What would you do with this pond?
Discussion
I wasn't sure whether this was better in here or homes and gardens. I'm more interested in having creatures in it than making it pretty though, so I went with here.
I'm seriously considering putting in an offer on a plot of land which includes this pond. I've picked out all the pics with my dog in to try and give a perspective of size here. According to Google maps, the water area is 1600m2.
http://s27.postimg.org/696kjp1kj/pond6.jpg
http://s4.postimg.org/i8ffveilp/pond5.jpg
http://s22.postimg.org/82qnlbyap/pond4.jpg
http://s3.postimg.org/ex41a71pf/pond3.jpg
http://s11.postimg.org/y9mgzhfar/pond2.jpg
http://s28.postimg.org/hhsxl6pbh/pond.jpg
What could I put in it? The primary reason for wanting something with a pond is just somewhere for my dogs to swim. I was thinking I'd like ducks too, but realistically is that pond to small? Given my dogs would likely end up trying to chase them about... would an anchored small fake island in the middle get around this?
How about turtles or something. They have loads of them at the Zoomarine in similar sized pools. Again I'd probably need an island for them to hide out on. My dogs tend not to swim far, just splash around at the edges so they wouldn't go out to an island.
What about fish? Koi perhaps?
As you can see, I know basically nothing about this. I'm just looking for some ideas as to what is possible here. I live in Southern Portugal.
cheers
I'm seriously considering putting in an offer on a plot of land which includes this pond. I've picked out all the pics with my dog in to try and give a perspective of size here. According to Google maps, the water area is 1600m2.
http://s27.postimg.org/696kjp1kj/pond6.jpg
http://s4.postimg.org/i8ffveilp/pond5.jpg
http://s22.postimg.org/82qnlbyap/pond4.jpg
http://s3.postimg.org/ex41a71pf/pond3.jpg
http://s11.postimg.org/y9mgzhfar/pond2.jpg
http://s28.postimg.org/hhsxl6pbh/pond.jpg
What could I put in it? The primary reason for wanting something with a pond is just somewhere for my dogs to swim. I was thinking I'd like ducks too, but realistically is that pond to small? Given my dogs would likely end up trying to chase them about... would an anchored small fake island in the middle get around this?
How about turtles or something. They have loads of them at the Zoomarine in similar sized pools. Again I'd probably need an island for them to hide out on. My dogs tend not to swim far, just splash around at the edges so they wouldn't go out to an island.
What about fish? Koi perhaps?
As you can see, I know basically nothing about this. I'm just looking for some ideas as to what is possible here. I live in Southern Portugal.
cheers
Your doggie appears to be taking a toilet break in the first picture 
An anchored island in the middle would work well, give wildlife, ducks and the like somewhere to go. Do you know how deep it is? You could build an island in the middle rather than a floating island, may encourage more wild waterfowl to visit and inhabit, and safe from foxes (and dogs)
An anchored island in the middle would work well, give wildlife, ducks and the like somewhere to go. Do you know how deep it is? You could build an island in the middle rather than a floating island, may encourage more wild waterfowl to visit and inhabit, and safe from foxes (and dogs)
Granville said:
Your doggie appears to be taking a toilet break in the first picture
An anchored island in the middle would work well, give wildlife, ducks and the like somewhere to go. Do you know how deep it is? You could build an island in the middle rather than a floating island, may encourage more wild waterfowl to visit and inhabit, and safe from foxes (and dogs)
Haha yeah, childish I know but thought I'd list that one first An anchored island in the middle would work well, give wildlife, ducks and the like somewhere to go. Do you know how deep it is? You could build an island in the middle rather than a floating island, may encourage more wild waterfowl to visit and inhabit, and safe from foxes (and dogs)
I've no idea how deep it is. I wasn't really comfortable going in it bare footed and I had a brand new pair of running trainers on so didn't want to wreck those either. Perhaps i'll go back out there with a pair of my old dog walking shoes and wade into it and see.
It'll be safe from foxes either way - I intend to fence in the full 5 hectares, in a way that dogs can't get out. So that should mean foxes can't get in.
Where does the water come from?
I'd like to think that if I had that I'd dig it out more and make it bigger, maybe you could expand it, and using the earth from the expansion make a decent island on it. If its attached to your property I'd make the island with a couple of trees and a hammock.
More likely though I'd probably look at the estimate and think sod that...
If your dog is the run away type make sure the fence goes down at least 6 inches into the ground...
I'd like to think that if I had that I'd dig it out more and make it bigger, maybe you could expand it, and using the earth from the expansion make a decent island on it. If its attached to your property I'd make the island with a couple of trees and a hammock.
More likely though I'd probably look at the estimate and think sod that...
If your dog is the run away type make sure the fence goes down at least 6 inches into the ground...
I've no idea where it comes from. there isn't river or stream or anything running into it. I assume the lie of the land just means water collects there?
what happens when you dig it out bigger... do you need to get water trucked in to fill it? It hardly rains at all through the summer here.
what happens when you dig it out bigger... do you need to get water trucked in to fill it? It hardly rains at all through the summer here.
DSLiverpool said:
What have you done with the real KFC ?
I'm happy to admit when I know nothing about a particular topic
HotJambalaya said:
No idea, if its just that water collects there, if you expanded it you might just end up with a muddy puddle! would be annoying to have to keep filling it up, probably better to just leave it!
Would it potentially be possible to put a bore hole in somewhere, and use that to keep the pond topped up if required? And then dig it out to 5-10 times the size?otolith said:
mrmaggit said:
That's nearly big enough to stock with fish and charge for fishing.
Nearly, but I would say not quite, not economically. It's big enough that I'd stock it with fish and let my family fish in it, though. May already be inhabited. I'm far more interested in chickens for food, obviously thats unrelated to the pond and I'll make a thread about that in due course
Lawbags said:
Before stocking it with fish, you'll want to see if it dries out in the summer. And also, if it has any form of oxygenation. Such as a stream feeding it.
If it's just fed from rain water, lack of oxygen can kill fish very quickly.
Summer is just ending and it hasn't dried up. i've no idea how empty it would have been in mid August though but there has been basically near zero rain between then and now.If it's just fed from rain water, lack of oxygen can kill fish very quickly.
There definitely isn't a stream feeding into it. How would you keep it oxygenated.... plants?
generally water motion, like a small fountain.
I did read something on a living swimming pools once, if you look that up it might give you a few ideas. Try here
http://www.earthporm.com/pools-suckers-organic-pon...
Sounds kinda interesting overall and you're nearly there it seems
I did read something on a living swimming pools once, if you look that up it might give you a few ideas. Try here
http://www.earthporm.com/pools-suckers-organic-pon...
Sounds kinda interesting overall and you're nearly there it seems
otolith said:
Some species would be fine, others wouldn't. But if you don't want to fish in it, it's pretty moot. If you put ornamentals in there you'll be feeding the wildlife expensively, IMO.
What would you be expecting to come eat them? The land would be fully fenced in. Obviously I can't keep birds out though.Gassing Station | All Creatures Great & Small | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff