I bought one of those .... mine leaked. :(

I bought one of the lillys in the ball and it took about 3 weeks to look like it was going to give me leaves. it was a spike that grew several inches tall then one day a leaf opened up on it and now it has tons of leaves coming out.. give it a little time.
They do like lots of sunlight, is it in a sunny spot?

Oh man seedsavr..........sounds like the Twilight Zone! haha
The man at the nursery is absolutely NUTS! Of all the garbage he told you, he should NEVER have told you to dump your hyacinth into a pond or river. They are terribly invasive. I think I would report this guy and his "nursery" to the Better Business Bureau.
I'm sorry sweetie, but you've been had.

Your little pond is too small for 6 goldfish too. do you have a pump and filter?

Petsmart I'm sure stands behind their stuff, but its really late in the season to be buying a waterlily that has sat there for probably 2-3 months. I think you probably need to wait until next year on a water lily, and get a miniature one. A medium/large one (which are usually the ones sold in those little packages) is out of the question for your little water garden.
I'm not sure why you added the gravel. Did you rinse it off first? Its really not necessary and just holds too much gunk.
You paid $36 for frogbit and 1 hyacinth?? That's totally outrageous. My blood pressure is up just hearing about this. Hyacinths are notorious for reproducing tons more, so his comment about them being depleted and would need to be reenergized is just total absolute bull#$#*!
Call your BBB and tell them what happened. Save all your receipts, and keep a diary of everything he said.
This may end up being one of those "live and learn" type experiences.
Don't give up though. You could have a really neat 28 gallon pond. You just have to learn a little more first, so you know what would survive best in it.
Where are you located? What zone?

Thanks for all your help! I can't even believe what I'm hearing! at least i learned to ask around before trusting someone....

the directions in the pop up pond told me to add gravel. Overwise it won't stay up straight. It was such a mess setting up (i didn't pre-rinse it)

the man at the store went on and on about how you can just dump the fish and plants in your nearest pond or river. he said something about it is all of our duty to help beautify our natural enviroment. As for the pricing, i had no idea that this was expensive. I'm starting to get the idea that this place is taking advantage of people.... Where do you get plants? all my other nurseries don't sell plants.

I have a small 65 gph pump that came with the pop up pond. It shoots water out of this little tube.

If this waterlily (if it is) grows will it be too big? Could i maybe just cut the extra lilies?

"all my other nurseries don't sell plants."

I mean pond plants!!!! lol

also, the pond is in a partly sunny location becasue the seconfd man at the store said that sunshine will cause algea that will poison the fish and that sun will give the plants & fish sunburn

Thanks again!

Hi again seedsavr,
Where are you from? That's important to know, so we know how long your season is, and how hot it might be where you are.

Some of us are lucky enough to have pond stores nearby (not me), but the rest of us either trade with each other, buy from each other, or order from places online. I've gotten alot of my lotus, lilies and marginal plants from online sources. Its really too late in the season to order things...unless you're in a southern zone.
Another thing you need to consider is that if you are in a more northern zone, you have to protect your plants during the winter.......by sinking them into a deeper pond, or burying them, or keeping them in a not-too-cold garage/basement.

Does your little pump have a filter on it? Probably not. Its probably a "fountain" pump. That's what I used to have in my whisky barrel pond. You should take that out about once a week and hose it off (after disconnecting it).
Hopefully you have it attached to a GFCI outlet......otherwise, you shouldn't be using it. Too high a risk of electrocution.

Alot of water plants require at least 6 hours of direct sunlight. yes, that can cause the algae to grow, but that's okay. When I had a smaller pond, I had these plants: hyacinth and water lettuce (before I quit buying them for environmental reasons), a small lily, a pickerill rush, elodea (underwater plants for oxygen). I had 2 goldfish. And a little pump like your's.

If you can get enough plants going, they will filter the water and cut down on the algae. Fish produce alot of ammonia.....which can really mess up the water.
Also, if you're in a hot area, the above-ground, small pond might get too hot for the fish.
I know this is alot to take in at once. Most of us have learned very slowly from the start. Its sort of one-step-at-a-time. We've all made lots of mistakes, so don't feel bad about that.
Read lots of the old posts here, and ask lots of questions. Just stick with it and you'll be glad you did.
There are some plants that do well in water, that you don't think of as water plants.........like hosta, lobelia and some others I can't think of right now. But you might do best to find some of those for your pond this year, and just wait until next year to get hold of the more common water plants.

im in maryland, and in the winter the pond will definetly freeze over. I haven't really thought of what to do with the fish/ plants. They sold them by the 6 and even if i got less, id still have to pay the same price. I figured they wouldn't all last but they are doing okay. they ook like they have polenty of room and are small...will they still cause a problem?
Thanks

Well, I'm not a fish/pond expert, but I'm thinking you'll have to stay on top of things to keep the water from getting too much ammonia in it. Goldfish put out alot of ammonia. A good step towards that is having alot of plants in your pond, and keeping that pump going, to oxygenate the water. I think there are things to do to decrease your ammonia levels, but I don't know what they are, since I don't do fish. Hopefully some of the fish experts will chime in here.

