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This is indeed the case! A properly balanced water garden needs aquatic plants. In their natural state, these types of plants are not found in pots, and we use a construction style for water gardens that is meant to be as similar to the natural state as possible. It is our recommendation that when you place aquatic plants in a water garden, they be removed from their pot, any excess soil material be eliminated and that the plants be set between your rocks and gravel material in the water. Potting is always an option, but some plants are better left unpotted.

There are two possible answers here, one in the affirmative and one in the negative. While the scenario you described is a bit of a myth, it is rather widespread. It is true that fish, particularly koi, have the potential to do great harm to aquatic plantings. Traditional water gardening tended to use round transitional excavating that was followed with the installation of a liner made from rubber or cement. The aquatic plant shelf did not really exist. As such, plastic pots were the only way to go.

These pots would be set into the water at a slant along the garden’s perimeter. Because fish are curious and highly active, there was a tendency for them to start digging and rotting near the aquatic plant pots. They would usually succeed in disrupting the soil and tipping the potted plants from their containers. The plant material would wind up floating around and the pot would sink to the garden’s bottom.

This no longer needs to be the case. Having a water garden that is lined with gravel and rocks can prevent the scenario described avove. Koi and other fish will remain very busy and will not miss the pots at all.The gravel and rock material will be a perfect home for aquatic plantings. The fish will be free to root, travel and graze among the full expanse of the garden rather than being so focused on the potted plants.

Considering that we operate in and around Southern California, it is best that your water garden remains operational all year long. If the water is allowed to dip below the 50-degre mark, the fish will hibernate in dormancy. Should you reside in California’s more mountainous areas, it will be necessary to keep the waterfall feature running or have a de-icer installed so that there is always a hole in any ice that forms.

It is necessary to maintain a hole in your ice for the facilitation of oxygen as well as gas exchange required by the fish. There are many water gardens situated in Southern California that will never see water fall below the 50-degree mark, and therefore the fish contained therein will not have a chance to hibernate. It is a miconception that fish need to be brought in for the winter. Even in areas that experience significant show and cold temperatures, there are water gardens that have fish flourishing in them all months of the year.

Natural water treatments really are the answer here. Beneficial or “good” bacteria can be added to your garden to keep nutrients at the correct levels. Overload of nutrients is often the culprit when any type of water garden issue arises. Koi health issues, algae concerns, cloudy water and the like are all linked to this problem. Water clarity concerns do not have a single solution, however, and it may require multiple different attempts before a remedy is discovered.

Always remember that feeding your fish too much is a leading contributor to heavy nutrient content in a water garen. This, in turn, leads to problems with water clarity. The solution here is obvious, in that you need to start feeding your fish less. You may also want to consider lowering the number of fish in the garden. If these steps do not prove effective, you will want to try cleaning your garden’s filters and so on. As with many problems in life, the ultimate resolution to water clarity concerns is something that requires a bit of trial and error.

In the end, however, when you are enjoying relaxing moments gazing at your water garden, all of the learning, studying and hard work will be worthwhile. Reviewing the frequently asked questions listed above can serve as an effective primer for anyone interested in the well-loved hobby of water gardening.