Hello from California

[Froggy Gal]

Greetings, I have a very small 50 gallon pond. I found a large number of tadpoles living in some old buckets at the back of our property last year. They were quite crammed so I bought and installed a preformed pond to give them a better home. It was great fun to watch them transform into frogs through the summer. Many have returned and we have a new batch of tadpoles in the pond this year. The pond has no filter but I have several floating plants (water lettuce and water hyacinths). Last year, the pond was new so I fed the tadpoles finely chopped spinach (which they loved). This year there is algae growing on the roots of the floating plants. I offer the tadpoles spinach, but they are not that interested. I have concerns regarding the clarity of the water (not as clear as when the pond was new). I remove some water and add fresh water every other day to be sure the pond does not get too stagnant. Any guidance on maintaining a healthy pond for the tadpoles would be greatly appreciated! We love the sounds of the frogs at night!

 

[JamieB]

Algae is their preferred food, along with what else naturally occurs, the zooplankton of fresh water. Small bugs will naturally arrive. As for clarity, try setting up a small sponge filter, or you can diy it if you have electric near there. Take a sturdy soda bottle, shove a bunch of polyester quilt batting in it, then the cheap plastic scrubbies, and drill holes on the bottom and at the top. Insert an air line near the bottom, and run the air pump. The polyester batting catches a bunch of algae, air movement draws water thru the diy filter, and the scrubbies become a biological filter. It’s a small diy filter, and won’t do great, but might help.

 

[addy1]

Welcome! A bit of filtering might help you.

 

[j.w]

@Froggy Gal I agree, a little filter would help keep it clearer.

 

[BarbO]

I have a new solar powered filter, cost only $17 and it works great. I have it in a little pot with water and a few plants. Look online for small solar powered pond filters.

 

[Stephen Noble]

Welcome!

 

[zeuspaul]

I have about a half dozen frog ponds ranging from 18 gallons to 64 gallons and over a thousand tadpoles. Also several saucers of a couple of gallons. The plants are mostly water hyacinth, water lettuce and azolla. None of the ponds have filtration and I don't change the water. I add water to replace evaporation.

Most of the ponds have clear water. I did have one of the ponds go bad after feeding the tadpoles too much lettuce and all the tadpoles died. Generally I don't feed them at all. If the pond is new and there isn't any algae sometimes I throw in a little lettuce. However I am having better luck with azolla which reproduces quickly in my ponds.

Generally I don't do anything except add water, floating plants and provide some shade. The water stays clear, the tadpoles eat the algae and turn into frogs, disappear and then find their way back the next year.

 

[Gemma]

and welcome to the Forum!

 

[Becky]

Hello and welcome to the forum!

 

[Froggy Gal]

I have about a half dozen frog ponds ranging from 18 gallons to 64 gallons and over a thousand tadpoles. Also several saucers of a couple of gallons. The plants are mostly water hyacinth, water lettuce and azolla. None of the ponds have filtration and I don't change the water. I add water to replace evaporation.

Most of the ponds have clear water. I did have one of the ponds go bad after feeding the tadpoles too much lettuce and all the tadpoles died. Generally I don't feed them at all. If the pond is new and there isn't any algae sometimes I throw in a little lettuce. However I am having better luck with azolla which reproduces quickly in my ponds.

Generally I don't do anything except add water, floating plants and provide some shade. The water stays clear, the tadpoles eat the algae and turn into frogs, disappear and then find their way back the next year.

Great, thank you for your guidance!