Wildlife pond started to stink...

[Nepen]

Tanks for sharing Neo, that's what my husband reason for not letting me use the extension cord.

 

[brc]

Definitely cover power cords and strips outside even if they say outdoor on them. I learned the hard way last year when I woke up one morning and my pond was not running. After checking the breaker I realized it was flipped so when I hit the switch I didn't know it yet but water runoff from the roof got into the power stake and when the power came on the thing immediately went up in flames almost 3 feet high. I turned the breaker right back off but the damage was done. I lost two uv pumps from lowes, my pond lights, and a small fountain pump. A very expensive lesson but I'm sure it could have been worse and shocked the fish or me I!

This sounds a lot more like the result of a lightning strike, than an arc fault. It sounds believable if you don't know a whole lot about electricity, but it's actually very unlikely that all the stuff you had plugged in was destroyed just because something shorted out and exploded.

 

[Neo]

Not sure exactly what happened but the source was the yard power stake. When it went up in flames it melted the cords and even the metal prongs to the stake where they were plugged in, that's what did them in. I managed to salvage one that was unplugged but laying next to stake and had only minor damage to the cord. I have the same set up this year but now I keep a bucket over the yard stake.

 

[Nepen]

I did it! I extended the outlet to my little pond by myself, with a little suggestions from my husband

The next problem is, the mosquito larvaes are in the millions!!! I put 4 guppies in there but they didn't seems to be able to eat it all. I'm leaving them overnight and may be tomorrow to then ill add the mosquito dunk in to kill the mosquito larvae.


Mosquito dunk is safe for fish, right?

 

[Waterbug]

I call a Wildlife Pond a pond that you leave to nature. For example the stink is caused by bacteria feeding on the dead organic matter, which larger animals eat, and you get a food chain. Part of nature. That's exactly what a person would want in a Wildlife Pond.

It sounds like what you want is a Water Garden, something you manage and control to get what you want rather than nature wants. I use these terms only to determine what your goals are so advice can be more accurate.

The plants, O2, bacteria, etc., don't keep a pond clean, at least what humans call clean. Plants add waste. They grow and shed leaves which rot.

O2 and bacteria break down waste but don't really remove it, more of a conversion thing. It's exactly like a compost pile only underwater. The organic matter breaks down but doesn't go away. You can remove the bits of broken down matter with all kinds of filters and pumps...kind of expensive, a lot of trouble and doesn't really work very well. A better way to keep a pond clean is to remove the large stuff before it decays into little bits. Easier to remove a single fruit than the 100,000,000 bits it decomposes into.

The question is more about how fast the bacteria can break stuff down into small enough bit that you're OK with. In a small pond a little minnow net can be used to just scoop around everyday or so to keep it clean. The reduces the amount of waste to a level hopefully the bacteria and O2 level can handle and you get a clean pond.

Or keep emptying and refilling. People do that. Or you can also add a drip in the pond that runs 24/7 so the pond overflows. That can keep a pond very clean.

As for the mosquito larva the dunks won't hurt the guppies (or Mosquitofish?) directly, but that would eliminate their food source. When given a lot of food Mosquitofish and guppies reproduce pretty fast, like 2-4 weeks. They normally arrive at some place in the cycle so they could be giving birth right now or in the next week. That's kind of the beauty of these fish, their population expands to the supply of food. Afterward the population of fish dies back to whatever the pond can support. I'd let them do the job for you, they're pretty cool.

 

[Nepen]

I call a Wildlife Pond a pond that you leave to nature. For example the stink is caused by bacteria feeding on the dead organic matter, which larger animals eat, and you get a food chain. Part of nature. That's exactly what a person would want in a Wildlife Pond.

It sounds like what you want is a Water Garden, something you manage and control to get what you want rather than nature wants. I use these terms only to determine what your goals are so advice can be more accurate.

The plants, O2, bacteria, etc., don't keep a pond clean, at least what humans call clean. Plants add waste. They grow and shed leaves which rot.

