Pond Boss Forums AQUATIC VEGETATION Balance of plants in the environment Plants to help filter pond?

I read somewhere there are plants that will naturally filter your pond. If so what would be some good plants to put in my one year old pond? I have stocked my pond with fish two months ago and they seem to be doing great, but the water clarity is bad. I can only see down a couple inches at best. Any help is appreciated.

I have noticed Water Smartweed at my pond that grows on the bank (but can take some emersion) casts root shoots into the water (free floating). I think these are certainly taking nutrients from the pond. I don't know how much they consume, but regardless of their intake once winter hits and they die back, the dead plant matter is left on the bank not in the pond. And, they grow very vigorously, they even do well in red clay.

This is just an observation, I'm no expert on the subject.

Edit: I need to add that I think my smartweed is the terrestrial type, but I'm am not 100% sure. It grows in damp to muddy soil, but does seem to enter the water while not really growing from the pond floor.

Different types of eelgrass description here. and various types of Pondweed, i.e. Potamogeton species description here are good.

To get them established in your pond, you have to find some that are from a clean source, meaning that there are no unwanted species or unwanted seeds of another species with the plant. They need to be planted in the pond bottom, at a depth where they will get sunlight.

With your pond having a "couple of inches" visibility, you might need to do an alum treatment if the turbidity is due to suspended clay particles.

You can also plant them in a rubbermaid tub that is about 6"-8" tall and push it deeper and deeper into the pond as they grow. Once they are established in that tub, then you can transplant them into the pond.