What to fill my duck run with? And progress pics
- Thread starter shawluvsbirds
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I love this!
we installed a sink drain in the bottom, hooked it up to a ball valve, encased the ball valve in this old cooler for access, and ran the pipe on a slight downhill slope to empty into this larger pond that's still under construction.
We have a big water tank we plan to collect rain water from the gutters in to cut down on the water bill. But for now I'll have to drag the hose over there
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- #523
Blah ha ha ha. . thanks Kathy for helping me find my own thread. I was trying to find it to post some stuff where you tagged me. I accidentally unwatched all threads a while back and haven't found them all again yet.I love this!
I did a BYC search for shawluvsbirds and valve!
If ever I decide to do an inground pond I will try to copy your design for sure.- Thread starter
- #525
Thought I would copy and paste this here since we bumped this thread up again.
So a few things we've learned.
1.Ducks throw rocks in the pool for fun
we've had to keep a length of hose handy to back wash it when it gets clogged or gets a little rock blocking the valve. I've ended up keeping a square of hardware cloth covering the drain held down by bricks to keep big stuff from going in. So keep that in mind and leave yourself a way to do a clean out or back wash.
2.Using any straw was a big mistake. Every time the wind blew it got a ton of it in the pond. .and clogged the drain.
3.Our "lagoon" pond stared smelling really bad when it got hot outside. We are probably going to re route the drainage to go elsewhere.
4. The ball valve we used is extremely hard to turn. When we do the re route we will probably replace that with the handle kind to make it easier.
5. A dustpan on a stick and broom from dollar tree saves me lots of water and time washing out the yuck. I sweep up the nasty in the dust pan after the bulk of the water drains and throw it out. Then I use the broom to sweep the rest of the dirty water down the drain.
6. I thought I would be able to go two or three weeks without water changing. . ha ha. It smelled after about a week with 6 calls out there. Currently I have 9 and it needs changed really about every 3 or 4 days. I really wish it wasn't so deep. But I had no luck finding anything shallow but large surface. I almost wish I had done what @Steven Mazzo done with his.
All said and done. . it still beats kiddy pools!
And the ducks enjoy it.
So a few things we've learned.
1.Ducks throw rocks in the pool for fun
we've had to keep a length of hose handy to back wash it when it gets clogged or gets a little rock blocking the valve. I've ended up keeping a square of hardware cloth covering the drain held down by bricks to keep big stuff from going in. So keep that in mind and leave yourself a way to do a clean out or back wash.2.Using any straw was a big mistake. Every time the wind blew it got a ton of it in the pond. .and clogged the drain.
3.Our "lagoon" pond stared smelling really bad when it got hot outside. We are probably going to re route the drainage to go elsewhere.
4. The ball valve we used is extremely hard to turn. When we do the re route we will probably replace that with the handle kind to make it easier.
5. A dustpan on a stick and broom from dollar tree saves me lots of water and time washing out the yuck. I sweep up the nasty in the dust pan after the bulk of the water drains and throw it out. Then I use the broom to sweep the rest of the dirty water down the drain.
6. I thought I would be able to go two or three weeks without water changing. . ha ha. It smelled after about a week with 6 calls out there. Currently I have 9 and it needs changed really about every 3 or 4 days. I really wish it wasn't so deep. But I had no luck finding anything shallow but large surface. I almost wish I had done what @Steven Mazzo done with his.
All said and done. . it still beats kiddy pools!
And the ducks enjoy it.
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- #526
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
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
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- #527
Oh. . and spray foam didn't keep water from entering the cooler area so when we work on it again We will use some silicone or something.I love this!
That's good to know! (@sumi)
- Thread starter
- #529
We might wanna ask @WVduckchick
How she sealed her ball valve. I think she used a bucket for hers. I should be giving her the credit for the inspiration on burying the pool anyway. . . her sunken boat gave us the idea
- Sep 2, 2017
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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.
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.
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