"Pond" Filters?

[Miss Carcajou]

I have an old sheep stock tank (60-75 gallon capacity, I can't remember which) that I have used as a swim tank for my ducks outside. I live in Montana, where it is pretty dry, but I have an irrigation ditch nearby that I pump water out of to fill the tank for them. I have a drain valve at the bottom to empty it and refill, and last summer it kept mucking up pretty quick. The irrigation water is from a local creek, so it isn't very clear anyway, but with the ducks swimming I practically have to change it daily (which is ok, I often drain it on my apple tree which had the biggest crop ever last fall!).

I am just curious if anyone has tried a little pond filter system in a similar small pond? I am still willing to drain and refill to get a good clean, I would just LOVE to perhaps free up some time for my other projects by perhaps making the water changes down to only once a week. Any thoughts? Pump/Filter suggestions? Alternatives?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Bridger Davis]

I'm so sorry that I'm responding without any valuable help lol but I had to say, I LOVE that you mentioned that your Apple tree had the biggest crop after using the duck water; I found that incredibly interesting and awesome and I can't wait to use my duck's water to boost my plants! Again, sorry about the lack of help... I just don't know about this

 

[Miss Carcajou]

I'm so sorry that I'm responding without any valuable help lol but I had to say, I LOVE that you mentioned that your Apple tree had the biggest crop after using the duck water; I found that incredibly interesting and awesome and I can't wait to use my duck's water to boost my plants! Again, sorry about the lack of help... I just don't know about this

It might have been a mix of good pruning and more frequent watering because of the pond, BUT I assert that the ducks fertilized it well with their poop water

 

[DuckyDonna]

OMG I just happened to think that I had my sweet potato bins stratigically placed right next to my duck runs. I didn't put the pool water in it all the time but every single day when I changed their water buckets I'd dump it in the sweet potato bin and I too had a bumper crop!

 

[Miss Carcajou]

OMG I just happened to think that I had my sweet potato bins stratigically placed right next to my duck runs. I didn't put the pool water in it all the time but every single day when I changed their water buckets I'd dump it in the sweet potato bin and I too had a bumper crop!

That's a good idea! I was thinking of where to build a spot for potatoes and I could certainly bulk up the soil with my deep-litter straw from the coop.

Maybe I should just change this forum post to "Gardening with ducks" lol

 

[Bridger Davis]

Maybe I should just change this forum post to "Gardening with ducks" lol

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

I have to chime in, my duck water fig tree made four times the figs of the other two. Treated the garden with spring litter clean out. Tomatoes are going in.

 

[CrystaBub]

I don’t dump duck water in my plants but I do put the pooped up shavings around plants and had a hydrangea bloom last summer that had never bloomed for me before On the pond filter I use an all in one filter/fountain/UV clarifier in my pond and used it in a stock tank when the ducks were younger - it works great for me.

 

[bluemerle]

I always think about trying to buy an old, basic fish pond filter and slapping it in the duck pond - just in the hopes of agitating the water and thus keeping it a little nicer. But I imagine it would completely clog in a few days. There's a point where even my fish pond filter gets so dirty that it becomes pretty moot, and my koi don't produce near as much waste as the ducks!

I would love to try a legit koi pond filtration system like this someday. Where you run the water through a variety of natural 'filters' and then back into the pool. A lot of initial work, but probably the best bet in the long run!

 

[Miss Carcajou]

I always think about trying to buy an old, basic fish pond filter and slapping it in the duck pond - just in the hopes of agitating the water and thus keeping it a little nicer. But I imagine it would completely clog in a few days. There's a point where even my fish pond filter gets so dirty that it becomes pretty moot, and my koi don't produce near as much waste as the ducks!

I would love to try a legit koi pond filtration system like this someday. Where you run the water through a variety of natural 'filters' and then back into the pool. A lot of initial work, but probably the best bet in the long run!

Oh that is cool, but definitely a lot of work! I am sure things will gunk up but I may try a little all-in-one filter just to see. I think my main hope is that if I leave for a weekend I don't have to show my duck sitters how to drain the pool and all