ok thanks Tom, that helps. - but what I'm not sure about is, does all that
dirt bother the fish? does it raise the level of nitrates or nitrites?


"Tom La Bron" wrote in message
...
Nicola,

On top of the soil that I plant my lilies in I use pea gravel to keep the
fish from pulling out the dirt. The other thing that you have to remember
that contributes to the dirt accumulation is the dirt in the rain and the
dirt in the air and settles in the pond. The bottoms of my ponds are
white
and sometimes I have no lilies potted in a pond and the bottom still gets
a
layer of dirt on it. It is in the air and ends up in your pond especially
during times when the wind is blowing things around.

HTH

Tom L.L.
----------------------------
"Nicola B" wrote in message
...
I was told by the people who sold me the aquatic plants, that there
should
be river sand at the bottom of the tub/pond. They also told me regular
potting mix would be fine to pot the plants in. I read elsewhere to top
the
soil with sand to stop the soil getting into the water which is why I
did
that. So, I have about an inch of sand on the floor of the pond. Then
the
3
little pots with plants in them - soil for the roots and topped with
sand.

Clueless again - what do you mean by checking the water parameters? I
know
my nitrite levels are too high, 1.0, so I am doing frequent water
changes
at
the moment. I also bought some new oxygenating plants today and planted
them
straight in the sand floor - man at pet shop said that would be fine -
because I discovered the fish had eaten *all* the ones I had originally
put
in there, in pots.

So do you recommend I put rocks on top of the plants' sand layer? I can
do
that, if you say so! You seem to be the lists' resident helpful expert
Ingrid

Thanks
Nicola

wrote in message
...
why is there a sand floor to the pond? aquatic plants are generally
potted into
clean soil, pesticide free and usually has some fish friendly
fertilizer.
Is that
what you used to repot? if you put some of that dirt into water does
some
of it
float? check your water parameters and dont worry.
yes, of course the fish are rooting around in the dirt. that is what
they
do for
food. I use big hand sized flat rocks on my water lilies and then
large
pea gravel.
they usually leave that alone (my koi). Ingrid

"Nicola B" wrote:

Question - and sorry for sounding clueless. That's because when it
comes
to
fish, I am.
However - I am wondering whether dirt that has escaped from my potted
aqautic plants onto the sand floor of the pond, can be harmful to the
fish,
and can it raise nitrite levels? I don't have a clue how the dirt got
out,
the fish must have done it somehow. Originally I potted the plants in
potting mix and then covered the top with 1/2 inch of sand before
immersing.
Now there seem to be bits of dirt everywhere.

Thanks all
Nicola




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