my new small pond project... (Please give feedback)

[dan-fisher]

Hi guys, looking at sharing my new pond with some people

After finding a great crested newt all dried up crossing a road, i picked it up and thought it may be moving so took it home and put it my daughters fish tank (with minnows and sticle backs in).

It recovered after 2 days, with tiny worms to eat if neaded so i needed a plan of action to find it a home... But one life saved..

So i bought a precast plastic pond 250litres, 4 bags of pea gravel, 4 water plants and a small pump... and a bag of compost.

The below is the 'not-quite-finished' result.



I dug it in, packed it in. Put half a bag of compost in the bottom and put in the 4 plants (3 types of grass, and one leafy one). I filled it up, put the pump in (just for aeriation.. and it looks nice )


The water at the minute is the same colour as skegnesses.. ie brown, grey, and not the slightest bit transparent. That'll be the compost then

So far it's as it is...

Oh the newt ??? Don't know, it wondered off somewhere... but at least i have a cute pond to show for it

Future work???:

Bucket of silt/water from the local nature park after i ask the owners (woodside park @ ancaster)

Slope the sides in better but as you can see the gravel has filled in the shallow 'pockets' and created makeshift beaches..

WHAT DO YOU THINK PLEASE ????

[Darley]

Are you sure the newt was in trouble? Sometimes we act with the best of intentions and can do more harm than good - I only say this because the Great Crested Newt is a protected species and it is illegal to handle them without a licence. Technically you have committed a crime - of course I am not saying you did wrong, but we have to be so careful when moving wildlife.

Hope others will comment on this

As regards the pond - what are you hoping to create? If you want wildlife to visit and populate it, you must have lots of vegeatation around the edges for cover, and easy access in and out of the water. Amongst other things ... theres a lot to ponds!

[dan-fisher]

Hi mate, oh yes.. deaths door! Was all dried up, in middle of a warm road on an estate in a concrete jungle!! Moved it off the road at first and put it on a grass verge.. 3 or 4 hours later after i'd done my job there it had moved an inch and was still sort of on its side. So took decision to help Agree though they are low level protected. That's how i found this site while wondering what to do with it. I called radcliffe RSPCA and they said put it in my back garden somewhere and forget it's there.. .

The pond atm is just tghe start.. I want to create wildlife, anphibians.. no fish. The area to the left of the pond will be 3x1mtrs of bog, i'll be digging it, laying damp proof membrane, and refilling with rain water from the new butt.

The gravel is a temporary measure.. the log piles and large stones will cover all that with loads of caves and cubby holes sort of 'naturally' built into it.. In fact the slab to left was empty but now has 1 frog and one toad under it from last night.. Who told em???

[Darley]

Originally Posted by dan-fisher

Hi mate, oh yes.. deaths door! Was all dried up, in middle of a warm road on an estate in a concrete jungle!! Moved it off the road at first and put it on a grass verge.. 3 or 4 hours later after i'd done my job there it had moved an inch and was still sort of on its side. So took decision to help

Ok just checking ... you sound like a responsible person and no doubt saved the life of a threatened newt! Once your pond is established you will undoubtedly get a lot of newts, though probably not GC ones

[dan-fisher]

Yeap i agree mate no hard feelings at all.. better me taking it home than the kids that were about playing tennis with it!! (Glad you brought it up though as the original post does make it look somewhat shifty!)

I'm hoping to get the anphibians (be great for the gc one to return in spring), plus the hedgehogs, mice, bats, birds, and grass snakes all in abundance.. I want owls to visit in the boxes i'll be installing in the roof apex, i already have a sparrowhawk that drops into next doors garden often.. more, more..


Only problem i have is although i live in a rural area is CATS.. loads of CATS!! personally a cat lover i am not.. I've got rabbits also (2) and since then there has been 4 sat in the garden at one time!!

[Kayleigh]

Hi Dan,
I think you did good with the newt..

The pond is looking good..but you need a platform of some sorts to allow easy access for wildlife and hedgehogs to get out..I would grow some variegated ivy over the edge to form a ladder..I have newts and frogs using mine for access

The compost was aquatic wasn't it..
You need about 10 bunches of oxygenating plants to keep the water fresh. Also yellow flag iris act as a water filter but keep them in a basket or the they get a bit wild..

Look forward to seeing it progress..
If you trawl through my archive you will see my pond it looks very similar when it was new 3 years ago..Will get round to posting some new pics now it has matured..
You may not get the newts breeding in your pond as they tend to like bigger ponds but you never know.

[dan-fisher]

Thanks kayleigh,

Ermmm.. the compost was just compost! £2.99 for a big bag.. it's clearing up now but is it going to present me with a problem ?

The shape of the thing has pockets around the internal sides which i've filled with pea gravel sloped to the sides but soon i'll filling them with ballast/cement to make by make shift 'beach area'.. I'll look into the ivy, but the plan was to have a bog all round and to the left too. Only a one legged hedgehog would get stuck

Plant wise i don't know what they are.. there wasn't much choice now being off season but 2 are like long wild grass, 1 is like long stalky grass and the other just leaves.. i'll see if the reciept says anything

[Kayleigh]

....OH MY GOD>.........

Is it possible to remove the compost as it will be too rich in nutrients and will get blanket weed and algae I don't think you will ever be able to get rid of.
As for concrete is is going in the pond.. it will need treating as it will leach chemicals out into the water..

others will be along with more knowledgeable advice soon..

[dan-fisher]

Oh dear

Getting all that out will be an infuriating pain.. i already threw the rake accross the garden in temper at cleaning it out before filling for the first time

Ermm.. i think i'll remove plants, repot in marine compost and store. then drain and clean pond..

Then go down to the old ponds nearby and get aload of 'bottom' from there and stick it in. Good natural wildlife there, full of plants and fish, and chrystal clear (ish). Then replant.

That stupid, stupid garden center.. they said to put it in.

[dan-fisher]

Well.. day off today and most of this week so pond pumped out, cleaned of all garden compost and pea gravel. plants well rinsed and re-placed.

Refilled and clear as a bell.. just need advice on what to install.. aquatic compost or kitty litter.. with the cleaned pea gravel on top ?