I have a smallish (around 6ft x 4 ft) pond. Its many years old, at least 40 years old I would say. Its one of those pre molded plastic ones, thats been set on the ground, built around with stones and paving and some planting. It here when I arrived.

I have to say I like it but my husband does not.

It used to be thriving, it had loads of frogs in February and loads of newts.
But I guess I am not good with wildlife over that last 20 years they have all gone. I have no frogs at all now ( yet when I counted them back in 2004 I had 20+ . I seemed to lose them all one winter and only returned but he seems to have gone a couple of years ago now.

I had newts up until last year but I have been messing with the pond today and I cant find any.


The thing is, there is something going wrong with this pond. The planting seems all disturbed. It was mainly a little lilly type plant which comes up with a small white lilly in the next month or so.

What too my attention ( and the reason I am messing) is that the roots of the plants seem to have been disturbed and were making a sludgy mucky mess . I pulled some out and most came up and turned over.

Its as if someone or something has upset it or been rooting in it.

I couldnt find a single newt. I did find some dragon fly type lava ( sorry they went as a result of me pulling out the dead sludge).
The water level is low but the hot weather may have something to do with that. I cant find a leak or a split visable. There is a lot of debris in the pond from leaves and rotting stuff off the one tree that shadows it.

Is it time to call it a day on this pond or is there any chance of getting it going again? If I do retrieve it, would my wildlife come back do you think? - I mean the frogs and newts, not the dragon flies ( I really dislike dragon flies).

On 17 May 2020 09:05, april wrote:
I have a smallish (around 6ft x 4 ft) pond. Its many years old, at least 40 years old I would say. Its one of those pre molded plastic ones, thats been set on the ground, built around with stones and paving and some planting. It here when I arrived.

I have to say I like it but my husband does not.

It used to be thriving, it had loads of frogs in February and loads of newts.
But I guess I am not good with wildlife over that last 20 years they have all gone. I have no frogs at all now ( yet when I counted them back in 2004 I had 20+ . I seemed to lose them all one winter and only returned but he seems to have gone a couple of years ago now.

I had newts up until last year but I have been messing with the pond today and I cant find any.


The thing is, there is something going wrong with this pond. The planting seems all disturbed. It was mainly a little lilly type plant which comes up with a small white lilly in the next month or so.

What too my attention ( and the reason I am messing) is that the roots of the plants seem to have been disturbed and were making a sludgy mucky mess . I pulled some out and most came up and turned over.

Its as if someone or something has upset it or been rooting in it.

I couldnt find a single newt. I did find some dragon fly type lava ( sorry they went as a result of me pulling out the dead sludge).
The water level is low but the hot weather may have something to do with that. I cant find a leak or a split visable. There is a lot of debris in the pond from leaves and rotting stuff off the one tree that shadows it.

Is it time to call it a day on this pond or is there any chance of getting it going again? If I do retrieve it, would my wildlife come back do you think? - I mean the frogs and newts, not the dragon flies ( I really dislike dragon flies).




Suspect a Heron has taken all the frogs and newts or the pond has
turned toxic. Some leaves can do that as they rot.
If you want to keep the pond then clean it out and start again, it's a
very messy smelly job and the sludge is a very strong fertilizer so use
little and don't let it touch plants (or put on compost heap).
Once it's clean and you have replanted it then you need to put a
deterrent against Herons around it. They prefer to land on ground and
walk into water so some posts and fishing line pulled tight about 1 ft
above the ground right next to pond edge frightens them (usually).
Wildlife usually comes back eventually.
Do keep the water level up and try to stop leaves falling in (net in
autumn) Do you know which tree it is?
--
Regards
Bob Hobden

On Sunday, May 17, 2020 at 5:50:11 PM UTC+1, Bob Hobden wrote:
On 17 May 2020 09:05, april wrote:
I have a smallish (around 6ft x 4 ft) pond. Its many years old, at




Suspect a Heron has taken all the frogs and newts or the pond has
turned toxic. Some leaves can do that as they rot.
If you want to keep the pond then clean it out and start again, it's a
very messy smelly job and the sludge is a very strong fertilizer so use
little and don't let it touch plants (or put on compost heap).
Once it's clean and you have replanted it then you need to put a
deterrent against Herons around it. They prefer to land on ground and
walk into water so some posts and fishing line pulled tight about 1 ft
above the ground right next to pond edge frightens them (usually).
Wildlife usually comes back eventually.
Do keep the water level up and try to stop leaves falling in (net in
autumn) Do you know which tree it is?
--
Regards
Bob Hobden

The tree is a leyandi Boulevard. It was small when we arrived but its now over 20 feet high. Its dead in the middle. My husband was removing it but had to stop when a bird took to nesting there.

