Pond question

[Pickle]

We have a natural pond in our garden that was dug in by the previous owners here. Anyway, we are now thinking about lining it as it empties out so quickly. There is always some water in there but if left untopped up for about 3 days (I usually top it up every other day) it literally drains down to about 2inches deep So, for the sake of the poor fish plus any other pond dwelling animals we have decided lining it is a must.
Now for my question - I obviously have no issues with catching the fish but how do I go about making sure there are no newts/frogs etc still in there before we line it? I'd hate to trap things hiding in the silt under the liner.

Thanks for your help.

Chloe

[dogsbody]

Interesting question Pickle. I am sure wiser minds than mine will come along, but if you are emptying it completely and then intend to line it, how about digging it out by say 4 - 6 inches all the way around and the bottom to ensure you get all the plants and wildlife out? Then you can use some of that soil to sit on your liner to help way it down and enable plants to root and frogs etc to hibernate.

Good luck!

[tamsin]

I would think you'd need to dig out some anyway as you usually line with sand to protect the liner - otherwise a sharp stone in the silt and you'll end up with a hole in the liner and be back to square one.

[Sheikh Yerboutti]

I think you need to get a temporary pool, ie kids pool etc. place it nearby ,filled with water from pond. Make several walkways from wood, rock ,soil etc to allow things to crawl up into pool. Carefully bring up slurry from bottom of pond and pour it near temp pool, cover it to protect it from sun. Allow several days to pass. As the old pond dries, the pondlife will crawl up and seek out a new pond. Even washing up bowls of water sunk in ground nearby will be colonised.It will be messy and there will be a few loses but its the best you can do I think. Good luck.

[blackkitty]

The best time to do any work on and in ponds is late August as there won't be any juveniles left and the adult frogs etc tend to get themselves out the way.

[rustylady]

Sheik's idea is a really good one. Before you line the pond, make sure it is deep enough for fish - how deep is it at the moment? It doesn't need to be deep all over, but you do need one fairly deep area to stop them freezing in the winter.

[Sheikh Yerboutti]

Forgot to say, fish and amphibians arnt good bedfellows, I gave all my fish to neighbour and now even have huge dragonflies breeding. You need to decide on one or other. If you choose for a wildlife pond make sure there is no mechanical filtration or fountains etc.

[blackkitty]

Lots of people say that fish and amphibians aren't good bedfellows, but actually as long as you don't have loads of big fish in a smallish pond they get along fine and can be beneficial to each other. I was concerned about this soon after we moved in and inherited our pond with frogs and fish so I spoke to frogwatch (can't remember which amphibian society the website is run by) and they told me that they're fine together. We have koi, toads, newts dragonflies - the lot.

[Sheikh Yerboutti]

Ye, been there, done that. Small fish turn into big fish and spawn lots more. Im glad I got shot of mine, tons more wildlife now.

[Pickle]

Thank you for your help. Unfortunately it looks like we are going to have to get out there and do it this weekend as our next door neighbour has been digging drainage ditches this weekend and the pond is now emptying even faster. I think somone asked how deep the pond was. It's is about 5 foot deep at its deepest point but it is definitely emptying more than it used too. The only thing I can think is that there has been a landslide from one of the banks in to the pond at somepoint making it shallower in places.
We definitely have frogs and fish living together so I hope we can save as many of them as possible.

Thanks again for your help. I'll try and put some things in place for the next few days to try and resuce what I can.

Chloe

[teakdesk]

I'm another vote for having fish in a natural pond but I do have quite a large pond with areas that the fish can't get to (barriers formed by plants) so frog spawn and the like are protected. If fish and wildlife cohabit natural ponds and streams then it should also be possible in a natural pond (although I have "compromised" - ie cheated - and stocked non-native-British fish).

It might not be everyone's cup of tea but I like to see nature in action and last week witnessed a fish chasing a newt across the pond before swallowing it. The fish are mainly orfs and, despite the size of the pond, have only grown to 6 inches in 7 years.




As far as the OP's question I second the suggestions already made about a second temporary pond filled with pond water.

I imagine that since the pond keeps draining much of the wildlife has left but it is important to remove all of the sludge from the bottom and leave it close to water for a week or more to let life transfer at its own rate. Be prepared for a stinking mess of sludge at the bottom.

Do not add the sludge to the temporary pond as you will make the water muddy to the detriment of the fish.

Make a second "pond" for any plants that you rescue - if you put them in with the fish then this will also make the water too muddy.

If you can restructure the pond then make sure that it is around 5 feet deep at its deepest to help fish etc survive our winters but also design many shallower levels for plants and wildlife that don't like deep water. Frogs and newts love plants and overhanging grasses at the pond edge.

Don't forget that a pond needs oxygen but try to research any oxygenating plants on sale in aquatic centres as some are not native and will spread at a huge rate and take over the pond.

If you've been adding lots of water to the pond then you have also been adding chlorine and all the other nasty chemicals that the water companies supply to us. These chemicals are not good for fish or wildlife so the sooner you repair the pond the better. When you have refilled the new pond you will no-doubt use tap water and I would wait a week or two to let the chemicals dissipate before adding the fish back in. You can put the plants back in straight-away to let the muddy water settle before the fish go in.

Keep an eye on the fish while in the temporary tank - many varieties do not like to be handled, nor a change of water or conditions; remember that the water in a small temp tank will heat and cool with the sun (whereas the natural pond water will stay much more constant deep down) so provide shading and beware frosts.

[Sheikh Yerboutti]

And dont forget some form of natural slope for mamals or birds to scramble out if they fall in

[dogsbody]

Good luck, hope it all goes well!

[Pickle]

Thank you all so much for your help. We are going to make a start on it this weekend and use the suggestions you've given me. We've sorted out a temporary home for the fish and I'll do the other things that you suggested for the other things to make their way out too. I know for certain we have frogs based on the amount of frog spawn we get each year. Kind of looking forward to seeing what else is hiding in the depths

[blackkitty]

I guess you've done a lot of the work by now. Don't be surprised if you didn't find many frogs in residence, lots will be out and about now, just returning for the odd refreshing dip.