a pot and sunk in earth in the bottom of the container? I have noticed that its roots are starting to protrude from the bottom of the pot.