You do not actually need aquatic compost at all. Since aquatic plants take most of their food from the water and the air all you need is something to anchor them down So fill your perforated basket with gravel round the plants roots and put it in the water. Saves an awful lot of money.

I'm glad you share this view Owdboggy as I never put soil into my pond baskets, just large stones/gravel etc. saves the over feeding of any algae in the water.

hi to Seaburngirl and Owdboggy,thankyou both very much for quick replies. I like folk who have just saved me a lot of money. Thanks again barmyphil.

I also used fishing line to tie the lily rhizome into the basket as I found they tended to float up out of the gravel. The line doesnt rot for years either. cheaper than aquatic compost.
glad to be of help barmyphil.

hi Seaburngirl, like your profile, but dont be too envious. I am retired through ill health memory problems, so although i have recorded every gardeners world and other programmes to do with plants for above 30 years and become absolutely obsessed about gardens and flowers, i just dont remember the names. Simple names like daffodil dissapear from my barmy head. My garden drives me bonkers, its like a bomb site.I stay up late until well after 2am every night watching my garden vidios but still no joy in the garden. Just seen a bramble growing up through my pride and joy, my beutiful clematis. Cant remember its name though. How i envy you. PS, what is the HPS that you are a member of?.Hope i havent bored you too much. Gardenings great dont you just it and thanks again. barmyphil