New Wildlife Pond and Plants

[pugle1]

....... No water in or out (other than bucket changes) means that if nothing is done with it, it'll just become a stagnant mosquito pool. I try to do as little as possible to mine in hopes of trying to achieve a somewhat natural state... that's my goal in any case.... but for such a small body of water, some intervention is always going to be required.

I can appreciate that. But what you are defining is a Water Garden, at least by my definition. From your perspective I can understand why you would consider it a little bit of a Wildlife Pond.


And there's the problem...a problem that tweaks me a bit. I don't really like it when a Koi Pond keeper looks down their nose at a Water Garden. Calling Goldfish trash fish, calling Water Gardens sewage pits, etc. It's ignorant and self centered BS. They say they're just trying to "help" the pond keeper to "improve" their pond...so it can be exactly like their own pond. I don't think they mean to be judgemental, but then again they sure never stopped to think about what they're saying.

I doubt you would appreciate someone criticizing your pond only because it's different from the critic's.


I appreciate you don't like "stagnant mosquito pools" and that you could never be able to imagine such a pond ever being of any use...but here's the strange thing...not everyone on the planet thinks exactly like you...I know, we all should, and someday we all may. But until that day don't be so judgemental on all our little quirks.

The OP may find someday they don't want a Wildlife pond any more. At that time the pond can be converted into a Water Garden, bog garden or removed. In the mean time they can enjoy the show mother nature puts on.

Every single pond forum from the beginning of time say they're a forum for all ponds...none are. Each is a forum for a specific kind of pond. This forum is only for 400-2000 gal water gardens which have a bog or Skippy. All other ponds are criticized as being "stagnant mosquito pools" or ponds for the super rich.

@anagrama, there are many places on the net which provide info on Wildlife ponds, just Google "wildlife pond". There you will find good info and support.

Waterbug, I wasn't trying to be critical or "look down my nose". Heck, I'm not even hinting that their pond or anyone's should be like mine. Compared to many in here, mine is nothing special at all, so please don't think that my comment had any "snob-factor" value to it, That was NOT my intention at all. I wish Anagrama nothing but success, All I was saying was that for such a small pond (2 feet by 2.2 feet) some intervention where the water is concerned is going to be needed. Anagrama stated that there was no power supply available and asked how to supply oxygen other than relying on bucket changes. You've said many times in here that oxygen exchange is a function of surface area and or plants / algae in the water. Movement of the water helps in transfering O2 into the water. I'm merely asking if there will be enough O2 transfer occurring with such a small body of water without some kind of intervention.

That wasn't a criticism of the size of their pond either...... mine is only 10 x 11 feet and not nearly deep enough in my opinion ( built mine before I even knew what I was doing and still need to learn way more than I know now). A person does what they have the room to do, and good on Anagrama for wanting a little wildlife pond. Not everyone gets to have a Lake Ontario sized pond. I sure don't. Mine is also stocked with the trash fish variety (goldfish and minnows). I don't look up to koi ponders, or down at turtle bowl owners. We all merely have what we've chosen to have.

I'm not experienced at running a pond as this is only my second summer with one, but even though I'm still a noob at all this, doesn't mean I'm some kind of dummy either. I'm just relating the little bit of what I've learned or already knew. I don't have a university degree in wildlife or ecosystems, but I do have a decent understanding of how things work in nature, simply because I care to learn.

Do you think there will be enough organisms ( aglae/ plants / microbes) in such a small body of water to also support the fish they want to add? Then too, there's evaporation. Does that not require a top-up now and then with either rain, well or tap water? (intervention) ... A wild pond is one thing... a man-made pond whether trying to achieve a natural state or whether a "water garden" is another matter entirely. As for my "mosquito pool" comment, that WAS NOT meant as an insult. My little fish are always picking goodies from the surface, and I'm sure some of that includes mosquito larvae. I do see a use for ponds containing mosquitos. They're part of the food chain after all. I suppose a bunch of discarded tires filled with rain water qualifies as a wild life pond based on your criticism of my comment as mosquitos are wildlife too, but if all the pond does is provide a breeding ground for them, I'm sure that's not the goal of the OP.

Anagrama, I really hope you get to achieve what you're looking to do. As I said, with my little pond, I want the water garden, yes.... but I want the "wildlife" that goes along with a pond too..... frogs, insects and birds. My point in saying "some intervention will always be required" is simply this.....because it's a man-made pond, it's not going to be refilled by the water table. Rain may take care of that for you, but otherwise there'll always be something you need to do for it.

All the best.

 

[don't ask]

welcome and always remember this, you will always receive different solutions from members for whatever question you pose.. ponding is a learning experience and you will have to take the information you receive and do what's best for you or do what you feel you can afford and feel comfortable with.. no one has the perfect solution and we give advise on the trials and errors of what we have done and what has worked for us but every pond and environment is different.. don't want to you feel frustrated but honestly unless you have over the top expensive fish and pond setup there is nothing wrong with experimenting and seeing what works

by the way you don't have too many plants in my opinion

 

[Waterbug]

Waterbug, I wasn't trying to be critical or "look down my nose". Heck, I'm not even hinting that their pond or anyone's should be like mine. Compared to many in here, mine is nothing special at all, so please don't think that my comment had any "snob-factor" value to it, That was NOT my intention at all.

I can only go by what is written. I appreciate it wasn't your intention.

All I was saying was that for such a small pond (2 feet by 2.2 feet) some intervention where the water is concerned is going to be needed.

You'll have to forgive me, but you're saying "is going to be needed"...once again...for the type of pond you keep sure, absolutely. For a Wildlife pond it is not needed.

You've said many times in here that oxygen exchange is a function of surface area and or plants / algae in the water. Movement of the water helps in transfering O2 into the water. I'm merely asking if there will be enough O2 transfer occurring with such a small body of water without some kind of intervention.

Movement is indeed key to higher O2. But a pond only needs higher O2 if required by the fish load. OP has almost no fish load.