O2 and bacteria break down waste but don't really remove it, more of a conversion thing. It's exactly like a compost pile only underwater. The organic matter breaks down but doesn't go away. You can remove the bits of broken down matter with all kinds of filters and pumps...kind of expensive, a lot of trouble and doesn't really work very well. A better way to keep a pond clean is to remove the large stuff before it decays into little bits. Easier to remove a single fruit than the 100,000,000 bits it decomposes into.

The question is more about how fast the bacteria can break stuff down into small enough bit that you're OK with. In a small pond a little minnow net can be used to just scoop around everyday or so to keep it clean. The reduces the amount of waste to a level hopefully the bacteria and O2 level can handle and you get a clean pond.

Or keep emptying and refilling. People do that. Or you can also add a drip in the pond that runs 24/7 so the pond overflows. That can keep a pond very clean.

As for the mosquito larva the dunks won't hurt the guppies (or Mosquitofish?) directly, but that would eliminate their food source. When given a lot of food Mosquitofish and guppies reproduce pretty fast, like 2-4 weeks. They normally arrive at some place in the cycle so they could be giving birth right now or in the next week. That's kind of the beauty of these fish, their population expands to the supply of food. Afterward the population of fish dies back to whatever the pond can support. I'd let them do the job for you, they're pretty cool.

Thanks Waterbug. Yes I guess I want the water garden more than wildlife pond Basically I started out reading about the wildlife pond that I leave everything to nature, but my nature involved thousands of this small round fruits that were eaten and dropped to the pond by the squirrel - and decomposed way faster than the natural bacteria can breakdown the waste. So I needed to help it a bit....

At the front of my house, I have a container with a baby lotus plant that I've left it to nature also and the water is clear and doesn’t have any smell to it (it has little algae) - that's how I wish for my pond... but for this pond, the fruits and squirrel droppings are making the water turn bad in 2 days, I just can’t let it be like this. I don’t mind algae, I added a lot of plants so that I don’t have to use any pump (want to be 100% plants) but the water turned bad and was about killing my plants too... so I interfere a bit

My next plan is to wait another week to run the pump (with no filter) building my good bacteria then I'll stop the pump and take my guppies out and let the plants do their thing - I put the net over the pond to catch those fruits (some still gets in but small amount) so I'm not worry about them anymore. One the pond is established I can turn it over to nature..

I put my fancy guppies in the pond, they are all male so they won’t be making babies anytime soon. I love nature, I just hate mosquitos :biggrin:

 

[Nepen]

My little pond is doing great.. Water is good and there lots of bugs, frog, and snails showed up.

My plants are establishing, sending new roots and growing new leafs. Clover Lilly is so pretty, sent out 3 new leafs already. Floating heart Lillies are spreading, parrot feathers are spreading sending new roots everywhere. The crock screw plant is also growing new roots also. My hornworts are looking good and taking over the little pond. My pitcher plants are doing well, and my new water marigolds are growing very fast.

I got tadpoles to put in the pond and they clean my pond so good! Now I can see the liner (very clean!!) they ate my algae and mucks in the pond. I'm hoping that they will not destroy my plant when they run out of algae! In only 2 days they are growing very fast..

Very happy with my little pond and my tiny fountain that keeps the water clean enough for my guppies

 

[addy1]

Fantastic!

 

[Waterbug]

...but my nature involved thousands of this small round fruits that were eaten and dropped to the pond by the squirrel - and decomposed way faster than the natural bacteria can breakdown the waste. So I needed to help it a bit....

That's actually how a Wildlife Pond works. Decomposing organic matter builds up. Muck is underwater soil. For that type of pond it's is desired.

