Goose pond ideas?

[GCrumb]

You may be able to teach them to use the big pond by kayaking about on it and calling them. If they like to follow you about, anyway.

 

[wingedmenagerie]

I dug a cheap 10ft above ground pool into the ground as proof of concept. The size works well for the gaggle to paddle and the 2.5-3ft depth allows diving shenanigans. They stand on top of a fish cave to bathe. It also kept goldfish and a turtle alive through a record cold winter. (Osprey nest nearby, so no koi.)

My future plan is to replace it with a real pond. The #1 change I'd make is shallows around the edge vs a sharp drop. That drop was really intimidating at first. Also dig the the edge 1 or 2ft wide and a foot deep, put perforated pipe along the bottom, then add rocks/gravel to turn it into a huge filter. Any plants will get dug up.

My filter is rated for double the gallons, and has UV, and it's still a thick green soup. More filters!

Yes! I agree with the shallow edges! That is also an issue with the pools on the ground- they aren't exactly sure how to get in and our smallest duck still won't get in herself. We have to put her in it, which she likes just a smidge more than her goose brother being in the water and her out.

 

[wingedmenagerie]

Do they scratch holes in the pool lining? I wish I could bury a pool like that but our soil is all clay and rocks!

They do not touch the lining, but the 1st smaller vinyl pool we used did get some kind of hole in the vinyl from something else that occurred in the night some time. I would not be surprised if it was the angry squirrel who lives the tree nearby. The squirrel actually used throw nuts at my dogs when they would lay in the shade under that tree and still chew at the netting I have outside the run to let them have fresh grass all the time!

 

[wingedmenagerie]

So what happens to the droppings? Because that's the main cause of me having to clean the water - and also the algae during the summer.

What doesn't dissolve of their droppings gets skimmed out with the other solids- they just don't float at the top all easy to remove The barley straw extract takes care of the algae! I much prefer the liquid extract because it will actually get rid of the algae, but when we were out of it I tried this thing from Tractor Supply that is a small burlap bag filled with barley straw that floats in water stock containers for cattle and put it in a new kiddie pool when the 1 pool got a hole and it kept the algae from starting.

 

[wingedmenagerie]

I dug a cheap 10ft above ground pool into the ground as proof of concept. The size works well for the gaggle to paddle and the 2.5-3ft depth allows diving shenanigans. They stand on top of a fish cave to bathe. It also kept goldfish and a turtle alive through a record cold winter. (Osprey nest nearby, so no koi.)

My future plan is to replace it with a real pond. The #1 change I'd make is shallows around the edge vs a sharp drop. That drop was really intimidating at first. Also dig the the edge 1 or 2ft wide and a foot deep, put perforated pipe along the bottom, then add rocks/gravel to turn it into a huge filter. Any plants will get dug up.

My filter is rated for double the gallons, and has UV, and it's still a thick green soup. More filters!

Try looking into the barley straw extract for the thick green soup! I know it is ok for the animals but don't know if the filters you already have will try to remove it from the water, or if it will damage the filtration system. I do not have any filters on my small pool that I use it in, but it gets rid of the algae and keeps it away amazingly!

 

[BeccaB22]

I am currently using kiddie pools too, but I purchased an 8' above ground pool and am planning to dig a hole in the ground for it so it can be more "natural".... but my sister told me they are making in-ground vinyl pools now so maybe you can look into that.

I haven't installed mine yet, so I'm sorry I don't have the answer you were looking for, but my smallest duck can't make it into the kiddie pool by herself yet. Along with the struggle of cleaning the pool is what put me on the path of the above ground vinyl pool.

I can offer that I added barley straw extract to the kiddie pool and I don't have to empty the pool to clean it anymore. I just scoop out any solids that are floating around, such as feathers, leaves, and weeds and the water does not get gross like it used to.

Where do you get Barley straw extract?