Water + duck manure + sunlight = lots of algae. It isn't harmful to anyone, but it does put some people off. The pond is drained and cleaned regularly, but the algae comes back quickly.
rather than dump all that water, isn't there something that eats algae and can live happily with the ducks? I guess if there was you'd be doing that already it' just seems a pity.. the water would be great on a veggie garden though?
I knew a guy years ago who built fountains, but his fountains were like ecosystems. He'd build a concrete structure in the ground to contain the water, and embed solar panels in it to power the fountain; and he'd plant irises and other water-loving plants around the edges to absorb either nitrogen and phosphorous that would otherwise lead to eutrophication. You mifght consider planting water lilies and irises in your duck pond.
Another option would be to plant a garden and water it with overflow from the duck pond. If you could persuade someone to fund it, I could imagine a whole see-through wetland exhibit which would illustrate how marshes naturally purify water, though I don't suppose you could really pack a working wetland into the space of a zoo…
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timeasmymeasure
symbiotic relationships
Date: 2012-06-03 02:53 pm (UTC)I guess if there was you'd be doing that already it' just seems a pity.. the water would be great on a veggie garden though?
Re: symbiotic relationships
Date: 2012-06-03 03:19 pm (UTC)Re: symbiotic relationships
Date: 2012-06-03 05:41 pm (UTC)Another option would be to plant a garden and water it with overflow from the duck pond. If you could persuade someone to fund it, I could imagine a whole see-through wetland exhibit which would illustrate how marshes naturally purify water, though I don't suppose you could really pack a working wetland into the space of a zoo…