Steel mesh covering wildlife pond?

I hope to finish off building my wildlife pond this year, and to make it child safe I was thinking of laying a steel reinforcing re-bar mesh grid over the top, or possibly just underneath the water level.

Would this steel grid cause any reaction with the water? Would it be ok to use galvanised steel? My pond is roughly circular and about 6ft diameter.

It should not be a problem if it does not rust but the gaps in the grid should be big enough that wildlife can get in and out.  I have always had a pond even when my chidren were born and still small. I always watched them in the garden and they learnt from a very young age to never go near the pond and could both swim by the time they were 5. i had a very small garden so it was easy to watch them but if your pond is out of the way I can see why you would like to put a grill on it. Someone my husband worked with lost their child when they fell in a swimming pool at a party and the child drowned, very sad but I think parents should always watch their children.

Is there any way you can grid the deep end leaving the shallow end (if you have one) open? I'm thinking of the wee beasties who might get trapped under the mesh and not be able to get out.  Baby birds, hedgehogs and mice have a tendency to drown themselves if they can't reach the shore easily

Im planning on using a steel mesh with square holes about 6" square, so that should overcome that issue hopefully. Im hoping the steel doesnt harm the water if it corrodes?

having increased levels of dissolved heavy metals in pond water is not really desirable but does little harm is it not possible in your situation to build a timber frame and lay this on the top of the pond with a plastic mesh?? 

I need it to support the weight of a child if they fell into the pond. Ive seen a plastic grid system thats available but requires support in the middle of the pond. I may have to suspend the metal grid over the ponds water surface, but ideally submerging it would be better to hide it from view.

it could be submerged but it would still be visible through the wtaer surface also it may rust and add dissoved heavy metals

Fair point, how about galvanised steel mesh? Seems there isnt really a perfect solution?

sounds like a plan give it a try 

How big is the pond?

The pond is circular and is only 6ft in diameter.

From reading other forums I gather that the zinc coating on galvanised mesh poisons fish so I assume it would also poison other wildlife in the pond.  How about a temporary fence until the child is older?

Given the possibility of zinc affecting wildlife, I'd simply paint it with a couple of coats of black hammerite.  Although the paint will eventually crack in a few places, you'd probably get at least 10 years before any noticeable degradation.  Painting it black would also make it much less visible if you place it slightly under the surface. 

Lead farmer ,with all this safety in mind ,may I ask how young are your children or do you allow your neighbours children free access to your property ,if the answer to the above questions is :-1 your children are under 10 & 2 if your neighbours kids have access Don't build the pond . wait until the kids are older and have more sense about the Hazards of deep water

Derek

I'd say at six years old the lad will be fine. I know my children were at that age. I could happily have a discussion about the do and don'ts of ponds with them and be sure they understood. I only cover ponds because my daughter is nearly 2. 

But of course, thats up to you. May I suggest a wide netting staked at the edges.

A wildlife pond with steel reinforcing re-bar mesh grid doesn't sound or look  very wildlife friendly to me. Leadfarmer you of course must do what is right for you, but I don't think you can call this a wildlife pond.