Pool problem

Hi all,

I have a small wildlife pool that im not happy with.

The pool is in a low lying part of the garden, when it rains a lot the area around it floods, washing detritus into the pool, this coupled with leaf fall means that during winter the pool becomes stagnant. A quick hand dip and the smell is bad.

This year its resulted in the deaths of 4 healthy adult frogs that were hibernating at the bottom. The area froze for a few days, the lack of oxygen meant they died. I have noticed as the years have gone on, there is less and less spawn, meaning fewer and fewer frogs.
I have tried plants, most rot off. The pool gets not a lot direct sunlight and is in a fairly shaded part of the garden, plus has hosta growing around it. Its amazing cover for wildlife but the pool is suffering.

So, i cleared everything out yesterday. Leaf, mud water taken out, then re filled with water but water. Im hoping it will be ok but in a year or two i will have the same issues.

Any advice for me and my little pool ?

G

 

How big and deep is it, in general the smaller a pond is the harder it is to keep a good balance.
This time of year I'm out there most days dragging out leaves and dead plant material.
Frogs have declined in the last few years in my pond as well I think it's more likely to be a disease.

 

Its very small 2fx2f roughly. Ive seen disease and these were spotless. A good weight and looked healthy. Just floating after the thaw. If def the stagnant water.

 

Maybe they got caught out and got frozen.

 

wasnt the golf ball thing for fish ? Frog hibernate in the mud at the bottom, they can last for weeks provided the water is oxygenated. If its not and its off poor quality they last days. Compounded with the ice cover they could not escape.
So my task is to provide a better quality habitat.
Any ideas in trying to get the water quality up would be much appreciated all

 

Golf balls sink, try tennis balls, if the ice completely covers the water then the oxygen cannot get into the water. If you have leafs rotting in the water then there is competition for what oxygen there is. A hole in the ice allows oxygen in and toxic gases out.
I would think the best thing would be to make the pond deeper; then it wouldn't freeze solid.
Note if oxygen is trapped in the ice it is not available to wild life

 

At no point did it freeze solid. Its deep enough

 

Others have already made good suggestions, but could you also tackle these issues before they arise by:

1) Preventing detritus washing in by building up the edge of the pool and/or planting it up with tall plants like rushes?

2) Netting it to stop the leaves falling in?

 

I find frogs congregate at the bottom of my pond and tend to stay there all the winter in a semi dormant state.

Well, my spanner in the works is floating balls goes back to the days of concrete ponds. the idea being that you leave room for the ice to expand and not crack the concrete, but might be wrong.

I've sometimes used a pan of hot water to melt a hole in the ice so the fish can breathe.

Only way to improve the water quality is to rigorously remove any dead or dying plant material.

 

From RHS website.

You do not need a hole. Only for fish.
If there are toxic gases that need to be let out then your pond is in trouble, like mine is hense the question

 

items dont wash in. Its a low area. It fills up in heavy rain. Soil mainly. Yes the leafs mesh i have thought about but was concerned about access for bird etc.
To be honest Clare, some of the suggestions have been wrong, not correct
Yours ok though

 

Ok I'm gone.