Is it time to call it a day on this pond or is there any chance of getting it going again? If I do retrieve it, would my wildlife come back do you think? - I mean the frogs and newts, not the dragon flies ( I really dislike dragon flies).


Can I add I have been having another go at this pond today. I have taken out almost all the lilly stuff and prety much everything else. I have been bailing out the bottom section of mud. The shallow parts are now clearing nicely and the water is very clear.

I have found one newt. I didnt fish it out. I saw it swim across the pond as I was scooping debris - it was orange and young adult I would think.
But I havent seen any tadpoles or anything else.

Obviously I wont be getting rid of this pond whilst there is one newt in it. He has a right to his pond and I shall respect that but I am going to try and clean it but as much as I can.

Since there is now no plant life in there, can someone suggest what I might put in for the newt ( if he manages to breed)? . I know they need leaves to stick their eggs in.

I have found one newt.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/great-cr...s-and-licences

On 19/05/2020 08:10, Bill Davy wrote:

I have found one newt.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/great-cr...s-and-licences


The orange colour is not diagnostic of species. Look at the pictures.

Andy

On Tuesday, May 19, 2020 at 9:42:12 PM UTC+1, Vir Campestris wrote:
On 19/05/2020 08:10, Bill Davy wrote:

I have found one newt.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/great-cr...s-and-licences


The orange colour is not diagnostic of species. Look at the pictures.

Andy


I have at least half a dozen newts in the bottom of the pond ( the water is clearing now and I can see them. OK so I am guilty as charged of upsetting their home. I need to re build it. I dont know what sort they are. According to YouTube it doesn't matter really as in this country they are all protected .

So, I have to get some plants pretty fast.

Can aquatic plants be bought online and sent to your house? Not sure where to go otherwise. No such places near me.

On 21/05/20 13:32, april wrote:
On Tuesday, May 19, 2020 at 9:42:12 PM UTC+1, Vir Campestris wrote:
On 19/05/2020 08:10, Bill Davy wrote:

I have found one newt.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/great-cr...s-and-licences


The orange colour is not diagnostic of species. Look at the pictures.

Andy


I have at least half a dozen newts in the bottom of the pond ( the water is clearing now and I can see them. OK so I am guilty as charged of upsetting their home. I need to re build it. I dont know what sort they are. According to YouTube it doesn't matter really as in this country they are all protected .

So, I have to get some plants pretty fast.

Can aquatic plants be bought online and sent to your house? Not sure where to go otherwise. No such places near me.

Got anybody with a pond nearby who would be happy for you to have a few
plants?

With regard to the protection of newts, Smooth and Palmate are protected
against trade and sale only. Great Crested are fully protected. See
https://www.arc-trust.org/pages/category/newts.

--

Jeff

On 21/05/2020 14:53, Jeff Layman wrote:
On 21/05/20 13:32, april wrote:
On Tuesday, May 19, 2020 at 9:42:12 PM UTC+1, Vir Campestris wrote:
On 19/05/2020 08:10, Bill Davy wrote:

I have found one newt.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/great-cr...s-and-licences



The orange colour is not diagnostic of species. Look at the pictures.

Andy


I have at least half a dozen newts in the bottom of the pond ( the
water is clearing now and I can see them.Â* OK so I am guilty as
charged of upsetting their home.Â* I need to re build it.Â* I dont know
what sort they are. According to YouTube it doesn't matter really as
in this country they are all protected .

So, I have to get some plants pretty fast.

Can aquatic plants be bought online and sent to your house?Â* Not sure
where to go otherwise. No such places near me.

Got anybody with a pond nearby who would be happy for you to have a few
plants?

With regard to the protection of newts, Smooth and Palmate are protected
against trade and sale only. Great Crested are fully protected. See
https://www.arc-trust.org/pages/category/newts.

What's wrong with soeof those you took out