Storing Your Pond Supplies
One of the reasons that you want a pond on your property may be to help the local wildlife. Fresh water is a rapidly dwindling resource for animals and birds. But if you want to help the local wildlife, you also need to be careful with how you store your pond supplies. Animals, birds and children that get into some of the chemicals or any electrical lines can be seriously injured or die. There are easy things you can do to make sure you store your pond supplies safely.
Keep Them Under Cover
Because pond supplies are often heavy, it may be tempting to just leave them next to the pond. However, any chemicals could be easily knocked over and poison any animals. Small animals and birds can get tangled up in pond skimmers or nets. You can avoid all of this by keeping all of your pond supplies in a solid storage area.
One alternative is to build or put up a shed near the pond. You need something with walls and a roof. Don't just throw a tarpaulin over your pond supplies, because that covering is too flimsy. If you can't get a shed, then store the pond supplies in your basement or garage and then just take what you need to the pond to save your back.
For example, if you have fish in your pond, you don't need to take the whole tub of fish food to them every day. Just fill a small bowl with the food and carry that to and from the pond. The more you work with your pond, the more you'll discover other ways of saving trips between the pond and your pond supply storage area.
Electrical Cords
Lots of animals seem to know to leave electrical cords alone, but most don't. Young animals - including babies - tend to explore the world through their mouths. This means they sometimes chew on wires. You need to keep your wired from getting chewed, not just for keeping your pond going, but to keep critters from being electrocuted.
You could opt for galvanized wiring. This is wiring encased in material which is not nice to chew. You can also place some chicken wire around the electrical wires where feasible. Keeping owl statues around your outdoor power supply seems to deter notorious nibblers like rabbits.
No Pesticides
If you can remember only one thing from this article, please NEVER include chemical pesticides in your array of pond supplies. Most are just too harsh for the surrounding wildlife. Slug bait, for example, is tasty to dogs, with lethal consequences.
