A New Adventure

[TTFR]

:regular_waving_emot

Hey Hey!

So I have a few questions to tackle about my new pond. But before the questions, let me give you some back ground. TTFR means Toodle Tuff Ferret Rescue. It's a little early to call myself a rescue but I do have my non-profit status filled out. My guys come from all places and health. Some were abandonded completely, one even on the road, and the others come from loving homes that could not long take care of them.

These guys deserve the best I can give them. A few years ago I saw a outside enclosure for these guys and wanted one. But I just never built one. In early jan, I lost one of my special kids to insulinoma. His death shed light for my thoughts on giving them the best enrichment as possible.

So..I started out with a small run, to a 4 x 5, to a 6 x 6, and now possible a 8 x 8. The pond feature is part my dream, and part ferret fun. I would love to build a shallow stream that curves down to a fall into a pond. The fall may be concret with rocks but the banks are going to be a beach of rocks. Inside the curve of the stream will be another bank. I got this idea from how the river rolls by my parents house. The outside is deep while everything falls in to make a sand bar.

A pump-> It has to be solar with a battery and a fairly long cord to the panel. I was looking at solar generators. Could a generator and pump work beter than the solar battery pump?

Has anyone ever tried this?

My plan to attack the pond is to get my foundation in the rough and lay down my plastic netting. Cover the netting and than start working on getting the outline of the pond.
Should I use sand to help sculpt the edges? The fill dirt will be compost from the manure pile mixed with leave matter that had been run through the leaf cruncher attachment of a tractor.
What about if I could line the sides that are going to be straight with bricks to get stability?
Once padding is down and the liner is completely set, and tested, I am going to use concret to do rocks like bricks to build the side by the waterfall.

My role model for my pond is marie. She made a pond for her weasels and I really aim for something just as natural.
http://trickytrixie.tripod.com/pond-construction/pondconstruct.htm

I also will be having some small minows in the pond and wanted to know what to feed them.

 

[addy1]

I have heard the solar pumps do not do very well, but you are not trying to filter a pond with a bunch of fish, so it might work for you.

You are best digging the edges as you want them, keep the intact earth as your edge. The sand most likely would not hold a firm edge.

By fill dirt, not sure where you are using that.

The straight sides would most likely be ok by themselves, you want to make sure any run off goes around the pond, not under the liner.

The minnows will take care of themselves, bugs etc.

That is a very nice weasel pond she made.

 

[j.w]

So the pictures are of your friends pond right? It looks so very nice. Does the gravel cause a problem with settling gunk? I tried putting gravel in a bathtub pond w/ filter and the stuff just got so gunked up in the gravel that I finally took all the gravel out. You might want to think about putting no gravel on the bottom. Do ferrets like water? I love them, they are so cute. My sis had a couple once and they were such fun to watch. She built an outside cage for them which was really big and nice but the bears got them. So sad. I miss seeing them. Hope you can post some video's of yours doing their playful antics :lol:

 

[TTFR]

Hey again,

The cage's foundation is being filled in with the fill dirt so it won't be as compact as if you are digging the pond from compact ground. I am going to try and figure it all out when I start the foundation but my main issue is trying to do a pond.

Marie's had her pond two seasons now and hassn't had many issues. I will ask her if she had any problems with sediment.


Depends on the ferret. My guys like to snorkle more than swim but the stream provides fresh running water. I understand that the solar pumps are crap but If I got a solar generator that charges a battery...perhaps I can do a pump off the generator.

Or atleast I wish..:lol:

Could you guys help me track down a decent solar pump with battery?

 

[DrDave]

Have you tried Googleing it or EBay?

 

[TTFR]

Yes but I keep finding ones with no batterys or with poor reveiws. So i joined another solar forum to talk about the generator idea.

If my stream is going to be 3-4 feet away with a small incline, How much should my pump pump out? and..how easy is it to convert a fountain spout?

 

[addy1]

http://www.your-garden-ponds-center.com/waterfall-pump-calculator.html

This is a site that will help you calculate it.