Maintaining a Kiddie Pool Duck Pond

[Haley_LinckHillPoultry]

I dump mine every day, not really much of a hassle, the pool isn't huge.

 

[streemers]

we use baking soda in our people pool to help keep it clean and clear and it isnt harmful to people or birds but i would worry about how much to put in. i also use baking soda on my roof and it kills the moss in 3 days when it rains and comes out the gutters my ducks play in it and havent had problems but thats a lot of water verses baking soda. I think your best bet is to clean and dump more or use a hoes to drain it. you could always use a bucket to dump some of the water first so you can lift it easier

 

[DuckLady]

We just put the pools near the garden and dump them so the water goes to good use.

We have smaller pools and dump and refill everyday.

 

[MamacatPatch]

I hate to sound like a wimp, but it's just too hard for me to dump and clean that kiddie pool every day. Yesterday, even hubby and me could hardly manage it!

What would be really neat to have something rigged up that I could turn ON and OFF that would pump the green water into the garden and then refill the pool with fresh water!

Gotta be something like that out there somewhere, even if it's made for something else like swimming pools or fountains!

If it's out there I'll find it or get some ideas at least!

 

[pattyjean73]

You can get a small fish pond pump for approx. $35 new or you can watch craigslist for pond pumps for a cheaper rate. You'll have to clean the filter out once a week though. Keep the pond in a shaded area and that slows down the algea growth. I'm not sure how useful they are, but most pet stores that sell fish sell algea control tablets and/or solutions that also slow down algea growth. I don't own ducks (yet) so I'm not sure what they'll do to plants but if you grow live water plants the algea has to compete for plant food and that'll slow down algea growth. Also, maybe you can try changing out 1/3 of the water daily. I hope some of these ideas are helpful. Let us know how it works out. I'll be getting some ducks soon and would like to hear some feed back on what works and what doesn't.

 

[gwennym]

Hmmmm, here's an idea:

my sig. other uses a backwash hose when he cleans the pool. Maybe a drain thingie from a pool store (backwash fitting) connected to the bottom of the pool -- backwash hose connected to the outside fitting and a drain plug (like Grandma used to use in the old-time tubs) to keep water IN.

There's a backwash fitting at http://www.poolsupplies.com/cgi-bin/commerce.exe?key=274062&preadd=action for $1.99.

Gwen

 

[Bec]

Quote:
Might sound silly, but ...How do you get the siphon going? All I can picture is sucking up the yucky water and it accidentally getting in your mouth

 

[MamacatPatch]

Not sure about doing that with hose, but I have always had aquariums and you just scoop the big end full of water and block the other end and raise up the big end higher until all the air is out. That creates the suction.

Then you put the big end into the water, careful not to let air get into it. Then the water will be pulled out the big end and out the small end!

I've never found anything that stops algae from the aquarium either, none of those drops or tablets or anything....except cleaning it out, 1/3 to 1/2 of it as needed and scrapping the sides as needed!

 

[featherfooted]

Once all the air is out of the hose and it is filled with water I put my thumb over the end I'm taking out so no air can get in the hose and I only remove my thumb when I put that end on the ground. The suction has the water flowing out.

 

[Bec]

Sounds easy enough, I am going to try it tonight!