So many much lettuce and lillies I don't see the koi very well!

[Jacque44]

Shall I remove some of the water lettuce so I can see the koi easier? It also has lilies which have been blooming! Just looking for the best solution! This is in my front pond with the smaller koi and lots of plants, then a waterfall down to the big pond with the biggest koi and no plants there! I keep all 1500 gallons covered up at night so the koi stay safe! Thanks for your ideas for me!

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Its really up to you.

If it were me, I would definitely thin it out a bit. Plants are great but when it gets to be too much, its not worth a pond you can't get to see.

 

[Tula]

Maybe you could put some of the water lettuce in the big pond, let the bigger koi,"trim" the roots, then pop it back in the upper pond to grow some more!

 

[fishin4cars]

I do this sometimes when thinning out some of the ponds. the bigger koi like the roots! I like at 60% or more coverage for the plants, it gives so much more shade and hiding spots for the fish. In most ponds with this much coverage you rarely see green ponds!

 

[dieselplower]

There has been research that shows too much plant coverage is not good because it can block air and gas exchange, causing low levels of oxygen in the pond. This may be overcome by your waterfall... I don't know.