Duck pond.

I made a start on the new duck pond.  Cheap job: half a dozen old scaffold boards., eight feet square.  I'm going to try a tarpaulin as a liner.  If it leaks, I'll stick a proper liner under it.

Looks good Sean. If you need a liner I would recommend one of those cheap woven plastic ones that are all over ebay. 30 year guarantee and half the price. I have two, one of which is over ten years old and although they look flimsy, they are as tough as old boots. Just a thought. As you know Ducks are messy buggers and would turn the water black in an instant. Have you any plans for a quick and easy method to drain the pond? As it is above ground level there are some possibilities I would have thought.

Yes Cristy, I'm putting in a pipe at the lowest point. I drilled a hole in the board and will make up a pipe with a big flange which will go through the liner and the board, secured on the inside with screws and mastic. The outer end will have a bit of hose attached which can be raised or lowered to drain the pond. I think it should work.

Not exactly a thing of beauty,  but it will give 'em somewhere to splash around.  Total cost 10 euro (for the tarp).  I had the old scaffold boards and a few six- inch nails. Two afternoons' work.  A bit deeper and it'd do for a small swimming pool or for cold baths in the summer ( if it ever arrives!)

I like it. Hope the tarp holds water.

Well, it's holding so far. The ducks discovered it this morning and, my word, they did let themselves go! Very entertaining - watching ducks in a pond!

Well the pond has held sound so far ( 9 days). This evening I decided to empty it, rinse it out (it didn't really need it - it's stayed remarkably clean) and refill it.  I must say that my drainage scheme, simple though it is, works perfectly. All I have to do is lower the end of the drainage pipe, let the water run out, then raise the pipe again and refill it. It couldn't be simpler! Once a fortnight, I'd say will do it fine. And, of course (most important) the ducks love it. A success, I'd say! When I get time, I might add a bit of stonework around it.

I have got to revamp my duck pond. It is fed by a spring providing we dont have a too dryer spell. I have to stop the ducks from undermining the sides which silts the pond up. A liner would do the job and a similar drainage system to yours Sean. The pond is formed by a dame and a hose pipe through the dame would achieve a similar result to yours.

Cristy, make the drainage pipe a 2". Mine is only 1" and it works fine, but 2" would be much quicker and less inclined to get blocked by leaves etc.

That was my thought Sean. I have a piece of that flexible pipe just right for the job. Cheers.

Hows the pond Sean. No leaks?

Working fantastic Cristy! Not a leak. I think it helps that the boards I put on as a surround stick out over the tarp so when the ducks are getting in and out, they can't touch the tarp. So far so good. I only empty it about once every ten days - lower the pipe after closing in the ducks and by the time I get up (6am) it's empty. Raise the pipe, stick the hose in and long before I let the ducks out it's full. It's such fun watching them swimming around and splashing to their hearts' content, I've a mind to put in another one - even bigger!

well Sean, in my view a pond can never be too big.

Amen to that!

Well lads, the pond is roughly two months old now and is a great success - no leaks! The young ducks discovered it today and think they died and went to heaven! Talk about splashing and diving and general carrying-on! I know you can keep ducks without a pond, but it seems a shame to do so when they obviously enjoy it so much. The older ducks usually have a morning bath in it and a last splash around before they go to bed. I must get around to making the new bigger one - though the present one (eight feet by eight feet) seems to suit them fine.

Hope they enjoy the next one as much as this one Sean, nice work.

Had to put a new tarp liner into the duck pond - it sprung a leak about 3" below the surface. I think the geese might have damaged it.  Still, it lasted over two years and the new tarp only cost 21euros from Argos.
Here's the new job: