What to fill my duck run with? And progress pics

[WVduckchick]

The river rocks around the edge of my boat pool are a huge help with keeping more muck out. They don’t track as much in.
Yes, My valve is in a bucket, I only loosely put the lid on the bucket (we got it too close to the edge of the boat so if I put it on tight, I’d never get it back off lol) but it drains because we cut the whole bottom out. And it’s half buried in the dirt. The valve is sealed between two other pieces of pvc so I don’t think it leaks.

 

[WVduckchick]

Hey Shaw, you can click on your own profile and click Topics Started to find a thread of your own. Actually if you know the person that started any given thread, you can go to their profile and see their topics started also.

 

[shawluvsbirds]

Hey Shaw, you can click on your own profile and click Topics Started to find a thread of your own. Actually if you know the person that started any given thread, you can go to their profile and see their topics started also.

I finally figured that out
Lol!
I didn't realise you took out the bottom of the bucket. That would have worked.
We thought maybe the cooler would keep water from freezing up in the valve. . but that didn't make a difference lol.
So far our pvc doesn't leak, it's just water coming in from the ground. When it rains or I wash off the rocks. Sometimes I gotta bail the water out to get to the valve

 

[shawluvsbirds]

Shaw I also found using straw anywhere near the pool was a huge mistake. It makes draining take FOREVER. And I also got in my pool and swept up the muck in the bottom with a dust pan. It’s gross, but I bet it’s great for fertilizer. If I had to do mine over again, I think I would use large flat rocks around the pool with sand in between each rock. No mulch, straw, or pine shavings.

But I plan on tilling out a hole in our backyard to make a natural pond. Then putting my pump at the bottom so it will shoot out water from the bottom and aerate it. Then hopefully it won’t stink. I’ll also buy muck remover to put in the pond.

What is muck remover?
I've been wanting to get some copper sulfate like Ravyn recommended but I haven't gotten around to ordering it.

The river rocks around the edge of my boat pool are a huge help with keeping more muck out. They don’t track as much in.
Yes, My valve is in a bucket, I only loosely put the lid on the bucket (we got it too close to the edge of the boat so if I put it on tight, I’d never get it back off lol) but it drains because we cut the whole bottom out. And it’s half buried in the dirt. The valve is sealed between two other pieces of pvc so I don’t think it leaks.

Ya if I didn't have the rock around it it would be a total disaster. But since mine are confined in the run so much I wanted something soft for them to lay in and walk on too. Shavings have been fine since I got that straw mostly outta there.

 

[CayugaJana]

Muck remover is essentially beneficial bacteria that literally eat the muck at the bottom.

 

[shawluvsbirds]

Muck remover is essentially beneficial bacteria that literally eat the muck at the bottom.

And where can we get stuff like that?

 

[CayugaJana]

And where can we get stuff like that?

https://www.chewy.com/api-pond-zyme...MI1Pbhw9_t2wIVA7nACh1vvgTEEAQYBCABEgKLgPD_BwE

https://www.amazon.com/API-DESTROYE...ocphy=9024029&hvtargid=pla-307461705358&psc=1

https://shop.naturalwaterscapes.com...MI1Pbhw9_t2wIVA7nACh1vvgTEEAQYASABEgKdffD_BwE

 

[shawluvsbirds]

https://www.chewy.com/api-pond-zyme...MI1Pbhw9_t2wIVA7nACh1vvgTEEAQYBCABEgKLgPD_BwE

https://www.amazon.com/API-DESTROYE...ocphy=9024029&hvtargid=pla-307461705358&psc=1

https://shop.naturalwaterscapes.com...MI1Pbhw9_t2wIVA7nACh1vvgTEEAQYASABEgKdffD_BwE

Sweet! Thanks!

 

[Steven Mazzo]

Something else we've done is we went ahead and roofed the rest of the run. Are soon as days got hot we realised there wasn't enough shade out there part of the day. Plus I will look forward to keeping things a bit more dry for them during the winter months.
We desperately need to get our water collection tank set up but haven't done it yet because we plan on building another run off the back side for a maternity ward/drake jail or whatever we need to rotate ducks that aren't getting along. When we get the chance to do that the water tank will go in place and guttering will be diverted to fill it up when it rains. Filling this up all the time with city water costs us sewer fees
But since my daughter moved out and is on longer here to take 2 hour showers, it kind of makes up for it

Great idea roofing the rest of the run. That’s my next project. It’s been so hot and not enough shade that Im back to hanging tarps for shade which look terrible. Our vegetable shade garden is really working nice though. The cucumbers and pole beans are covering the first three feet up from the ground and going higher daily it was a great idea you should try it and the ducks love to nibble at everything especially the lettuces

 

[duluthralphie]

I have found the perfect dux pond fill....