You need a level surface and not on a table. Water is heavy. This is my first venture into water gardening with a 45 gallon pop-up pond. It came with a small pump and tube which I used as a spitter at first and then bought what you see in the phto: Pondmaster 90gph pump/filter/bell fountain. Plants: Mare's Tail, duck weed, aquatic mint, pennywort, water hyacinth, water lettuce, umbrella palm, and some grass I cannot remember. The one yellow waterlily bloom is silk. I bought my plants from various places and rinsed off the roots of any growing medium they came with and replaced with aquarium gravel which weighs down the plants in small pots. Others are floaters for shade. Having the other potted plants surrounding it also provides shade and extra stability. I liked the sound of the fountain and the bell fountain makes the least amount of splash.

I had two fish in it, both comets (one regular and one fantail). I kept it up for two years in spring through fall as it is too cold for 45 gallons to be above ground in my Zone 7. I still have it and it never leaked as the rubber is quite thick. The only danger is overheating (you can see I have a floating thermometer in it) so I shaded it with other plants, and a couple of times a neighbor cat jumped up on the side to look in and pushed the side in causing water to come out, but it didn't empty completely as there is a lot of water around the bulbous base and the fish were OK. Refilled with the hose and used de-chlor. I actually enjoyed owning it. The water stayed clear. Just wanted to show you not all pop-up ponds are a disaster, but you are better off digging a small pond and you could use the pop-up pond as your liner, but don't expect to load it up with fish. They are small and portable and good for use as temporary quarters or a hospital for a bigger pond. My pop-up also attracted small frogs. A very small type waterlily would work in it.

Yes, that store owner is full of it. You would do better to trade on the GW water plant site or buy a few plants on Ebay or some other reputable on-line plant seller. You have to think small when buying plants for a tiny water feature.

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I'm sorry but I laughed at your story. I know it isn't really funny when you spend that kind of money and it turned out the expert is a con man, oops, I mean a clerk.
You got a great deal on the price. I wish I could find one at $6. I think the larger one might have been a touch too big but I could be wrong. The bagged rock you got was only given a quick rinse which made any dirt that was on them turn into mud which dried on the rocks and that makes them really hard to get clean. You only needed a handful, if that for appearance. The shape of the pop-ups, slightly wider on the bottom, is what keeps them open along with the pressure of the water. All you need is to keep it topped up and level. Level is important.
Those packaged lilies are a problem. Some places like Walmart keep them on display all winter if they don't sell and then they try to sell them the next spring. By the middle of the first spring they were already dead. Take off the top and look for healthy new growth. If there isn't any, put it back on the shelf. If you do get a good one that is packaged in the coconut fiber, repot it. The fiber gets loose and gums up the pump impeller. It can also keep the new growth from getting out of the ball of fiber and the plant will die. A couple of guppies of the same sex will avoid hatching mosquitoes.
If you don't want to use a filter and pump try one if the aerator type filters. They do a fair job with a low fish load in small aquariums.
Don't get discouraged. You got a good buy on the Pop up. Sandy

Your pond looks beutiful! Why did you take it down? I wanted the bigger size, but i got the clear, 28 gallon one because they were sold out. I like how you can see the fish and plant roots.

How much did that pump cost? It is really nice, as are the plants. You have certainly inspired me after i get over this current problems!

the heat issue has really scared me. The pond seems to stay cool, and when it gets warm i add icecubes.

I really like the marginal in the back. How did you do this? Did you plant it right in the bottom or lift it up somehow?

In a side note:
Does anyone have any experience with petsmart waterlilies???????

I can't get beyond this part -

"he said that after three weeks all there growth and filteration abilities would be used up, and i had to buy more. He told me that i could bring the plants back to him at the store so they could 'renutrientalize them' or he said i could just toss them in the local pond or river....he said something about it is all of our duty to help beautify our natural enviroment."

What nursery was this? They really need to be reported.

Here are some links that will explain invasive and exotic species release into the wilds of Maryland.

Invasive Species of Concern in Maryland - Aquatic Plants

From this site -

"NEVER release fish or other animals into the wild, including the pond in your neighborhood or the waters of the Chesapeake and Coastal Bays or tributaries and creeks. Release of fish and animals is illegal in Maryland because introduced species can wreak havoc once they are established and cost millions, even billions, in public funds to control."

