Pond/frog/plant/shelves/help!!

[nessieyeti]

Hello folks, I have recently acquired a pond (having moved) unfortunately it was dirty and stagnant so yesterday I begain clearing it out in order to make it a suitable habitat for 'things' generally. Unfortunately I came across quite a few frogs mating, (and bizarely what a catfish of some type) I cleared most of the stinking rotting leaves etc out and refilled it. I have also ordered some oxygenators on-line.

Problem is although there is a slope at one end there are absolutely no shelves at all within the pond. Does anyone have any clever solutions to create shelves within an existing pond without emptying it, removing the liner and reconfiguring it? I would like to put some plants, reeds etc beneficial to wildlife at different levels in the pond but cannot without shelves. I'm thinking of ripping it all out in Autumn to make it better but as there are no plants at all in the pond will the frogs spawn? I don't know how they've managed to survive 'til this point as the oxygen level within the pond was so low.

[Kayleigh]

How deep is it.

You will have to put the plant baskets on bricks but be careful not to puncher the liner. (wrap them in pond underlay)
The plants in the baskets will act like a platform for things to get in and out if they are near enough to the edge of the pond.

[nessieyeti]

It's about two and a half foot deep, I'm more worried about crushing any frogs as I'm not sure I'll be able to place them on the bottom without dropping them the last few inches and it'll be tricky putting the baskets on them without being able to see and reach fully!!

[Dogghound]

Did you refill it with tap water? another way to create shelves is to tip a plant basket upside down and place the other plant + basket on it, it also provides a mini habitat in the upturned basket. The tadpoles will need plants of somesort in the pond, perhaps return alittle of the sludge you removed this will be full of life and help kick start the pond as the taddys wont have any food.

[nessieyeti]

I did refill it with tap water, I was hoping this was the lesser of two evils than leaving it empty or as it was. Do you think this is a big problem? I left a layer of mud on the bottom, and there was a few inches of water as well, enough for the frogs to swim away from me in. There is some more sludge I've dumped in a pile I could return some of that, I'm just not sure there is anything the frogs could connect their frogspawn to!

The basket thing might work better given my situation thanks.

[dampflippers]

You can buy bottles of tap water conditioner which you add if you have o refill with tap water. This helps get rid of chlorine etc. You will need to estimate the volume of your pond, or the volume that you are adding.

I have a hose attached to the tap on my waterbutt which I top up mine with .

[Kayleigh]

Chlorine will disappear within 24 hours so don't add anything

[nessieyeti]

Ok thanks for all that, much obliged.

[paddy]

Another solution i've seen used is sections of old slabs, with a brick or large stone under it at the 'deep' end - this also creates a hidey hole under the slab. Depends on how steep your slope is on how heavy the arrangement has to be.