Oxygenating Plants and their role in adding oxygen to your pond

These plants grow under the waters surface and help pond life by giving off oxygen bubbles into the water. They also absorb the mineral salts stopping algae using it. Oxygenating plants generally come in too forms, bunches and potted. The bunches tend to have a lead weight on them so can be dropped into the pond as they are but can also be planted into a pot. Allow at least 1 bunch per 0.2 square metres of surface area. The potted plants are simply placed at the bottom of the pond where they will start to have an instant effect. Allow 1 pot (7cm size) per 0.6 square metres of surface area.

Although oxygenators do have great benefits remember that with all plants, once the daylight has gone plants do not produce as much oxygen and start to produce carbon dioxide. This could lead to an oxygen shortage by morning, which could leave your fish gasping for breath. So if in the morning your fish are all at the surface fighting for breath you know you have over done it with the oxygenators. On a more positive note if you plant at the recommended rate(ish) your pond will benefit and the plants may grow for a many years. The carbon dioxide in the night is not as much of a problem with other types of plant as their leaves tend to be above the water surface so it disappears into the atmosphere.