Log in a pond

[Minnow]

Hi all, as I am getting closer to completing the waterscaping, I want to place a log in the pond to make it more natural.

Can I place any old log in there and should I let it float around or anchor it? How big should it be?

I have an 8' x6' x'2' wildlife pond.

I was going to drill a small hole in it and attach fishing line through the hole and use a small rock on the other end to anchor it.

Any thoughts, ideas???

 

[addy1]

I had logs (made for aquariums) in a aquarium and the water went bad, got a brown color, ph went crazy. Make sure it is an old log. There are problems with them leaking sap. Some really change the ph of your pond. Maybe you can find one that has been washed by a lake or stream in your area.

 

[marla]

yep I agree, make sure it is aged well.

 

[RSFish1]

You might want to read this thread. https://www.gardenpondforum.com/tree-trunk-pond-t7644.html

 

[sissy]

I have one I got from a stream up by the new house and was told to soak it in salt water to make sure it was clean .I am not putting it in the pond but putting it over an edge of the pond out of the water .Not trusting putting it in the pond and hurting my fish

 

[taherrmann4]

I have several around my pond but only two actuall touch the water, I got the driftwood down at the river that way they already lost all their bark and were already to be placed in the pond. I place 75% of it on the land and only 25% in the pond, I tried floating them but they sink after a week or so. I think they do add some realism to the pond and also gives the frog something else to climb on. Here are some pics not the best but all I have right now, could always take some others tomorrow.

 

[phillyofish]

Dont mean to hijack this, but I was thinking something similar with a pier leading into the water. using the round posts. has anyone tried this?

 

[fishin4cars]

Dont mean to hijack this, but I was thinking something similar with a pier leading into the water. using the round posts. has anyone tried this?

On top of a liner? I would worry about puncturing a hole in a liner, in a natural pond that's all they use to make piers that I know of. In a natural pond they are so much larger than a enclosed system that they usually have no effect on the water, In a enclosed system there could be more leaching of chemicals than your system could get rid of.

 

[fishin4cars]

I have several around my pond but only two actuall touch the water, I got the driftwood down at the river that way they already lost all their bark and were already to be placed in the pond. I place 75% of it on the land and only 25% in the pond, I tried floating them but they sink after a week or so. I think they do add some realism to the pond and also gives the frog something else to climb on. Here are some pics not the best but all I have right now, could always take some others tomorrow.

NICE POND! with as little as you have contacting the water and the size pond you have I doubt it really does anything noticeable to your system. The problem with drift wood is no one knows what chemicals it has been exposed to, what kind of wood it is and does it leach chemicals, and how it will break down in the system. It can be done safely but all precautions need to be taken to assure that you don't contaminate the pond.

 

[addy1]

Beautiful pond teherrmann, it looks very natural.

I have rocks on the low edges of the pond depending on water level they are either a little in the water or out, the frogs are loving those areas. Still have not found any neat wood to add, like you did, and we have woods behind us lol.

i am skittish about adding wood into the water (i.e. totally in the water), wiped out a fish tank doing that with wood sold to be put in the tank.

 

[taherrmann4]

Dont mean to hijack this, but I was thinking something similar with a pier leading into the water. using the round posts. has anyone tried this?

You may be able to put some extra pieces of liners under a deck block pier then use cedar as your posts not pressure treated wood.
http://www.deckplans.com/dek-block-specifications

Another option that I would try first is that you could build a cantilever type dock depending on how far out you are going to go.
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/fspubs/02232812/page05.htm

 

[taherrmann4]

Thanks fishin I clean them by spraying a diluted bleach solution over them and letting them sit in the garage for a week or so to dry out then I put them in place, but only a portion of them is in the water, between all the logs proably only about 3' worth of wood that are only about 3" thick. I do have a lot throughout the landscaping that cross the creeks and hide some plumbing.

Addy thanks. When my pond level drops my rocks will be out of the water in some areas as well. If you have any rivers go look for some driftwood, I will actually go down to the river once it goes below flood stage and pick up some more. Several months ago I brought home a piece that was about 12' long and 8" thick to put in the landscaping to look like it had fallen there. I am sure my neighbors were wondering why the heck I had this huge piece of tree hanging out of the back of my truck and hauling it into the backyard.

 

[addy1]

We have rivers flowing, still have not seen any neat driftwood, but on the look out for it!

 

[CountryEscape]

Great pond build, Taherrmann! It's so beautiful to see such lush plantings around your pond. Things those like me still waiting to start my first simply dream my pond will look like someday. Thanks for the inspiration. And, the logs are great. I picked up a piece of wood that I just thought was unique when visiting my daughter in UT last summer. I thought about putting it IN the pond, but now I think I will use it in the landscaping instead. But, somehow, I have to figure out how to keep the dogs from viewing it as a new toy!