But the three-square-metre mini wetland could be the first step towards answering Lake Tuggeranong's ongoing water quality woes.

After a length approval process, the ACT government finally gave the OK for the reed wetland to be installed on the small pond last Friday.

If the trial is successful large-scale replica wetlands could be rolled out across the surface of the Lake Tuggeranong in a bid to tackle the ongoing battle with blue-green algae.

Tuggeranong Lake Carers convenor Glenys Patulny said the Goodwin pond trial would test the success of growth on the wetlands, its ability to withstand rain, and thrive against hungry carp nibbling its roots.

Queanbeyan company Q-Max Pumping Systems donated, installed and will monitor the small wetland.

She was hopeful it could lead to a larger roll out for Lake Tuggeranong, but admitted the small size of the trial wetland would make it difficult to test its impact on water quality.

"I'm optimistic, if at least say (a) it's growing, (b) in a rain event it's not moving, then we will be in position to ask the ACT government let's put a bigger sample in Lake Tuggeranong as a trial," she said.

"It's the first trial in the ACT, the people have done it at their own cost because they believe it will have results and they'll get sales in the long run."

Q-Max sales manager Andrew Buggins said the roots of the reeds will grow through the recycled-plastic floating structure and develop a sticky glucose substance which will trap contaminants in the water and form a biofilm, creating a micro ecosystem.

Mr Buggins said the peer-reviewed technology was extremely effective and large scale versions were already in place in several lakes including Lake Rotorua in New Zealand.

"Because wetland plants take up nutrients it eliminates the amount of nutrients for blue-green algae to grow," he said.

"Typically wetlands are planted on the edges or banks of a waterway, with a floating wetland you can put it in the main flow of a waterway so treatment is concentrated."

Ms Patulny hopes the wetlands could act as a solution to the water quality in two of the worst areas of the lake near the Wanniassa and Kambah inlets at the northern end of the lake.

"I know they are saying to me you need a huge amount to make a difference, but I think every little bit helps, let's see how it goes," she said.

Mr Buggins said the company wanted to install floating wetlands near the lake's northern inlet to prove it worked at a cost of about $45,000 for 80 square metres.

The wetlands could be just one initiative funded by $85 million joint ACT and federal government funding to tackle six of the territory's polluted waterways.

Ms Patulny expects the funds could go towards filtering of the lake and potentially dredging, but she doesn't believe the portion allocated to Lake Tuggeranong will be enough to fix the problem.

While recent cooler weather has improved the lake's health, she said the amount of blue green algae ebbed and flowed and the smell was ongoing.

Students from Caroline Chisholm High School will monitor the pond water and keep a photo journal of the plants' growth as part of the trial.

Netting over the wetland for the first three months will keep the plants safe from birds and nets beneath protect the roots from hungry turtles.

"It actually looks quite attractive … it's nice for the residents to see it growing," Ms Patulny said.