Elizabeth Rabeler

Dale Hodgins wrote:I assume this sodium comes from the laundry soap. Some soaps don't contain salt.

Phosphorus can be a problem, causing algae blooms. I want to keep my pond in a constant state of surface  bloom, so that I can harvest protein rich plants from the surface. This might be possible with ducks, but would probably work better if they have their own smaller pond, and were fenced out of the feed growing pond.

When I was a kid, we had a poorly managed pond that received barnyard runoff. I had a big throw rope, that I used, to haul massive mats of filamentous algae up to the shore. This stuff was used as a garden mulch.

Our ducks would decimate any sort of edible vegetation within a day or two, so I would absolutely have a separate area dedicated to growing any sort of plants they might be interested in. I never thought of using algae from the ponds as a mulch in the garden but that is brilliant!
I thought of using a tiered design with the ponds. Have the central pond area for the ducks and any overflow would be diverted to a smaller area for growing Azolla fern in the more nutrient rich water. Ducks love it, it doubles its area within days, keeps down algae, and the bees are able to walk across the surface to drink the water. We used it in a small water feature we had made for the bees and were very impressed. Im sure it would work very well in a greywater sysem too.

Dale Hodgins wrote:The ducks would probably appreciate a constructed wetland. I've seen a few large-scale examples of this that become a real refuge for wildlife.

Yes, Dale that is what I was trying to say-a "constructed wetland" using certain plants that would help filter the greywater and create a nice habitat for our ducks. I was curious if anyone here had done that.

Laura Allen wrote:Hi,
I'm not sure I understand your idea. Are you filling the pond with freshwater, and then wondering what to do with the "greywater" you get after they've gotten it dirty?
Or, are you thinking of filling the pond with greywater from the house?

Hi Laura, we would like to fill the pond with freshwater and then use greywater from our house to keep it full and refreshed. I am thinking of a small pond, nothing too grandiose- just enough for 7 ducks to enjoy.

Greetings,
We have 7 "ladies" that we would love to make a greywater pond for. Right now, we are using a kiddie pool and we scoop their water out with a bucket to pour onto our plants/trees.   We would also like to introduce fish, eventually. We are keeping them in a large mobile tractor for now and they are housed in the evening.  The pond would also be used as a water source for our bees so they hopefully leave the neighbors pools alone. Has anyone attempted this and what has worked for you? I'd would love to see any pictures or hear your experience.

Thanks,
Eilis