This is a stupid water lily question...

I don't have a water feature....someday maybe but not at this time. My son moved his painted slider turtle and the goldfish that accompany him outside to a large round tub so the turtle can sun more etc... I've been using the water from the tub once a week to feed my plants...lol. The turtle and fish seem happy enough with the setup.

Anyway we're having a bit of an algae problem as you can imagine. I was looking online to buy some plants to put in the tub to help (and ok it would then it might seem like a water feature..lol), but it seems sorta stupid to buy such a little amt of plants for a short term thing. Being in Michigan the critters will have to come back in the house when the weather cools off.
The other day I passed a large pond full of water lily/lily pads. I didn't stop because I was on my motorcycle and it just wasn't feesible to wade in the water etc... I was on my way to photograph a biker wedding.

Anyway what my question is if I go back to that area what/or how much do I need to get for the water lily to survive ?? I don't care if it flowers, I'm just looking at this point to help with the algae problem. Do I need to wade in until I find an actual root/rhizome/bulb or do they sprout roots if you put the stem tips in soil.... ?? I told you it was a stupid question and to be honest I'm not that adventurous to wade in past my hips and dive under to dig up some lily plant. It would be nice to just wade a lil ways in and snip some off and bring it home.

Any advice would be appreciated.... thankyou

~Julie =0)

Not a stupid question Julie... the pad and stems come up from a root mass/tuber. You would have to trace one of the stems down to the root mass or tuber and then dig a piece of tuber up... I have never done it but lilies are basically the same :) Good luck..

charlotte

Julie, because we're talking short term I would use some sort of algaecide meant for use with fish and critters. It'll save you the trouble of taking care of the plants and quite likely the water lily was never going to take care of your algae problem anyways.

Julie; It don't realy take much of a root to get a lily to grow.
Go ahead wade in, use a hoe, or some kind of rake. and have fun getting some root tubers. Just feel around with the hoe, near where the stems go down. hook under the roots, loosen up a section and pull. you will surely get more than enough to grow. you could probably find some babys growing in very shallow water. and they would not have as big a root system. and the leaves would not be on way too long of stems.
That is how we got our first lilies. How ever, azreno; is right for the size of the tub, the lily would not be enough to control the algae. It would however offer some shade for the fish which would be good. A small pump and filter. and some microbe lift to kill the algae and make it clump together. That will keep the water fairly clear. The algae that is washed out of the filter is great for fertilizing plants. Washing the filter is a regular chore though. as it will plug up with the yucky algae, that is soooo good for fertilizer.
I have a good sized pond and the garden gets almost all the algae sludge, as well as all the water changes if I need to change some of it due to a higher than normal reading in nitrate, nitrite, or amonia. Good for the garden; not good for fish. Hey what ever you do it is yours to do and will probably be interesting for your son, and be time well spent. Children remember the things you do for and with them. No I'm not an Abigail just an old man who has three married daughters, who are all grandmothers. and this advice comes from them. as they tell me what and how they remember the fun things like letting them take the lead while hiking or finding a good fishing hole.
Have fun let your son help. ((*-*))

Love the look of your pond !!!!

We decided not to go with the lily since it we don't have much of a season left here really.... figured by the time it gets to really growing the turtle and fish will be coming back inside. Haven't used an algaecide yet, am still considering it.

For shade I have one of my potted mint plants sitting on a rock in the tub so the bottom soaks up water.... the plant seems happy..lol. It shades over the tub and there is a rock ledge inside as well for shaded cover.

~Julie =0)

Julie, you could go to an aquarium shop and buy some "anacharis" an underwater oxygenating plant. My little ponds are full of them and they take care of the algae, plus the fish munch on them too! If you have a "Petsmart" nearby, they stock them...any underwater plant will also help balance your little turtle oasis, and provide oxygen. by the way "Sliders" are notorious "Houdini's"...everytime i get one it escapes the pond...i have given up....too bad as they are so cute! sue

I'm in the middle of nowhere there is a Petsmart a couple hours away I think. I have to run errands tomorrow for work and will try to hit the pet shop in town. It opens after I go to work and closes before I leave so it's difficult to catch for me...lol.

Don't know why I didn't think about some plant from there and I can look into the algaecide too.

~thankyou everyone for the advice!!!

~Julie =0)

Be very carefull with algaecides. Most contain copper sulphate. Which is harmfull to fish. and have to be used very sparingly.

Julie--

I would recommend purchasing either a water lettuce(green--looks like a head of lettuce) or hyacinth(green with a purple flower) for your son's tub. You only need one, they do multiply, will only last until frost, and don't need to be planted. They will help with algae and provide shade for the turtles.

Take care, lilypons