r/WildlifePonds

So I have a swamp cooler (evaporative cooler) with a minor defect that leaves the water constantly trying to fill instead of only filling when the level drops too low. It's untreated well water, and it doesn't have anything added to it from running through the cooler. It just flows over some mesh mats then pools at the bottom of the water pan.

I just set up a hose and rain barrel under the cooler to catch the excess water and have it run downhill instead of pooling on the dirt and creating a swamp by my house, but im thinking I could maybe have the hose feed into a pond shell my grandma never used and make a little pond for the local frogs and birds instead.

Before I do that I wanna be sure there isn't something about this setup that would end up poisoning the local critters that swim or drink in it.

I have a small field which has been used for grazing for at least a century. It has an area that despite the weather has remained mostly green this summer, and in spring was very boggy. The area is also full of rushes. I can’t find it on any older maps, but my assumption is that this was a stock pond which has been filled in. It is about 3m above the stream which runs across the bottom boundary, and the land appears to form a small valley from where this pond would be down to the stream.
The neighbour has a wildlife pond which is to some extent damp all year from the same seep/spring. We have a lot of clay in the soil and a hole dug anywhere will hold water for several days.
How should I go about recovering this pond? I had planned to just go for it with a digger at what looks like the middle and work my way outward, but I worry that I might dig too far or in the wrong place if this was previously a stock pond or even natural?

They were on the bottom of my fountain float.
They don’t look like the snail eggs I’ve already seen.

I’m in the UK if that helps.

Thanks!

Took me about two weeks over one year (mistakes, budgetary limitations, procrastinations) but I finally built my wildlife pond. Well, 99.9% complete anyway, might add a touch here or there. Am planning to let the grass near the beech-end grow long to provide more cover for wildlife. Am so excited to watch it grow into and hopefully attract a lot of life.

And in June I was made redundant so decided this would be a great time to start a project.

It’s been hard work but I’m proud that I’ve been able to do it.

I’ve just finished tucking in the liner and I plan to cover as much of the visible liner as possible. Any tips on how I can do that?

I also plan on adding more plants and turning the small white planter into a waterfall feature.

Just filled this today. Surrounded by a couple small trees and lots of plants. Any suggestions welcome. Mainly looking to help wildlife in the city hellscape! Based in Edinburgh, Scotland

With the lizardtail, I can just cut a stem with some leaves off and drop it in the water and it will eventually grow roots and new leaves.

…and bladder snails and its babies. They are liking this particular log.

Very happy with how my first diy pond turned out. And I think I just got my first ever visit from an orange-crowned warbler drinking from the bog. That makes it all worth it. Can't wait for the plants to fill in but I guess now I just sit back and enjoy it and see what else shows up.

Bulk of the main is done, more plants to go in and rocks inside.

The outer rocks on the lower part of the second picture need reworking but overall I think its looking good.

If you are wondering why so much soil at the side, there was raised beds either side of the tree as needs seeding.

No fish, a wildlife pond, some of the frogs have already taken residence having moved over from my other small established pond (photo 4)

I’ve been following the sub for a while just out of a general interest in local ecology, but I just had the good fortune to buy a home that has a little natural pond on the property!!! Sellers claimed to believe it to be spring-fed because it “never dries up.”

As a complete novice, I’d love y’all’s advice on what kind of plants I should focus on first and what metrics I can use to gauge the health and progress of my pond. I’m so thrilled to be able to participate in this community!

Right now has hornwort, water lily, and pennywort. What other 2 to 3 plants would you suggest to having a small thriving wildlife pond? Hoping to attract pacific tree frog

If the wildlife is using the pond, it's a successful wildlife pond. That's it. That's the only criteria. Even better when it's an amphibian, because they're super sensitive to water parameters. But even if all you have is raccoons and deer drinking it dry, that's still successful because the wildlife is using the pond. It doesn't have to be X gallons, have Y plants, or attract Z rare animals. It doesn't need to be fancy, it doesn't need to "keep up with the Joneses." It's ok to have tubing or plastic exposed. It's ok if you have to keep futzing with the fountain pump every other day because it keeps getting snails stuck in it. If your pond attracts wildlife, you have a successful wildlife pond.

Today I was disassembling the motor on my pump and refilling it (it's been so hot, it evaporates super quickly) and I found this Northern Leopard Frog chilling in the mud outside my pond. Frogs are wildlife, ergo, my pond is successful.

Just a good year for frogs.