How do I keep a duck pond clean? How to keep your duck pond clean?

You have a pond with ducks but it is never clean. I often receive letters from readers: “I’m fed up, I change the water every week and it’s almost directly green and dirty”. This water in the duck pond tends to smell strong. A duck pond is a miniature ecosystem where bacteria, decaying matter and many other nutrients live. When the balance is not right, the water can give off strong odors and look dirty.

Eutrophication of the water body by too much organic matter can kill the fauna and flora of the water body. It is important to keep a duck pond balanced. As usual, we advise against the use of chemical processes that can harm ducks. Use natural methods and solutions to keep a duck pond clean.

How big is a duck pond?

Avoid too small volumes that may be subject to too much temperature variation. A duck needs space to be healthy. They will also be able to feed on algae and other nutrients suspended in the water. Did you know that a natural pond in a garden encourages duck breeding? The water also contributes to the good maintenance of their plumage.

How deep should a duck pond be?

For their well-being, plan for a minimum depth of 60CM which will allow them to dive. This is a way to optimize comfort. They will be able to dive. A duck pond without a filtration system normally needs to be drained frequently. Draining ensures that the water quality remains good. A duck pond favors the appearance of phosphates and nitrates. It is therefore necessary to plant plants with high phytorepellent values to neutralize these nutrients. These plants optimize the action of the bacteria.

Why does the pond get dirty so quickly?

Ducks produce a lot of organic waste that ends up in the water. If the water is not circulated through a pump, it is almost impossible to keep a pond clean.

Without water circulation, there is no oxygenation of the pond and the bacteria do not work properly. As a result, there is an overproduction of organic matter. It is very difficult to keep a balanced pond without a filtration system or pond oxygenation solution.

How to choose an air pump for your duck pond?

To choose an air pump that will oxygenate your duck pond, we recommend 1L/M per 1000L of water. If you have a 2000 liter duck pond, you will need an air pump that produces a minimum of 2L/M. This pump will oxygenate the pond and reduce odors.

Do you want to clear the water in the duck pond and make it clean? Consider a filtration system that will not only move the water but also filter it. Think twice before investing in a cheap filtration system. These filters are often undersized by the manufacturers.

The more you plan to use a filtration system (amount of foam and Japanese mats), the less you will have to clean it. We advise you to ask for advice at a specialized store or from a duck breeder. To improve the degradation of organic matter in the duck pond, you can also add an air pump which will improve the nitrogen cycle and the development of bacteria in your pond.