I believe the Trapdoor snails are Japanese ... I wouldn't use non-natives in a pond as they could get into the wider environment and then they may cause problems.
I think your pond is fairly deep so, I'm no expert but from what I understand Ramshorns would be fine.
Ive got loads of big snails in the pond, where do they come from, I’ve never bought any! I can only assume that when I bought a plant at the GC originally, the eggs were on it.
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
We also had some snails arrive in the pond last year via a plant Lyn, we were warned that they would eat our plants, but they haven't touched them, they haven't multiplied either, they are still tiny. I am wondering if this is because our PH is so high, although the newts, dragonflies and water boatmen are thriving.
Pete, the pH reading was 9.7 last year (our first year) and we panicked, although everyone tried to reassure us that it would drop. Thankfully it has and the reading now is roughly 8.4, but we still want it to even out at 7. something. However, snails, dragonflies, newts and waterlilies and probably a whole host of other creatures and plants (including the dreaded blanket weed) are thriving in the water.
Pete, will the koi eat the snails? I know goldfish do a quick number on any size snails in reach.. but I'm not sure about koi.
Sorry @Blue Onion I missed your post I've got 2 ponds and the snails are going into the wildlife pond that has no fish. I ordered some from the site that @Dovefromabove suggested weeks ago, but asked them to delay delivery until the heatwave is over. Just had an email to say they're on their way!! I was tinkering about with the waterfall in the koi pond the other day and I did find some ramshorn snail shells. I hoped I may find some eggs on the underside of lily pads, but didn't find any
Since spring my wildlife pond has had a green algae slime/sludge surrounding all the marginals that I try and net out every day. Went down there this morning, and there's not a trace of it! the transformation literally overnight is amazing and I can almost see the bottom of the (2ft deep) pond - I'm well chuffed
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
@Guernsey Donkey2 Sorry - missed your post too.. Don't worry about the pH - you'll never get it to 7 and I can think of no reason that you'd want to.
The pH will vary during the day. During the day, if your plants are happy, they absorb CO2 (carbon dioxide) and produce O2 (oxygen) this alters the pH. Recent pH readings from my pond at 08:00 pH was 7.9 at 17:00 pH was 8.7 (the pH has risen because the plants have used the [acidic] carbon dioxide and produced oxygen) This shows the plants are settling in and growing. So long as the pH increases during the course of the day, all is well (in that respect at least)
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
A note of thanks to @Dovefromabove My snail order has just arrived - 2 bags, each with 10 healthy pond snails, which I can see are already munching on the sides of the pond. I also ordered 2 x hornwort. I wasn't expecting a huge bag stuffed with healthy green hornwort - extremely good value. I also noticed some small ramshorn snails on the hornwort and some snail eggs Very pleased with my order from Naturescape Thanks Dove!
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
I am pleased to read your comments regarding the company that Dove recommended Pete8. I also ordered some pond plants from them after starting this thread and I am pleased to say my plants were excellent. They are good strong plants and doing extremely well in our pond. I have just ordered some rams horn nails (thinking the weather had cooled down, although now it is almost as hot again as last week), so I am awaiting them with interest and hoping that they will munch the blanket weed and other nuisance slim away. We will have to compare notes on that problem Pete.
I have taken note of your Ph readings at different times of the day, and will take some readings to compare, thanks for the explanation - science isn't one of my strong points as you may have already realized!
Posts
I think your pond is fairly deep so, I'm no expert but from what I understand Ramshorns would be fine.
We got ours from here https://www.naturescape.co.uk/product-category/pond-marsh-plants/pond-plants-t-z-pond-snails-baskets/
I think this is the third year since we got ours.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I can only assume that when I bought a plant at the GC originally, the eggs were on it.
If you get a reading first thing in the morning and another just before sunset that can give some useful info.
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
I've got 2 ponds and the snails are going into the wildlife pond that has no fish.
I ordered some from the site that @Dovefromabove suggested weeks ago, but asked them to delay delivery until the heatwave is over. Just had an email to say they're on their way!!
I was tinkering about with the waterfall in the koi pond the other day and I did find some ramshorn snail shells. I hoped I may find some eggs on the underside of lily pads, but didn't find any
Since spring my wildlife pond has had a green algae slime/sludge surrounding all the marginals that I try and net out every day.
Went down there this morning, and there's not a trace of it!
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Sorry - missed your post too..
Don't worry about the pH - you'll never get it to 7 and I can think of no reason that you'd want to.
The pH will vary during the day.
During the day, if your plants are happy, they absorb CO2 (carbon dioxide) and produce O2 (oxygen) this alters the pH.
Recent pH readings from my pond
at 08:00 pH was 7.9
at 17:00 pH was 8.7 (the pH has risen because the plants have used the [acidic] carbon dioxide and produced oxygen)
This shows the plants are settling in and growing.
So long as the pH increases during the course of the day, all is well (in that respect at least)
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
My snail order has just arrived - 2 bags, each with 10 healthy pond snails, which I can see are already munching on the sides of the pond.
I also ordered 2 x hornwort. I wasn't expecting a huge bag stuffed with healthy green hornwort - extremely good value. I also noticed some small ramshorn snails on the hornwort and some snail eggs
Very pleased with my order from Naturescape
Thanks Dove!
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.