404Farms
In the Brooder
- Apr 14, 2020
- 7
- 43
- 31
Hello BYC people!
Here is my proposed duck pond set up, what I've already purchased, and what I'm still evaluating. I'll put my questions at the end.
First a quick background: We currently have 5 adult ducks in with our chicken flock, and we have 9 more ducks and 3 geese in our brooder. We want to move the the young ones outside in another month or so. So, this pond needs to happen soon!
I'm planning a 20'x25' and 2.5' deep, duck pond (500 sqft) to be part of a large ~1000 sqft waterfowl area.. According to an online calculator, that's 9375 gallons. The same online calculator says I'll need a pond liner that's 29'x34'. (I have purchased liners and underlayment with a total area of 30'x35'. I'll have to seam them together, which I know it not ideal.
My filters will be a 50 sqft up-flow wetland filter (bog filter), and 2 skimmers rated for 400 sqft ponds, each with a 4000 gph pump inside. In addition, a bottom pump, also rated at 4000 gph.
The Wetland filter will be a DIY version of Aquascape's Snorkel and Centipede as described on a website I found. I'm using milk crates (48 of them) instead of aquablocks, and this will save me about $350 compared to buying even no-name brand water storage blocks.
Lastly, for regular maintenance, I plan on draining the pond down from the bottom drain which will feed my orchard. This should be gravity/pressure fed, as the pond is on a slope down towards the back of the property.
My dependance on online calculators strikes again! This time with the rock and gravel calculations needed for this project. I'm using math from Aquascape's website HERE. They have me getting 12.5 tons of 6"-12" rock, 25 tons of 12"-18" rock, 12.5 tons of 18"-24" rock, and 15 tons of pond gravel. (This is all not including rock material for the Wetland filter...)
So, my first question is.... What do you think? Will this be enough circulation and filtration for the amount of duck poop I'll be getting?
Second question, if I do follow through with a bottom drain, should I have gravel on the bottom of the pond? I like places for good bacteria to live, but I also know mucking out the bottom of the pond will be easier with a bottom drain and no gravel.
Lastly, if people are interested, I can put my complete materials list below. And yes, I'll do my best to update this thread with pictures as this moves forward.
Thanks BYC people!
Here is my proposed duck pond set up, what I've already purchased, and what I'm still evaluating. I'll put my questions at the end.
First a quick background: We currently have 5 adult ducks in with our chicken flock, and we have 9 more ducks and 3 geese in our brooder. We want to move the the young ones outside in another month or so. So, this pond needs to happen soon!
I'm planning a 20'x25' and 2.5' deep, duck pond (500 sqft) to be part of a large ~1000 sqft waterfowl area.. According to an online calculator, that's 9375 gallons. The same online calculator says I'll need a pond liner that's 29'x34'. (I have purchased liners and underlayment with a total area of 30'x35'. I'll have to seam them together, which I know it not ideal.
My filters will be a 50 sqft up-flow wetland filter (bog filter), and 2 skimmers rated for 400 sqft ponds, each with a 4000 gph pump inside. In addition, a bottom pump, also rated at 4000 gph.
The Wetland filter will be a DIY version of Aquascape's Snorkel and Centipede as described on a website I found. I'm using milk crates (48 of them) instead of aquablocks, and this will save me about $350 compared to buying even no-name brand water storage blocks.
Lastly, for regular maintenance, I plan on draining the pond down from the bottom drain which will feed my orchard. This should be gravity/pressure fed, as the pond is on a slope down towards the back of the property.
My dependance on online calculators strikes again! This time with the rock and gravel calculations needed for this project. I'm using math from Aquascape's website HERE. They have me getting 12.5 tons of 6"-12" rock, 25 tons of 12"-18" rock, 12.5 tons of 18"-24" rock, and 15 tons of pond gravel. (This is all not including rock material for the Wetland filter...)
So, my first question is.... What do you think? Will this be enough circulation and filtration for the amount of duck poop I'll be getting?
Second question, if I do follow through with a bottom drain, should I have gravel on the bottom of the pond? I like places for good bacteria to live, but I also know mucking out the bottom of the pond will be easier with a bottom drain and no gravel.
Lastly, if people are interested, I can put my complete materials list below. And yes, I'll do my best to update this thread with pictures as this moves forward.
Thanks BYC people!
