When swimming in the pond, ducks stir up mud and debris, and their droppings accumulate quickly. It’s not only ducks that mess up the water in the pool.
But you can notice algae growth during warm months. Mosquitoes in stagnant water are also a problem in maintaining a duck pond.
Over time, water can become smelly and unsafe for waterfowl, so maintaining clean water is essential. So, you can keep the pond water clean using the following methods.
1. Use a Pond Filter or Pump System
The best way to clean the pond water would be to make it move. This helps provide oxygenation in the water deeply and prevents algae.
So, I set up a hydroponic system with a pump, several filters, and grew lettuce and strawberries. I use an effluent pump from Harbor Freight (it’s no sponsorship).
You need lots of filtration, as ducks are the messiest waterfowl. If you’ve an electrical hookup, you can add a small pump underneath the gravel in the pond and hook it up to the filter.
I recommend doing a DIY filter with a plastic storage tote and some filter sponges and lava rocks.
You can easily find these essentials on Amazon or other fish-selling stores.
Drill a hole in the top and one off the side, and add a spout to the side one. Try a bulkhead fitting and PVC pipe. Then, you need to place the hose connecting to the pump on top.
Also, you can add a submersible UV light for aquariums for extra bacteria filtration.
If you want to add more, you can get a pond skimmer net and a stick transfer pump. After installation, you need to visit the pond every few days and skim out larger solids with the net.
You can use a pump to suck out the poop water around the gravel in the pond bottom.
2. Add Natural Pond Plants
Floating plants are above the water, blocking sunlight from entering the water and absorbing nutrients. This prevents algae from growing and keeps the pond cool, providing shade.
Water hyacinth, duckweed, water lettuce, fairy moss, and floating fern are some floating plants.
You will also need marginal plants that grow underwater, but their leaves and flowers spread above the waterline. Through the root system, they absorb the nutrients and nitrates that algae need.
Water celery, lilies, lotus, pickerelweed, taro, water Iris, canna, and watercress are some plants that you can plant for this purpose.
Besides, you can add submerged plants such as anacharis, hornwort, and fanwort.
These plants are at the bottom of the pond and live underwater to oxygenate pond water and absorb nutrients.
3. Introduce Beneficial Bacteria
Friendly and healthy microbes, such as Nitrobacter and Nitrosomonas bacteria, can enhance water quality in the pond.
These microbes or bacteria break down organic waste from backyard ducks and prevent the accumulation of harmful ammonia and nitrate.
The beneficial bacteria promote your pond’s nitrogen cycle and reduce fish or duck waste, organic plant material, sludge, and leftover nutrients.
They are also beneficial and safe for aquatic or pond plants and animals.
4. Add Pond Fish
Farm fish are a beautiful addition to the pond and control unwanted aquatic plants. They are herbivorous and eat algae.
Some fish, such as the mosquitofish and grass carp, help keep the pond water clean. As the name suggests, the mosquitofish eat mosquito larvae.
Tilapia fish reproduce rapidly and consume plants and mosquitoes.
You can also add bottom feeders, including catfish, minnows, crappie, and blue gill, which are the top choices.
Not all fish eat duck poop, but catfish can eat lots of things, including fish.
5. Fresh Water Scavengers
Apart from adding biodiversity, water scavengers help maintain the duck ponds clean.
Scavengers can eat bygone plants and animals in the pond. They remove all the leftover stuff from the water.
Some scavengers for a duck pond include freshwater snails, mussels, clams, and tadpoles. These little animals scrunch duck poop and other decaying or waste materials, which can consume oxygen and pollute the water.
6. Reduce Mud and Debris
Ducks often walk through mud and debris, which can create a mess around the pond.
You can place the gravel or sand lining around the pond edges. Decorate the water pool with beautiful small platforms or rocks for ducks to enter or exit without stirring up mud.
You can also grow some plants.
To avoid ground predators, trim the grass around pond edges.
7. Regular Pond Maintenance
Manual pond maintenance can be time-consuming and labor-intensive.
Use submersible water pumps or other recycling systems. Once the waste is floated and accumulated after filtration, you can skim debris with a net.
During this process, prevent your waterfowl from coming to the pool to avoid accidents.
You can also empty and refill the pond water periodically. Every 1 – 2 days can be an ideal routine approach. It depends on the pond size and how often your birds go to the pool.
Make sure to clean pond liners if applicable.
8. Smart Feeding Practices
If you give the treats to your ducks in the pond water, you’re already creating lots of mess yourself.
Also, your duck feeder bowl or feeding stations should not be near the pond. Avoid overfeeding your birds near the pond. It’s better to add excess food to the compost pile.
I realized this earlier, so I didn’t labor hard to keep my pond clean.
Preventive Measures for Long-Term Pond Cleaning
- You can create a duck pond maintenance schedule (weekly or biweekly skimming, monthly or bimonthly water change, or seasonal algae control).
- Build duck ponds with a slight slope, which can help with easy drainage and cleaning.
- Create a balanced schedule for ducks on the water. You can provide them with extra kiddie pools for play, which can help reduce the stress on the main pond.
- Cover the pond with foam boards for shade and pond netting to prevent leaves from falling into the water.
Final Thoughts
I try eco-friendly cleaning methods. For this, you need to use non-toxic cleaners, such as those without bleach or chemicals.
Apply natural solutions, such as vinegar, for scrubbing liners instead when ducks aren’t in water.
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