Guide to Planting and Maintaining Oxygenating Plants

What are Oxygenator Pond Plants?

A fast growing pond plant will release more oxygen through photosynthesis then it uses up during its own respiration, hence being given the name oxygenating plant.

Having "oxygenating plants" in your aquarium or pond is very good thing because fish and bacteria use up oxygen continually through respiration, and need it to survive. Many oxygenating pond plants are also suitable for cold-water aquarium setups.

Only leaves that photosynthesize below the water surface can oxygenate a pond. The best oxygenators are plants whose leaves grow underwater. They also remove nitrates, which helps to reduce algae and keep the pond water clear, meaning once established, many may be grown much deeper if light can reach them.

How do you plant Oxygenating Plants in a Pond?

Oxygenating planting depths in listing descriptions are provided as a guide only, with the depth being the amount of water between the water surface and the top of the pond basket.

Weighed bunches can simply be dropped into the pond, but all oxygenating pond plant bundles would benefit from being planted in soil or gravel within a planting basket.

It is recommended that 9cm oxygenating plants are potted up into a larger pond baskets to allow room for growth. Make sure to position these smaller sized plants no deeper than 25% of the maximum recommended planting depth to allow the plants to mature.

It is not necessary to re-pot 1ltr oxygenating plants however it would be beneficial. Place this size of plant no deeper than 50% of the maximum recommended planting depth to allow the plants to establish themselves.

Given that 2ltr and 3ltr plants are larger and more established they do not require re-potting, and can be placed up to the maximum recommended depth.


To browse our range of all pond plants online click here.

To browse our range of oxygenating pond plants online click here.


Photo credit(s): Anglo Aquatics Ltd

KnowledgePlantsPonds

Leave a comment

All comments are moderated before being published