Pakistan Gardening Forum

I want to create a Lotus Pond and have failed for one reason or another

The city Govt. will not allow the pond without fish to keep it mosquito larva free. Will the water plants like Kanwal survive with fish?
Please suggest some more water plants too.



This is the pond


Location, Lahore out door no shade area is dusty.
Size 12.5 feet radius, 4 1/2 feet deep tiled.
No filtration system, close circuit aeration through fountain.
Your guidance

As I want to restart your guidance fromA to Z is requested.
Arif

Sir, unlike water lily which is in water.. Lotus grow (naturally) in daldal/keechar type conditions and does not require more water...

It will be grown in big containers submerged to recommended depth.

I think first you need to decide whether you want to grow lotus (nelumbo) or waterlily (nymphaea). Waterlily leaves will float on the surface, and lotus will send leaves way above. Lotus flowers are also bigger but only come in pink and white (atleast the locally available ones). Waterlilies come in all sorts of colours red to yellow to whites etc. Given how lahore goes subzero in the winters,you would need the hardy waterlilies.

Waterlilies need a depth of atleast 8 to 12 inches above their growing point. Lotus do well in shallower waters. So it also depends how much depth you will get when you plant them in the bottom directly or in containers as pots will make the growing tip higher. You can easily plant them in containers and submerge them.

Filtration isnt necessary for the plants. If you do plan on keeping fish, then filtration might be necessary. What is the capacity (in gallons)?
Koi do best in large ponds but they are dirty fish. I've personally kept mollies, guppies, swordtails and platys with my lilies but these are tropical fish and I don't think they would do well in Lahore winters.

AS for the lcoation, lilies and lotus love full sun! Lotus seeds and plants/tubers grow wild in sindh and punjab and can be easily sourced as well.

All the best!

Thank you
Regards
Arif

Water lilies aren't effected by the winter here in Pakistan as long as they keep getting the sunshine.

Brig Sahib the City District Administration won't permit you to have a fountain owing to dengue epidemic unless you choose to keep a pond at your home. My waterlily collection consisted of 8 different Thai varieties and ultimately had to be gifted away to a friend who choose to place them at his pond in his house and they seem to thriving. Plus there aren't any mosquitoes as the pond tends to circulate the water discharge from the house.

regards,

mikhurram wrote:Water lilies aren't effected by the winter here in Pakistan as long as they keep getting the sunshine.

Brig Sahib the City District Administration won't permit you to have a fountain owing to dengue epidemic unless you choose to keep a pond at your home. My waterlily collection consisted of 8 different Thai varieties and ultimately had to be gifted away to a friend who choose to place them at his pond in his house and they seem to thriving. Plus there aren't any mosquitoes as the pond tends to circulate the water discharge from the house.

regards,

That is why I have to put in fish before the plants and will they survive together?

Sir,
I doubt if any of them will be able to survive as most of the fish varieties being imported require clean water that has to changed periodically.
regards,

mikhurram wrote:Sir,
I doubt if any of them will be able to survive as most of the fish varieties being imported require clean water that has to changed periodically.
regards,

How about farm fish?

Well sir,
that may work but the water still would need to be replenish on schedule basis. There are hardier fish varieties used in commercial fish farms are Rohu, Tilapia etc.