The Duck-ponics Experiment - Raising minnows

Moby made it through the winter. He did NOT make it though a session with a curious young drake. We think Tweak tried to eat him but couldn't because Moby was so big. So then Tweak spit him out on the lawn.


We have a new moby or two living with the rosy minnows. We got some feeder goldfish in the bag with the minnows but they are very tiny and hard to find.

What an inspiration this thread has been, and it's also partly responsible for me registering with this site after have lurked for ages. Of course I should also mention that I'd like to throttle Wifezilla for putting so much temptation in front of me.....lol. That's right, you've guessed it, I have just started digging a pond outside as well. It's a really killer here in Thailand because the weather is so hot, but oh well, I will get it done. I'm aiming to make mine slightly bigger, but not much.

Anyway, I know you have been really interested in planting useful greenery in and around your pond, including food which people can eat. Have you ever considered Chinese Water Spinach? If you Google it you'll finds loads of useful information, but as I grow it myself all the time, let me share a few points......

It's super easy to grow from seed during warm weather and it can tolerate full sun or shade. It can be grown in containers, in beds, or in any body of water such as an aquarium or a pond. In fact, it will even grow if you leave it standing in a bucket of water, but it won't be as vibrant as it would be in a pond. The only thing you need to watch for is the fact that ducks, geese and chickens go mad for it, so if they get at it, you'll have nothing left. We grow ours for the table and also for my chooks and my two ducks. We currently let is grow in a small plastic pond where the chickens and ducks can't get can't get at it. We have about a dozen small fish in there as well, and between them and the Chinese Water Spinach, the water stays crystal clear. I also only clean out the sediment once a year as there is so little of it anyway. We've been eating our home grown water spinach for almost four years now and none of us have died, so I can't see it being a problem.

I would seriously recommend you try some in your pond, and before I forget, if you allow it to bloom, you get lovely flowers as well which in turn will provide you with ample seeds.

If you Google it, I'm sure you'll manage to find a supply, or alternatively, you can get the seeds on Ebay. Apart from myself, I think there are a few others selling them as well. Please don't think I'm trying to advertise myself........lol. In fact, I'd be glad to send you a bunch of seeds for free, but I'm afraid you'd have to pay for the shipping....lol.

Anyway, if you're still with your pond, do check it out.

Lastly, thanks for your awesome post.

The water spinach sounds interesting so I looked it up. Apparently it is illegal in some states and is on the USDA noxious weed list! I don't think it would be a problem here in Colorado, but getting seeds might be difficult. From some post I read you can sprout it from bunches bought at Asian markets.

Getting seeds shouldn't be much of a problem as I have shipped them to people in the States and they received them. With that said, you are correct........if you can buy a bunch from an Asian market, simply cut the bottom ends off a few inches above the roots. Those bits with the roots will continue to grow, and yes they grow at quite a pace. The only time I've grown them that way, I simply tossed the cut off bits into our tiny little pond and before long they were going strong.

Being married to a Thai, it's not only my birds I have to worry about though as far as growing vegetables is concerned, because when the in-laws come and visit , you'd be amazed at what a dent they can put into anything I'm growing....lol.

If you do get hold of some, and you manage to grow it, don't forget to try some yourself because it's quite a nice vegetable if it's only tossed around briefly in a hot pan with some good sauce.

Good luck, and I will try and keep you posted with regards to the pond I'm starting.

Cheers

Love that pic with his wings up!!!

Quote:

We had a bit of a setback. Hubby thought he was being efficient by draining the hot tub water in to the pond because he didn't want to waste the water. Well, the chemicals in the hot tub water killed all the fish. I am doing a partial water change-out and will restock over the weekend.

oof.

Good thing he's cute

Have you found a good pump that will hold up in a duck pond? My filter and pond system works pretty well, but my pumps are always clogged. I've tried two different ones, but pieces of grass, straw, poo, etc get wound up in there or just clog it. I also tried a plastic mesh box, and lined it with layers of furnace filter material (same is in my skippy filter) and put the pump in that. The material gets clogged up with sediment and small pieces within a day, which leaves the pump running with little water getting through. I just need a pump that will work! I was thinking something like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Submersible-Water-Dirty-Clean-Plumbing/dp/B002M1K460

Yes, they can clog a pump!

That looks interesting. Let me know if you decide to use it. I have a stock tank I just got for the ducks and I am going to hook up a filter system to that. Just shopping for pumps right now.