I've left it to nature also and the water is clear and doesn’t have any smell to it (it has little algae) - that's how I wish for my pond... but for this pond, the fruits and squirrel droppings are making the water turn bad in 2 days, I just can’t let it be like this. I don’t mind algae, I added a lot of plants so that I don’t have to use any pump (want to be 100% plants) but the water turned bad and was about killing my plants too... so I interfere a bit

I personally like all kinds of ponds. A person should always have the pond they want. The best way to get that imo is to know what kind of pond you want and then you can focus on solutions for that goal.

For example, the heavy load of fruits is a problem for you today and say you don't mind algae. Well that will probably change in the future as the decaying algae builds up. It will take longer for the algae to be a problem, but in ponds that aren't cleaned algae will someday be a problem for keepers who want ponds that are always "clean". The problems can appear next week or 100 years from now. But no way around it.

So in considering a solution for the fruits you might consider solving the future problem algae too. It can save you some effort long term.

 

[Nepen]

Thank you Waterbug. The fruits problem stopped now since there arent anymore fruits YEY! If i've left it as is, the fruits would filled half of my tiny little pond. I'm glad it got solved and the next year I'll have to watch out for that. there are some rotten fruites in the bottom of my pond and my guppies pick on some.

It's been a week since new water and I have not had much algae in this pond yet. I'm not sure if that's becasue all the plants or not. I still have the guppies in there to eat the mosquito larvaes. The thing that tadpoles ate, I think it's more of mucks than algae but I dont really know. I love watching this pond, look for any new bugs, especially the new snails that came.. they are black pointy shells.. wonder what they are.

You are right that I do not want a wildlife pond 100% to the nature but I'm going to try to have a minimum interfere with nature (exept for letting those fruits get in the water) - and may be it can be 98% nature and 2% me

That's actually how a Wildlife Pond works. Decomposing organic matter builds up. Muck is underwater soil. For that type of pond it's is desired.
I personally like all kinds of ponds. A person should always have the pond they want. The best way to get that imo is to know what kind of pond you want and then you can focus on solutions for that goal.

For example, the heavy load of fruits is a problem for you today and say you don't mind algae. Well that will probably change in the future as the decaying algae builds up. It will take longer for the algae to be a problem, but in ponds that aren't cleaned algae will someday be a problem for keepers who want ponds that are always "clean". The problems can appear next week or 100 years from now. But no way around it.

So in considering a solution for the fruits you might consider solving the future problem algae too. It can save you some effort long term.

 

[Waterbug]

may be it can be 98% nature and 2% me

I'd say that defines what a Water Garden is pretty well.

 

[Nepen]

Just a little update

After I stopped using the pump, 4-5 weeks ago, my little pond is still clear and all the plants took over.

From two water lettuces into 40+ now, covered almost half the surface
From no wildlife into 500++ snails and nymps.
From two bunchs on hornwort to it covering my pond.
The other plants I put in are doing great and growing.

I put 3 babies molly in there just to protect them from getting eaten by the big fish and I thought I lost them for a while, I saw them again alive and well yesterday (even with the low temp of 55 F!! and no pump or air whatsoever)

Conclusion - the first 3-4 weeks with the pump helped build good bacteria enough to sustain life then after that life took over and florish

But still dont know why all the tads I put in there dissapeared :grumble:

 

[Fishylove]

Thats great nepen! Congrats! As to the tads... Are they frogs now maybe? :cheerful:

 

[Nepen]

I wish, but no they are not :neutral: When I first put the tads in I went there everyday to find them and the first few days I'll see a few around then they all gone... dont see any baby frogs/toad either. My guess is they went into the rocks and couldnt find their way back out, or got eaten by the dragon fly nymps (which I didnt see until way later, but they could be there)

Thats great nepen! Congrats! As to the tads... Are they frogs now maybe? :cheerful:

 

[adavisus]

Yup, every year ponds will fill with new tads and very few survive when the dragonfly larvae, water beetles, water spiders know where to find them

Creating an exclusion area, like a bucket with some curtain net draped over would increase survival rates, stopping the dragonflies from laying eggs, in the nursery

Regards, andy
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