Introducing British Native plants to your pond can create wildlife habitats that encourage wildlife to visit your pond and its surrounding area. Whilst some of the native plants will give cover for the variety of wildlife in the pond, others will be important for pollinating insects.
Planted Ponds/Aquariums not only provide beauty and naturalisation, but they also help balance the pond ecosystem. Having aquatic plants in your pond helps remove excess nutrients from water and can help prevent unwanted contaminants from entering your pond.
Not only do plants enhance water quality and help prevent algae growth by using nutrients produced by fish waste, uneaten food and organic debris, but they also produce oxygen during daylight hours, which is used by fish and helps stabilize pH.
Fish ponds without aquatic plants will require regular water changes to ensure nitrate levels do not become too high. If nitrates are left unchecked algae will bloom and you may have a crash in pH, which can be harmful to your fish. Testing water regularly is good practice for all fish keepers, which can be carried out with our pond testing kit. If your nitrates are high, you may want to consider a water change or adding some plants! Click here to view our range of Aquatic Plant packs.
If you intend to have fish in your pond, including goldfish or koi, we strongly recommend adding a filter and pump system, even if your pond is heavily planted. Fish produce a lot of waste, and plants alone won’t be able to remove enough to keep harmful substances in check. We have a range of filtration systems to choose from, whether you prefer an all in one filter and fountain or an external filter and pump system we have a range available to suit your needs, click here to view our range of filters and pumps.
Floating plants and submerged plants act as natural fish shelters, allowing fish to hide from predators and relax away from harsh UV light. Floating species, such as water lilies, grow large foliage alongside their flowers which fish can hide under when needed. Submerged plants, such as hornwort, create an underwater forest which provide both shelter and oxygen to pond fish. We supply a range of these options as part of our aquatic plant packs, which are grown and supplied by our RHS Award Winning Partner - Anglo Aquatic.
Herons, other birds, cats and even raccoons for our USA customers, can all be deterred from eating fish if the pond is planted enough to provide shelter and natural camouflage. We also have the custom-made metal Pond Covers to help secure your pond and deter any unwanted predators.
Another benefit is that floating plants and marginal plants can provide partial shade to pond water from strong UV light. This additional shade helps slow down nuisance algae growth, and also helps bring down the overall water temperature, making it more comfortable for your fish.
If your not sure where to start with your plants, we have picked out a few favourites below for you. Our aquatic plant packs offer a mix of Marginal, Deep Water and Oxygenating plants that are in season and where possible, native to Britain. Our aim when supplying the plants is to provide as much benefit to your aquarium as possible whilst also attracting nature to your beautiful Water Garden.
Marginal Plants
Deep Water and Oxygenators
Water Lilies
*Aquatic Plant Images supplied by Anglo Aquatic Plant.
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