Create a Thriving Eco-System in your Water Tank

Aquatic Plants

The growing capacity of your garden does not have to be limited to what can be grown in the soil. Aquatic plants not only add to the aesthetic appeal, they aid the overall functionality of the water tank. Advantages of Water Plants include:

attractive
improve water quality (acts as filter of unwanted substances)
helps eliminate algae production
provide food & shade for fish
prevent water from overheating
overall less maintenance required

Algae Prevention

If you find you have an increase of algae on the pond, here are some possible reasons:

You have too many fish. Koi need 200 gallons of water per fish to reach 6-8”. Goldfish need 100 gallons/fish. 🐟
Not enough coverage on the pond surface, which should have 60% coverage in water plants or shading.🌱
Not enough aeration, especially in the lower half of the tank. 🌬️
You are overfeeding your fish (They should use a “spring-fall” lower-protein feed between 50 & 60 degrees). Only feed every 3-4 days, what your fish can eat in 3 minutes.
Stop feeding your fish once the tank drops below 50 degrees, this allows them to go into their winter slowdown without food on their bellies. Full guts could harm or kill your fish.
All browning water plant debris needs to be removed. This includes trimming off segments of water hyacinths. This also includes pruning back most permanent water plants in December to a 6” height.
Do not fertilize water plants during Nov, Dec, & Jan. This is also their quiet time!

Algae takes over quickly. Don’t put off these winter adjustments. It will only increase as the winter sun hits the tank. Remember that algae forms rapidly from sun exposure & fish/plant nutrients.

Types of Water Plants

The advantages of investing in water plants only means that you are able to further enjoy and reap the rewards of your hard work. Keep in mind that a 60% water surface coverage is ideal for these plants. There is an array of different plants that thrive in the water and that suit different environments.

Floating Plants
Marginal Plants
Submerged Plants
Oxygenating Plants

Floating Plants

water hyacinth

full sun
tender plant
grow and spread rapidly
can be invasive to other plants (may be illegal to grow in certain locations)
enjoy crowded spaces, do not enjoy too much space

water lettuce

full sun & light shade in warmer temperatures
tender plant
quick growth rate (good coverage for price)

lotus

should be grown in full sun (love sunlight)
slow growing perennial
aesthetically pleasing(may not bloom in water tank)
colder climates, winter: keep plant dormant and cool w/o freezing plant
lowered to bottom of water tank during winter

water lily

full sun
perennial, easy to grow
aesthetically pleasing(may not bloom in water tank)
shade pond/ shallow rooted plant
lowered to bottom of water tank during winter

hardy water lily

blooms spring through fall(dormant fall through winter)
easier to grow than tropical lilies (require a lower temperature of 60 degrees)

tropical lily

dormant in winter(can be left in water/stored)
larger and more extravagant, fragrant
bloom for longer (1-2 months)
flowers are in bloom for longer periods
have higher chances of producing multiple flowers at once

frogbit

moderate sun
perennial
invasive (can easily take up majority of water surface)
dormant in winter

parrot feather

highly invasive
low maintenance

duckweed

full sun
perennial
doesn’t require much attention/care
difficult to control plant growth
heavy surface coverage
competes with other plants for nutrients

floating fairy moss (azolla)

full sun
difficult to control plant growth (can double/triple its biomass in just a few days)
competes with other plants for nutrients
heavy surface coverage
fixes nitrogen

Fairy Moss (Azolla) and Duckweed are types of highly invasive floaters. They tend to quickly take over the water surface and may end up competing with other plants for essential nutrients. When these floaters start to take over, they can be added to greenhouse bedding, a compost pile, or act as food for fish and chickens.

Marginal Plants

papyrus

full sun or partial shade
perennial
sensitive to cold

taro

partial sun
easy to grow
edible when cooked

Submerged Plants

These plants need to be planted in pots with a heavy soil mix, sitting 12″ below the water’s surface. Consequently, they require stands to hold them at the required height. Unless you have a larger dome, the chances that you will see blooming is minimal. However, the leaf structure provides a lot of interesting surface coverage. Do not use cement blocks for stands, or any other material that may adversely affect the Ph balance of your tank.

Oxygenating Plants

These plants should sit at least 24″ under the water’s surface to provide oxygen to the lower water regions of our tanks. The primary oxygenators include anacharis, hornwort, and foxtail. The preferred technique in our tanks would be to suspend them inside a mesh bag (with a rock added to keep the mesh bag hanging low in the water).

Water plants not only add to the practicality of the water tank, they also increase the beauty within the growing dome. Until next time, Happy Gardening!

Common Fish for the Pond

Floating plants in the pond rely on the fish for their nutrients. The freshwater species of fish listed below are the most common types of fish raised in the Growing Dome pond. Local pet stores or fisheries are the best place to get freshwater fish, but they may also be purchased online and shipped to your door overnight.

Goldfish
Koi
Yellow Perch
Freshwater Sunfish, such as Bluegill
Catfish
Bass
Tilapia

Edible Fish

Edible fish can also be harvested in the Growing Dome, wether you have Aquaponics in your greenhouse or not. Tilapia is probably the most common and will require more oxygenation than just goldfish. You must also keep your tank above 50 degrees or they may die. But will add a sustainable source of protein to your diet, while also giving your plants additional nutrients!