Reed Mace problem

[Dogghound]

Originally Posted by Janec

Erm... calm down everybody.
Thanks again for all your advice but we've decided to concrete over the pond and install a hot tub.

Make sure its not too deep

[King Edward]

Originally Posted by Dogghound

Just noticed this. Can you please post a reference to where I said amphibians prefer deep ponds to breed in? Im sure you will find that I have never written or never will write this.

I didn't intend to imply you said that. My point (with which you agree) was that a pond can still be perfectly good for amphibians, despite being too shallow to be attractive to them over winter. Therefore, I see no reason why new garden ponds should all be designed with deep areas to accomodate overwintering amphibians. I'm not claiming you have said this, but it is the impression one gets from a lot of 'wildlife pond' advice aimed at gardeners (e.g. from Froglife).

Originally Posted by Dogghound

Virtually every single reply you have gone off on one about loads of things irrelivant to this topic most of which I did not even suggest otherwise

There is no need to be offensive. My posts on this thread have not solely been in reply to yours, and I have not written much that could be deemed irrelevant to the design/construction of a garden pond for wildlife, which is the topic under discussion. Fortunately, though, I have nothing to add on the subject of hot tubs.

Re: Mallards. This is in reference to my own garden pond, so shooting is not much of an option anyway and certainly not in the breeding season when they're protected which is when they visit. They don't always stay for long, so I'm not too worried about the water quality, but long enough to hoover up a lot of tadpoles. We could perhaps do more to discourage them by preventing them from eating food put out for our chickens, although I'm not sure how since they're in a large open enclosure.

I plan to erect Heron wire next spring, at least for the spring / early summer period when the adult amphibians are most active, it's just the Mallards that are more tricky to deter.