Invasive & Exotic Species of Maryland

If nothing else (and if you're brave, like me...:D), at least print out one of those pages. Take it to the nursery and tell them what they're advising is illegal. Tell them you would have NO qualms about turning them into the proper authorities. Seriously, I wonder how many others they have advised...and how many did what they said to do??

Brenda

Water Hy will not survive in Md. Even if dumped in a river or lake (NOT ADVISABLE and against MD law) they will not survive the winter.

But what a laod of BS by the guy. I think that guy say you coming a mile away.

Im just across the PA line and work in Baltimore. Id be glad to help you out if you need some and are somewhat local. (over winter your fish, share some plants, etc)

You really should look into a little skippy type filter for your pond. Not necessary but would help with the fish waste.

Where's my last post here? Seems like they're removing all sorts of stuff now.

Fast growning plants like water hyacinth wouldn't have to survive winter. Below the C&D canal is a different climate than above and we don't get any freeze till late Dec. The water hyacinths could inflict plenty of damage on the already fragile freshwater tidal rivers to the Bay in the long summers along by in taking nutrients away from native plants. In winter, shallow areas upriver would be clogged with dying plants and water quality would plummet. Not sure about water hyacinth, but some plants do make seeds that are hardier than the plant itself-seeds that could last through a mild MD winter.

Oh my word!! That guy at the nursery is so incredibly full of crap its not even funny!! LOL!
Give your lily bulb a chance. Baby pads look like a tiny reed or stem when they are starting to come up. Plus, it will do better if you pot it in some soil or gravel. The coco ball is not the right environment for the lily, its more or less just packing material for the plant.
Be warned that these pop-up units are famous for collapsing in on themselves. You would be better off to find yourself a really large pot or tub to use for a little water garden.
Watch the water temps too because this will get very warm in the sun.
Never, never, never dump plants or fish into local waterways! $36 for two WH and some frogbit is highway robbery! Geez, I only have one nursery anywhere near me that sells water plants and they only charge $3 per WH!

I wonder if your "lily" is actually an iris or a sweetflag. The grass-like leaves don't sound like a lily even when they're rolled up.
Also, keep some pint bottles of water frozen and put them in when it gets too hot. That should last longer than ice cubes and it's re-usable.
Those fish are going to get out of hand, though. I had just two in a 20 gal last year and I had an appropriately sized filter that I had to clean daily because they kept growing and pooping! Pretty soon, I had to move them to a MUCH bigger home. I wonder if Petsmart would let you trade them back in for some rosy red minnows. They won't get too big and are much cleaner, plus they eat mosquito larva and they're pretty.

Vanessa

Yes, as youreit said, PLEASE don't dump unwanted pond plants or fish in local wildlife areas.

So sorry to hear of your pond problems. This may be a good example of getting what you pay for, in that this pond product is probably not meant to last more than a year or so. Check this out and see if it helps; there are some suggestions about types of ponds/fountains (the author mentions one indoors, too!). Water features are supposed to make us feel tranquil and blissed out, not full of anxiety when they don't work! LOL.

Here is a link that might be useful: Garden fountains:Water Everywhere and Not a Drop to Drink

Hi, I too have a small container pond and petsmart waterlily. I initially thought that it was no good too.

Today, I lifted the lily out for further inspection. However, there is some good news! there are two VERY tiny lily pad-like leafs coming out on the side of the bulb. I cut some of the netting away on the coco-fiber planter so that it wouldn't choke the growth out. Does anyone know how long it will take for them to reach the top and be full size?

Thanks

Thanks again,

Water lilies are notorious for appearing to be doing nothing and then out of nowhere - pop! a new pad. Couple days later - pop! another one. I can't see mine coming up since my pond is mostly in the shade and the new leaves are reddish/brown on the bottom, but they keep coming, just be patient.

seedsvr - the Pondmaster 190gph pump/filter/filters pads and sponges, and bell fountain kit cost about $50 to $60 (today). Don't remember what it cost in 2002/2003 when I bought that one.

All plants are in small pots except the floaters. No soil, only aquarium gravel.

I am in MD and I throw my WH on the compost pile at the end of the season where it continues to bloom and then dies either from drying out or if cold weather comes. I haven't had any WH for 3 or so years now. I'd actually like to get some more but I refuse to pay the high prices people ask for that weed.

I have two other ponds now and the Pop-up sits in my garage as I don't feel like fooling with it (or my ponds for that matter:-) It was fun and I enjoyed it while I had it up and running for two seasons. I'd get a big tub if I had it to do over again (like suggested by another poster).

I've never seen a clear pop-up before. When they first came out they were copper or dark like mine. Clear I would think would encourage algae with the light which means you probably won't see the plant roots or fish for long unfortunately.

I am planning on getting a in-ground pond with a solar powered pump. Does anyone have experience with these? My pond will be 4 by 6ft and 18in deep. What kind of fish and how many?