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Pumps & wildlife ponds

Hi,

I'm getting a pond built. I want it to be a wildlife pond, but would like to have cascade as well for oxygenation as well as a nice feature.

Is this compatible with it being a wildlife pond, if so are there pumps to recommend or designs to reduce the impact of the pump action on the little creatures?

The pond is going to be roughly 2.5m x 2.5m

Thanks

chris

Posts

  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190

    You don't usually put a pump in a wildlife pond. The little creatures like still water.

    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,139

    As Lyn says, you can't really combine the two - wildlife ponds need still water - also all the little invertebrates etc would get sucked into the pump and die image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • OnopordumOnopordum Posts: 390

    For good oxygenation you want a high surface area : volume ratio - as wide as possible but not too deep. For that size pond there's no need to go any more than 12" to 14" deep at most. If you have the space for a cascade I'd use it instead for enlarging the shallow margins of the pond.

  • treehugger80treehugger80 Posts: 1,923

    as big a filter block as possible on the intake of the pump is the only possible way of stopping the little beasties getting sucked up.

    and try and get as low flow pump as you can get for the desired waterfall effect this will help too as it'll reduce the suction on the filter block

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