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Help with new mini-pond

SweetPea2022SweetPea2022 Posts: 42
in Wildlife gardening
I made this mini pond in a tub a few weeks ago and all seemed well until I noticed a yellow film on the top of the water and what I assume to be lots of mosquito larvae. Is it worth getting a mini solar-panel pump/fountain to keep the water moving? I really wanted the pond for frogs and dragonflies etc which I have seen pass through the garden, but would a pump be bad for them? Or do I just need more plants to oxygenate the water? I don't think the neighbors are going to be too happy when there are swarms of mosquitos everywhere!! Any advice much appreciated. 

Posts

  • bullfinchbullfinch Posts: 640
    Hi @SweetPea2022, I had a similar problem, and bought something called mosquito dunks. You only need a small amount for a tiny pond. And I think they have been recommended on another thread recently too  :) I found they worked .
  • JacquimcmahonJacquimcmahon Posts: 969
    I just bought them thanks to a recommendation from Fire. Hoping they are quick to work as the wrigglers were in my pond this morning still.
    Marne la vallée, basically just outside Paris 🇫🇷, but definitely Scottish at heart.
  • RedwingRedwing Posts: 1,396
    It looks like there is no way for amphibians to get in or out.  Can you construct a means for access on the outside of the tub?  Would be much better for the biodiversity of the pond if you could.
    Based in Sussex, I garden to encourage as many birds to my garden as possible.
  • FireFire Posts: 17,116
    A teaspoon of Mosquito Dunk will knock mozi larvae out of that pond in 24 hours.
  • SweetPea2022SweetPea2022 Posts: 42
    Thank you all, will try the mosquito dunks
  • SweetPea2022SweetPea2022 Posts: 42
    Redwing said:
    It looks like there is no way for amphibians to get in or out.  Can you construct a means for access on the outside of the tub?  Would be much better for the biodiversity of the pond if you could.
    I have a pile of logs behind the pond which I think they could use. Is it too steep or do you think they could manage? 
  • PosyPosy Posts: 3,601
    If you want amphibians to visit and breed successfully,  you will need to make it much easier to get in and out. A baby frog is smaller than your little finger-nail and cannot climb straight sides. You would want the water level higher and weed growing over the edge and onto the logs.
  • FireFire Posts: 17,116
    Can you sink the pot?
  • SweetPea2022SweetPea2022 Posts: 42
    Posy said:
    If you want amphibians to visit and breed successfully,  you will need to make it much easier to get in and out. A baby frog is smaller than your little finger-nail and cannot climb straight sides. You would want the water level higher and weed growing over the edge and onto the logs.
    Right, that makes sense. Making barrel ponds has been a regular feature on GW and I just assumed that frogs etc would visit. I'm planning on making a proper wildlife pond next year once I've cleared some old rotten raised beds, so this was just meant to be a stop-gap till then. I'll have a look at adding more plants, but maybe just accept that it's not really suitable for wildlife at this stage. The pond plants seem happy though! 
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