Keeping the pool clean

[mikeythepotatoe]

Hey everybody! Hope you are all having a great day! So I have a quick question. My ducks have a small kiddie pool in the back yard that they love to swim in, but the problem is that in a matter of about three days or so it gets dirty and the water turns green. Is there any way to prevent this? Like maybe a powder that can be used or some sort of filter? Thanks!

 

[lomine]

You could pump and filter the water but I'm not sure it would be worth it. Best to change the water. If you have plants use it to water them; they will thrive on it.

 

[Ducktown]

It's because of algae growth. I have bought a couple of aquatic plants and placed them into the pond long before I started with ducks. I'm still new to ducks and I have learned they like to eat water plants and they especially love to poo into the water. That's the reason your water gets green, it's full of nutrients that promote growth of green algae.

One option would be Water hyacinth . I have learned a few years ago that it uses as much nutrients as possible in no-time. It will also take over your pond (pool) if you don't clean it regularly as it grows. Other, even better option would be adding duckweed to the pool. It multiplies like crazy and will also use a lot of nutrients from the water. The problem with any of the plants you could add into the pool is... ducks... they will eat everything except for the plants they don't like. I don't know about water hyacinths, because I did not have ducks when I had them, but they devour anything else. Ducks will love duckweed if you can somehow get it to grow.

 

[GeeGi]

Move the pool to a shaded area and it will last about 5 days instead of 2 or 3. Hopefully someone knows something because I'm tired of dumping pools. I will say my grass is nice and green and I move the pools so I don't have to water nearly as much...I might start using a bucket and water what few flowers I have left. LOL

 

[JinxieKat]

We have a stock tub (35 gallon I want to say) that we turned into a pond. We just drain it ever 2 days and refill. They get it so dirty (pooping in it) that I cannot see any other way of keeping it clean.

 

[lomine]

The best way I have found to empty the pool is using a sump pump with a long garden hose attached. That way you can move the hose around and water different plants. It's much easiery than a bucket.

Yes plants would help keep the pool cleaner but I don't know of any way to keep the ducks from eating them. I added duckweed once and it was all gone in about 5 minutes. Though I didn't mind because I got it just for them to eat.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

wonder if you put some barley straw in a mesh bag if that wouldnt help the algae ? along with shade. Copper also kills algae but It might be toxic to ducks ?? Maybe someone else can answer that ? Nothing you can do for the poop. even a filter wouldnt pick that up and short of a real pond with all the plants and bio-balance in it I dont think there will be anything you can do except dump , scrub and maybe limit their time in it ?

 

[Isaac 0]

The best way I have found to empty the pool is using a sump pump with a long garden hose attached. That way you can move the hose around and water different plants. It's much easiery than a bucket.

Yes plants would help keep the pool cleaner but I don't know of any way to keep the ducks from eating them. I added duckweed once and it was all gone in about 5 minutes. Though I didn't mind because I got it just for them to eat.

x2.I use a small pump to get all the water out of my pond .Once all the water is out i use a shop vac to suck up all the poop and mud.

 

[Ducktown]

Do not use copper or anything like it. It's way better to just replace the water and use the fertilizer they make for you.

Yes plants would help keep the pool cleaner but I don't know of any way to keep the ducks from eating them. I added duckweed once and it was all gone in about 5 minutes. Though I didn't mind because I got it just for them to eat.

I have them planted deeper (like I said I didn't have ducks when I first planted them) down and ducks don't usually go completely underwater to get them, they will get them if they place their head into water with their ass still afloat. At least in my case. If they start diving for the plants, I'm sure there's no way they (plants) can survive.

PS: Ducks are diving, but they don't bring plants up, I've only seen them go torpedo mode when they clean.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

Thanks for the info on copper Ducktown. I bought some tablets that go in a fish tank and was thinking of using it in my pond . I dont have ducks right now but I did read it can kill frogs.