I just cleaned/dried out my aquarium. The last hyacinth died out Friday. The only thing I didn't try was those CO2 fizz tabs stuff. So should I try overwintering my pond plants one more time? Should I run the filter still with just plants? I would really like to save the water lettuce since they're harder to find around my area. Any suggestions from you green thumb people? :huh:
I've used those CO2 fizz tabs for a few months a few years back. They don't do much, no change that I saw. I've never been able to overwinter water hyacinth or water lettuce. A filter helps keep indoor aquaria or ponds from stagnating. I have a filter in my 20 gallon indoor tub pond. I just put a betta in there named Homer on Friday though. I just needed something moving in there! I have a black thumb but maybe somebody else can give you some tips. The people I've heard from who have successfully overwintered water hyacinth or water lettuce either have them in a green house with natural sunlight, in a window sill with warmth and natural light, or under expensive metal halide lights. The water needs to be heated as well as the air to keep them toasty, near 80 degrees F is possible but at least above 70 degrees F. Some people suggest potassium-based fertilizers while others say to dump dirt in there.
I too have been thinking about trying to overwinter some of my lettuce and hyacinth. I wondered if a florescent light would work??
This summer I took some out of the pond and put them in a ice cooler (the kind you use when you go camping) filled with water, added a little pump for an aquarium and they looked much better than the ones in the pond. Of course there were no fish nibbling on them :) I thought that I could put them someplace inside with a florescent light over them. :unsure:
I have plant fluorescents in the basement over my basement pond. That's where I tried to overwinter water hyacinth and water lettuce before. They never lasted more than a week or two before falling apart. I've been told they really need either natural sunlight or metal halides. If you have a combination of some natural sunlight and fluorescents, that might work.