# wintering pond plants??



## badxgillen (Aug 20, 2010)

is there an effective and easy way to keep floating pond plants alive inside druing the winter??? i put them in a lareg fish bowl or 2 gallon tank in a window till next spring but i was wondering if there is a better way?? i am refering to keepin water hyacinths and water lettuce....ADIOS.....


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## kitten_penang (Mar 26, 2008)

fr me that would be a good way cant think of any other ways though


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## Ulyaoth (Jan 9, 2010)

I was wondering too. I figure they grow quick enough that if I can get at least one bunch of the hyacinths to stay alive it should quickly grow to cover the pond next year. I tried putting one bunch each in my betta and main aquarium but the one in the regular tank just kinda stagnated completely and shrunk it seemed and started turning brown so I threw it away. The one in the betta tank in the window is doing better, I guess it needs more light than my tank lights can give.


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## badxgillen (Aug 20, 2010)

*plants*

you would be supprised that alot of the bad plant tissue can be discarded and the plant will still come out of it nest season...the window is definatly the best place ....i have seen good wintering in green houses...


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## finsNfur (May 4, 2008)

I tried overwintering water hyacinth in our basement once, in a tub next to a west facing window. It didn't work, they died. They only got a few hours of sunlight a day. It gets down into the low 50's in our basement during the winter, maybe it was also too cold.


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## Ulyaoth (Jan 9, 2010)

Just wondering, at what point should you take them out? I'm worried if I take them all out there'll be an ammonia spike or something, should I just slowly remove them over the next few weeks while I stop feeding as much? Or could I just take whatever I wnt to try to save out and leave the rest until the cold kills them?


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## badxgillen (Aug 20, 2010)

*ponds*

presumably were you are at the temps are getting low and you have switched to wheat germ foods ...soon you will probably stop feeding all together ...the fishes metabolism will have slowed down and thie waste products as well...and you can always leave some in and take a few at a time as you had mentioned...oh and promply remove dead tissue as this will contribute to bad water quality...


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## buckmanrules (Oct 18, 2010)

I had a huge koi pond with lots of plants. Every fall I would bring them into my livingroom and build a whole new water garden below a south facing window and put koi in the water garden. I used a half wine barrel from the home supply store with a plastic insert made for them. I would hang plants on the sides (inside) and really crowd it. Remember, plants need nourishment so just plain water will not do. I put the koi from the pond in and set up a small filter. Guppies would do just as well to make some nourishment for the plants. They do lose a lot of material over the winter because inside winter humidity is low low low...but you can definately overwinter plants. Just remember...you need to give atgtention to temperature, sunlight, humidity and make sure the plants have nutrients.


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## Ulyaoth (Jan 9, 2010)

How big was the container you had them in? I'm worried my pond isn't deep enough and may freeze completely and kill my fish. I was looking at some tanks but also thought I could just get one of those rubbermaid containers maybe for an ugly option.


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## buckmanrules (Oct 18, 2010)

I don't think the wine barrel liner was even 20 gallons

A heavy duty tote would work.

Perhaps a used fish tank from craigslist.

I cannot tell from your profile where you are located or I'd offer advice on plants freezing.

I picked up a small pond filter at the home improvement store and a small pond pump which I put inside the filter. I set it on low and just let it pump out of the filter to move the water. My plants and koi did great.


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## Ulyaoth (Jan 9, 2010)

I'm on Long Island, last year with a horrible winter any water pretty much froze solid, like my little preformed pond that's only 1.5feet deep(not sure how big gallonwise, I think about 90) froze solid. I was planning on just unconnecting the pump for the filter and letting it run in the water to see if that'd work and pay extra attention but if necessary bring them in as soon as possible if it ever got really cold.


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## buckmanrules (Oct 18, 2010)

Oh yea...Long Island...the pond will get way too cold. Extra sunny spot inside with some movement in the water and you should be fine. Mist now and then. Watch for bugs. Spider mites are bad inside in dry climates. You will put plants back out thuis spring no problem


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