Whether you have a natural or an artificial pond, one thing they have in common is that they both require water changes.
Furthermore, every time you change the pond water, you basically get rid of 10–50% of the pond’s entire capacity.
While throwing away gallons of pond water, did you ever look at your garden and wonder “is pond water good for plants?”
Buckle up, because we’re here to tell you all about the benefits and drawbacks of pond water for plants, as well as how to keep your pond safe and clean!
Is Pond Water Good for Your Plants?
The simple answer is yes! More often than not, pond water is considered safe and even beneficial for your plants.
It can greatly enrich plant soil, whether for the potted plants you have in your backyard or the vegetable plants grown in agricultural production farms.
Because pond water has such high nutritional content, you can use it as an organic fertilizer. In fact, it’s frequently referred to as “fertile water”.
Pond water also has the added benefit of giving plants the essential moisture and nutrition they need to flourish.
What Are the Nutrients Found in Pond Water?
Like lakes or streams, pond water contains nutrients that have both inorganic and organic elements. Plants typically require 13 mineral nutrients to grow and thrive.
We can classify these nutrients into macronutrients and micronutrients. In terms of macronutrients, the three major ones plants need are phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and nitrogen (N)!
Pond water contains all three of these nutrients! In light of this, let’s take a closer look at each one of them and why it’s good for plants.
1 – Nitrate
Pond water contains nitrate, an inorganic compound made of nitrogen and oxygen. Plants get their source of nitrogen from the nitrates in the soil, which are essential for plant development.
For example, plants need nitrogen in nitrate to make amino acids and proteins. Furthermore, Nitrogen and phosphorus are two common components found in plant fertilizer!
Because pond water contains both, you can think of it as a more environmentally friendly and cost-effective alternative to plant fertilizer.
2 – Phosphates
Phosphate is another one of the three primary nutrients found in fertilizers. This chemical compound is a natural phosphorus source that’s essential for plant blooming and flourishing.
Nitrogen is often responsible for greenery, whereas phosphorus is responsible for blooming. For example, if you give your plants a lot of nitrogen but no phosphorus, you’ll get a lot of green leaves but no flowers.
Furthermore, phosphorus promotes regular plant development and maturity. Plants need phosphorus for photosynthesis, breathing, energy storage, and a variety of other processes.
Therefore, plants can’t complete their production cycle as planned when there’s an insufficient phosphorus supply.
3 – Potassium
The third most important nutrient for a plant is potassium. Potassium is responsible for the activation of plant enzymes. This one simple little nutrient also helps the plant utilize its nitrogen properly.
Furthermore, it aids with water, nutrient, and carbohydrate transportation in the plant tissue. For example, potassium helps regulate plant stomata function.
When a plant lacks potassium, its stomata may open throughout the day. In times of drought, this causes significant stress to the plant.
Where Do Pond Water Nutrients Come From?
Unlike larger bodies of water, ponds are a closed ecological system. Their ecosystem sustains life by fully reusing the resources at hand.
In a closed ecosystem, waste material like carbon dioxide, excrement, and urine is converted into oxygen, food, and water.
In addition, when one species in a closed ecosystem produces waste material, at least one other species will benefit from it.
For instance, aquatic plants in a fish pond produce oxygen molecules that the fish absorb with their gills. Fish, on the other hand, produce waste that provides nutrients and minerals to aquatic plants, promoting plant growth.
Because a closed ecosystem isn’t connected to any outside life, there are no external factors that can contaminate the water. Furthermore, the water in the pond doesn’t have anywhere else to go and the only natural source of fresh water is rainfall!
All of the fish waste, old plants, and bacteria accumulate in the pond water. This buildup of plant life, waste, and microbes makes ponds a home for organic material that is highly nutritious for plants.
Can Pond Water Be Harmful to Plants?
Yes, it sure can. Using pond water on your plants has a lot of benefits, but it also has some downsides. For example, an excess of some elements in pond water might be harmful to your plants. Let’s take a look at some of them.
1 – Nitrites
Wait a minute. Didn’t we just say that nitrogen compounds are beneficial to plants? Well, they still are! However, an excessive amount can be poisonous and possibly fatal to your plants.
Too much nitrogen, for example, leads plants to grow rapidly and generate excessively moist leaves and branches. This causes infestations of certain bugs and mites.
In addition to harming your plant, an excessive amount of nitrite can bind up the fish’s blood cells, which can lead to several deadly illnesses.
2 – Gray Water
To clarify, gray water is not the same as black or sewage water. Gray water comes from flushed toilets, dishwashers, clothes washers, etc. So, if the pond is located close to houses, particularly old ones, chances are it contains gray water.
Now, there’s nothing wrong with getting a little gray water on your plants every now and again, but too much can be toxic. This is because it contains and spreads germs, salts, boron, and chlorine.
3 – Ammonia
Ammonia is essentially created in a pond by a mixture of fish waste and plants. Although it’s considered a necessity for healthy plant development, too much of it can be fatal.
Lastly, ammonia toxicity in plants can show as scorched leaves, darkened roots, or even death.
How to Make Water Pond Safe for Plants
Although pond water is safe and beneficial for plants, keep in mind that more doesn’t always mean better.
To keep pond water safe for plants, you have to treat it. That said, there are several methods you can use to execute this.
Use Filters
One method for removing pollutants is to filter the pond water. There are several kinds of filters you can buy. Some examples are sand filters, ceramic filters, and carbon filters.
Purchase a Water Filtering System
Most water systems come with special equipment that removes harmful contaminants, enabling you to filter the water for watering plants, drinking, and other uses.
Don’t Cram the Pond
Excessive nutrient levels are caused by overfishing your pond or failing to remove decomposing plants. As we mentioned before, an excess amount of nutrients can be toxic to plants.
To ensure your pond has the proper concentration and balance of nutrients, simply be cautious when restocking it.
Final Thoughts
Pond water is an excellent way to water your houseplants, lawn, and even crops. It contains three essential nutrients for plant development, which are Nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus.
These three minerals make pond water a natural fertilizer for plants. However, it’s important to keep in mind that more nutrients don’t necessarily equal better. In fact, excessive amounts of nutrients can completely backfire and be toxic for plants.
That’s why it’s important to follow one of the pond treatment methods we listed. If you’re still unsure about using pond water for your plants, you can test it on a plant or two first.
Ben has a bachelor’s degree in construction engineering. When not constructing or remodeling X-Ray Rooms, Cardiovascular Labs, and Pharmacies, you can find him at home with wife and two daughters. Outside of family, He loves grilling and barbequing on his Big Green Egg and Blackstone Griddle, as well as working on projects around the house.
--
If you want more backyard tips including recipes, how-tos and more, make sure you subscribe to my youtube channel