off-grid duck pond ?

[ivy_huan]

hi everyone
i jus got 8 ducks this year. we have them in the pen and run with a kiddie pool
we are thinking about adding a pond to the area and let them out free range next year.
im wondering if its possible to have an off-grid self-clean pond. i have been reading some articles but seems like all requires some sort of pumps for waterfall or bubblers.
i am not looking for anything fancy. but i also have no clue what im looking for here

any suggestions or directions for research will be appreciated

thank you

 

[Lauraduck]

I have one that my husband built for our 3 runner ducks and it's working out great. We've had it since January and other than cleaning the filter once in a while it's pretty maintenance free. It does run on a solar powered pump we got on Amazon. The filtration is all biological, and we have several types of water plants that help clean the water

 

[ivy_huan]

I have one that my husband built for our 3 runner ducks and it's working out great. We've had it since January and other than cleaning the filter once in a while it's pretty maintenance free. It does run on a solar powered pump we got on Amazon. The filtration is all biological, and we have several types of water plants that help clean the water

thank you for replying

what pump and filter do you use ?

 

[FBMcrazy8]

I have one that my husband built for our 3 runner ducks and it's working out great. We've had it since January and other than cleaning the filter once in a while it's pretty maintenance free. It does run on a solar powered pump we got on Amazon. The filtration is all biological, and we have several types of water plants that help clean the water

I am wondering what plants you have in yours?

 

[raingarden]

Unfortunately, the filters do not work anyway and without filters you do not need a pump. What they really need is lots of pond space and lots of ground space. About 50 square feet per duck (combined ground and pond space) seems to be about right to me.

 

[ivy_huan]

Unfortunately, the filters do not work anyway and without filters you do not need a pump. What they really need is lots of pond space and lots of ground space. About 50 square feet per duck (combined ground and pond space) seems to be about right to me.

I really would like them free ranging

I have a garden and strawberry patch on the back of the property and the ducks and chickens are on the front of. There is a brook on the back but I think it's kinda far and passing through the garden so I'm thinking about making a pond for them next year but I don't want to change their water or hook it up to any pump or anything

How do I make a natural self clean pond then ? Everything I read so far has a waterfall feature or something attach to it. I can add fish and plants in and pond would be decent size for the animals

 

[telandra2]

My favorite on YouTube is davidpaganbutler. His filters use air, so still need power, but maybe solar will work. There is lots of info about construction, undergravel filters, tubing sizes and why, chemical free water balance, etc.

 

[raingarden]

The solution to pollution is dilution. Keep fewer ducks in more space.

In a side note, you can indeed keep ducks in a beautiful landscaped water garden with waterfall and an underground fortress of filters. I've seen some fancy hotels that did it really, really well. But, they also had people working full time to keep up with it and LOTS of water exchange.

Replacing the vegetation as the ducks destroy it is completely possible. Just keep plenty of reserve/replacements somewhere that the ducks can't get to them.

Keeping duck pond water crystal clear is also completely possible. Heck, you can turn raw sewage into drinking water if you want to. But, at what cost? In most places you can buy new water cheaper than you can purify old duck pond water. So, you might as well plan on an electric and repair bill comparable to a bill for replacement water.

But, these are completely aesthetic considerations and the ducks don't relate to or appreciate human aesthetic values at all. They're ducks. They will not be happier or healthier for all the work done for the sake of human aesthetics.

 

[ivy_huan]

The solution to pollution is dilution. Keep fewer ducks in more space.

In a side note, you can indeed keep ducks in a beautiful landscaped water garden with waterfall and an underground fortress of filters. I've seen some fancy hotels that did it really, really well. But, they also had people working full time to keep up with it and LOTS of water exchange.

Replacing the vegetation as the ducks destroy it is completely possible. Just keep plenty of reserve/replacements somewhere that the ducks can't get to them.

Keeping duck pond water crystal clear is also completely possible. Heck, you can turn raw sewage into drinking water if you want to. But, at what cost? In most places you can buy new water cheaper than you can purify old duck pond water. So, you might as well plan on an electric and repair bill comparable to a bill for replacement water.

But, these are completely aesthetic considerations and the ducks don't relate to or appreciate human aesthetic values at all. They're ducks. They will not be happier or healthier for all the work done for the sake of human aesthetics.

I'm not looking for anything fancy but a pond for them to play in. Will they be happier and healthier ? I think so.
Will it worth the effort and work ? Maybe hence the research. I'm not planning on putting in something that requires a lot of maintenance. I don't have a huge property but Id keep some out for the pond for all the animals I'm planning on keeping I think it will worth the effort

 

[raingarden]

The cheapest thing is to dig a hole the size and shape you want. The soil you dig out can be banked up around the edges to make it deeper.

Lay in a sheet of plastic pond liner and fill it with water. As it fills, pull out the folds as best you can and put some rocks or blocks arround the perimeter to hold the edge of the liner down.

The more convoluted the pond shape the more you will pay for liner (versus the pond volume) because it is sold in flat square or rectangular sheets. EPDM liner material is probably the best while vinyl/PVC liner is the least expensive.

There are endless accoutrements that can be added once you have the basic pond. It's a serious rabbit hole.