Jacqueline Rankin

I converted my pool to a pond years back. It has Tilapia in it. I put my pots/utensils in there, on a step, for a fairly thorough clean up by the fish. They manage to nibble off fairly "stuck on" food. Works well for me. Oily stuff does create a bit of a film on the water surface... Generally allow chickens access to it first and don't have any obvious problems.

Hi, I'm Jacqueline, I stay in Capital Park. Pretoria. Got a few ovambo chickens, some raised beds, a natural pool, with some blue kurper in and gradually aiming to grow as much of my own food as possible.

For cleaning water you'd want approx 1/3 of surface covered in plants. Preferably some sedges, (look almost like papyrus, less feathery tip) . In that size pool, on a shallow side you could use dwarf papyrus. As well as the surfaces stabilizers like water lilies, duckweed can also clear nutrients nicely, if azolla isn't a declared weed there it may also help.