ponds in the aviary?

[E Orix]

If you want a pond there are a number of steps you must take.
Before any construction starts you should be prepared to find some just fledged chicks floating dead in the pool.
They see a nice open flat area to land and next thing they have drowned
BUT with steps you can have a pond.I use old bath tubs because they are deep which can support decent water plants and create a working ecology so the water stays clear and the correct couple of fish will eat the Mozzies.Some floating water plants will assist any youngster to struggle out rather than all open water.I also have a container sunk into the water holding some reeds and the birds will scale up and down.With that depth the water stays cool in summer.
I am about to set up another wet area and I am going to fit a small solar run water pump.This is just to get a ripple on the water which should make the chicks wary of landing on the water.There are other methods and also I have had chicks drown in earthen water bowls which were under 50mm in depth.
A well designed pond can be attractive.
By the way Mosquito Fish do not eat Mosquito's, I have Red Gilled ? which come from up near the Hunter Area

[Pete Sara]

yes mosquito fish dont eat mozzies or gambezie they are also known as, all they eat is other native fish eggs, very bad choice made over here many years ago, personally in a aviary 3x2x2 I think wouldn't be big enough to sustain a decent size pond that could stay clean. But its personal choice, even grasses can take over its all about balance......pete

[Tintola]

I must agree and disagree here. I agree that Gambusias (AKA Mosquito Fish) do not eat mosquitoes as they cannot fly, being a fish and under water. They do eat mosquito wrigglers however, which are under the water with them! Sorry to be pedantic on this point but I have many ponds, water bowls with water plants in them and I put Gambusias in every one . Not a single wriggler is to be seen in any pond. If Gambusias are introduced into a pond that is heavily infested with wrigglers they can only eat so many a day. They will eventually clear them up given time. If the fish are introduced at the inception of the pond every mozzie egg raft and newly hatched wriggler will be eaten. Then I feed the Gambusias ...................to the Kingfishers

[K.Taylor]

i have got a few plants in there atm, some grevilleas, and some melaloucas

[Pete Sara]

Fussy bugger Tintola yet its true , thats the debate over here as the buggers are everywhere and the native fish stocks have dropped, mind you the introduction of redfin and trout is just as bad, Oh well us humans are our biggest problem on this planet for creating such issues now back to the matter at hand... To pond or not to pond this is the question, now ponder that..... Pete

[Pete Sara]

Those plants will be fine....You can always try grasses in pots so you can rotate the grass once they have eaten the seed heads....pete

[COUNTRY CAPITAL]

i have said this before somewhere......i want to get on the aviary visit bus to tintola's place!!!!!
ponds....gambusia's.... kingfishers.....what else has he got secreted away?
however, maybe it would be best to visit while he is at work..... he sounds like a real pain in the a--e....
sorry to sidetrack this thread....blame the border dweller.

[E Orix]

You must have a different race to ours.
Putting them in a pond here is useless that is why I got some Red Gilled ?
If I remember I will asked what their full name is on the weekend.
These fish don't seem to eat the Goldfish eggs but they seem to love Frogs eggs hence no sleepless nights.
I think Frogs are great but not in my large outside pond especially at night.
You should concider getting these as they breed better than flies.

[Tintola]

i have said this before somewhere......i want to get on the aviary visit bus to tintola's place!!!!!
ponds....gambusia's.... kingfishers.....what else has he got secreted away?
however, maybe it would be best to visit while he is at work..... he sounds like a real pain in the a--e....
sorry to sidetrack this thread....blame the border dweller.

Putting you on the back burner until I have time to answer this vicious attack on my character.

PS. Retired, so good luck timing your unsolicited visit!

PPS. See introductions for what else I "have secreted away"

[E Orix]

Forgot to add, the white knecked Herons,white faced Herons,Kookaburras,and King Fishers have not wiped them out over the last three years.
An occasional large Goldfish goes but not often.Only once the panic set in when a pied Cormarant decided it was a good spot to catch large Goldfish but
it was moved on and peace returned. It is great watching the Herons walk around the brick edge trying to get the little fish.The pond is 10mx5m