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User

Good idea, sharoncalv: On the ranch, I use to pull out many a dead squirrel, once in a while a skunk. I have 6 water tanks ranging from 75 to 100 gallons.

There are two things I use - one, I put in a rectangular board. The board is easy for a critter to hang onto until it reaches an edge for it to jump out. I do have to clean if off every now and then and to let it dry out so it will float.

The second method is use of a marine rope which won't get algae, nor soggy with water as many household ropes do. I fashion a type of a 'ladder' with knots (macrame) and hang it with a couple hooks over the edge of the tank. I make it long enough to reach the bottom. This way if the water is low and the critter can't jump from the board platform, it can swim to the rope 'ladder' and easily climb out.

Since I've begun doing that years ago, it's rare I have to pull out a dead mammal. BTW, if there is a dead animal in a tank, I make sure I clean the tank thoroughly for potential harmful microbes from a dead animal. Then I fill it with clean water for the livestock to drink.

These methods will work for any think that may be large or smaller. If you have a pond for koi or goldfish, you can also use stones and build steps from the bottom to the top which not only give more features but also provide hideouts for fingerlings.

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User

Algae: I'd like to touch a bit on this subject since most people write about its negativity. Algae isn't harmful to a pond, lake or water feature. It really does have an important place in the wetlands/water/ecosystem. Algae is a plant like other plants - it's job is to absorb nitrates. Nitrates are left from beneficial bacteria once that bacteria degrades/consumes fish and plant waste. Nitrates are food for plant life such as lily pads and aquatic milkweed and other pond plants. Algae releases oxygen and use carbon dioxide - both are a good thang in any water area whether wetlands, pond, lake or water feature. It's a great beneficial

Algae make their own food from sunlight. So, shallow ponds/features are prone to algae problems since sunlight penetrates into the shallow waters - sometimes all the way to the bottoms. If that is your problem, reduce the sunlight by providing shade such as trees, shrubs, milkweeds (and help the monarch at the same time) and some non-invasive lilies and other water plants.

Know the type of algae you have. There are two types - suspended and string. Fill a clear glass of pond water and hold it against something white. If the water is green, it's suspended algae. If it's clear - you still may have string algae which basically grows on ledges, rocks, and moving water. The moving water can be an area of hyper-oxygenation which string algae loves. You can pull it off rocks and ledges to a degree. It will spool around your hand/fingers.

It's easier to correct the balance of your pond/lake/water feature naturally than add chemicals which can cause problems in themselves. It's also expensive, time consuming and must be done frequently and correctly to have any long term effect - at least for a while until you correct the balance of the ecosystem. It could also be that you have too many fish in your backyard koi/goldfish pond.

If you have an unbalanced system, you have to figure out the why then correct it using nature as your guide. It's a lot cheaper and has a longer lasting effect than chemicals. Nature cleans all lakes and ponds. Learn how nature handles overloads then apply it to your own water feature or pond or lake.


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Paula Clarke

The above comments are spot on! Thanks to both of you for writing it all out. Allowing for critter escape is important not only for their safety but for the eco sytem of your healthy pond. Having had lots of ponds, formal as well a natural,I agree it is it is all about BALANCE.


Whether or not you have mechanical filtration, of any amount, or rely on just mother nature for your fish and plants..... it is BALANCE and that BALANCE takes time and a huge amount of patience.


A lot of folks think- "dig it, fill it with water, add fish" and your done. So Wrong!!


It takes a while to get the ecosystem going and the ecosystem requires the right amount of plant, fish and water surface ratios as well as depth, light and beneficial bacteria. This take time to build on and is often a battle (lots of trial and error tests).

Buy, read and study pond books regarding the "chemistry" of it all not just the pretty looking pond coffee table books before you try this. Those types of books will let you in on trade secrets and save you the heartache (and money) of a swampy mess. Once you have a successful pond, any other future ponds or water gardens will be easier to start due to experience.


Water test kits prove invaluable too as do submersible pumps to help water circulation/flow. There are just so many factors such as location, water depths, climate temps, water type/quality that go into a successful ponds- too many to list!! Buy several serious "how to" books. Even a "sick fish" book to let you know what you might face some day if a fish (or all your fish) gets ill.


Once happily established, the water feature must be maintained too. Additions of fish and or plants must be done carefully. Don't forget to quarantine new things first before introduction into your established pond to avoid "infecting" your otherwise healthy

eco system.


Most do not have the time, or patience and end up scraping the project if they cant get it past the "green" stage. Ugh!! I knew someone who tried to combat the green with BLEACH. Needless to say THAT was a disaster (and sad)..... remember a pond will never/ should never be algae free.... fish love to nibble green algae off rocks and pots etc....yum! String algae is another topic, but harvested off items by hand is the best way to rid your pond of it as suggested above by Celestina89.


Start out with something small.....in a large barrel or a livestock watering trough for instance. or just try a "water garden" - Bigger is not necessarily better. Once your confidence is built up and your garden or small pond is on the right track then go bigger if you have the time and money.


Happy Ponds to all

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