Pond plants

[QueenDuck]

I just dug in a pond for my two duckies and it's already very mucky. Someone told me that it will get smelly and diseased after a week and I will have to clean it out every weekend. I haven't got the time and I don't want to "waste" water. I asked the same person what I could do. They gave me the idea of a drain, but with the type of pond I have I don't think that will work. They also said about a pump. I told them that that was no option because I can't plug in the pump. Then they mentioned pond plants. I thought that was quite a good idea. Maybe just like the ones you get in fish tanks but bigger? You know the ones that keep the tanks clean? I was thinking about going down the garden center tomorrow and buy some plants but I'm not sure what ones to get. The shop keepers could say anything so I thought that some of you guys might know! So now my fingertips hurt after typing all this out on my iPad, all I wanted to ask was what type of plant might be the best to keep my pond clean, free of smells and not diseased.
Thanks!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I just dug in a pond for my two duckies and it's already very mucky. Someone told me that it will get smelly and diseased after a week and I will have to clean it out every weekend. I haven't got the time and I don't want to "waste" water. I asked the same person what I could do. They gave me the idea of a drain, but with the type of pond I have I don't think that will work. They also said about a pump. I told them that that was no option because I can't plug in the pump. Then they mentioned pond plants. I thought that was quite a good idea. Maybe just like the ones you get in fish tanks but bigger? You know the ones that keep the tanks clean? I was thinking about going down the garden center tomorrow and buy some plants but I'm not sure what ones to get. The shop keepers could say anything so I thought that some of you guys might know! So now my fingertips hurt after typing all this out on my iPad, all I wanted to ask was what type of plant might be the best to keep my pond clean, free of smells and not diseased.
Thanks!

I'm not sure about what plants you could put into your pond that your ducks aren't going to eat. I have a small goldfish pond off my patio and when my water hyichins [sp] get too crowed I just flip them over to the duck pool and they eat them up.

 

[TLWR]

Ducks love water hyacinth!
How big is your pond?
Ducks like plants. If the water isn't moving, it will get nasty. We built a ~1000 gallon raised pond with ~75 gallon filter and pump. It is green, but it doesn't usually smell. I cleaned it about 2 weeks ago after about 5 or 6 months of just skimming the top/bottom.
We did snag some plants from the river on our last kayak trip, but only some of them are still doing ok. The ducks weren't actually interested in eating these ones, which was a nice surprise.

The ducks are going to poop. A lot. And it has nowhere to go. So yes, your pond will get nasty.

 

[QueenDuck]

Hmm yes, just after I wrote that I looked on this website and saw that some people say that they need oxygenated plants. I was wondering if they were going to eat them! My pond is small, :/ it's 1.9 meters by 1 meter. While I was filling it up with water yesterday they jumped in but couldn't get out! They are now scared to go in it even though it's full. One of them bravely jumped in but still couldn't get out. It's only about 15 cm not full and they can only just get out!
Anyone know any oxygenated pond plants that ducks won't eat?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hmm yes, just after I wrote that I looked on this website and saw that some people say that they need oxygenated plants. I was wondering if they were going to eat them! My pond is small,

it's 1.9 meters by 1 meter. While I was filling it up with water yesterday they jumped in but couldn't get out! They are now scared to go in it even though it's full. One of them bravely jumped in but still couldn't get out. It's only about 15 cm not full and they can only just get out!
Anyone know any oxygenated pond plants that ducks won't eat?

Put bricks or blocks inside the pond for them to use to get out, for my ducklings I use large rocks.

 

[QueenDuck]

Yes, I tried to put some bricks in but because of the funny shaped ridges around the Side they fall off. :/

 

[dbolak]

I have a large koi pond and two small ones. I have not found any plants the ducks won't eat. I lost my Lilly Pads and anything else I have put in EXCEPT spider Lillys. They don't bother those. Don't know if that helps.

 

[QueenDuck]

Okay, maybe next time I go to the garden center I might get some spider lilies

 

[TTeddy]

Your pond doesn't need to be huge. Big enough so you can empty it every day and fill it with fresh water. Murky water - would you drink it??!
they use it to cleat their nostrils and general bathe. They don't need to get in it all at once!
Ducks can drown. Don't have it too deep and have some rocks or similar on the sides so they can get in and out!

*edited by Staff*