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Barrel Pond Problem

aashfaria2152402aashfaria2152402 Posts: 2
in Wildlife gardening
Hi there, I'd appreciate some advice. I bought an old half whiskey barrel off facebook marketplace last August to create a small pond for the garden to attract wildlife. I believe the barrel was used for some kind of alcohol as it did have a strong alcohol smell. I filled it with pond soil, pond gravel and made levels using old bricks and rocks. I put a variety of plants from deep water and oxygenators, marginals and a dwarf water lily as well as a solar powered little fountain. I filled it with tap water and within a couple of weeks it had a weird film on top and was full of mosquito larvae. On advice I had read online I left it for a few months and they did eventually leave/die from the cold. I did empty the water and refill with tap water as it still had a weird film on.
I left it for the winter and it seemed to be doing okay with the water clearing, but now the water isn't clear, it has weird furry stuff growing on the edge of the barrel as well as on many of the plants in the water. Shall I empty it again clean the pond and refill with fresh water and plants, or is there any way to prevent this from happening again? I have attached photos of what it looks like now. Thanks very much!  






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  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    Welcome to the forum. You will get mozis laying in the pond - the fountain doesn't make a difference.
  • debs64debs64 Posts: 5,184
    I have a couple of small goldfish in my half barrel pond and they keep the insect larvae down 
  • philippasmith2philippasmith2 Posts: 3,742
    I always lined the  wooden barrels when making a pond.  Due to their limited depth, the water will always warm up more quickly and mosquitos will enjoy it in the summer.
    Even with such a small pond, it takes a couple of years to settle down and it isn't really a good idea to keep emptying and refilling. It will just take longer for the pond to reach a natural state.
    You don't give the diameter of the barrel but perhaps you have rather a lot of plants in there initially?  
    Whether the "furry stuff" is from the barrel itself or from the compost you used is hard to tell but is it possible to skim the surface / rim to see if that would help ?
    If you do decide to empty, I'd suggest you line the interior of the barrel, refill with rain water if possible and give it a couple of years.
    Best of luck - a pond is always interesting - for you and the wildlife  :)
     
  • debs64debs64 Posts: 5,184
    My pond has a smaller plastic container filled with water and placed inside the barrel, then the sides filled in with soil and plants. Plants in the water, a tiny solar fountain and two little fish. Works for me. 
  • debs64debs64 Posts: 5,184

  • debs64debs64 Posts: 5,184

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I agree with @philippasmith2. If  you line it, and use rainwater if you can,  the problems will largely go away @aashfaria2152402 . Once you refill it, let it just settle and adjust, which can take a while depending on the general conditions you have. If you don't have the means to collect rainwater, tapwater is fine as the water will balance out over a few days or so. In areas where tap water isn't full of 'stuff' it's not a problem at all    :)
    All sorts of things can remain on these barrels, depending on what they've been used for in the past, and a lining also helps protect the timber if you want the pond to last a good while for the children to enjoy. They'll get so much enjoyment from it - always a great idea for them, as well as the wildlife  :)
    The only other things I'd suggest is that you make the the little access ramp a bit shallower as it looks like a very steep angle - the hedgehogs might need ropes and crampons to get in there  ;)
    You could try digging a hole and then sinking the barrel into the ground a bit, which is another way of making the ramp a bit easier. If you can hide the edges of the top once you've stapled the plastic on, that also makes it more aesthetically pleasing, but that's a minor detail.
    Good luck with it all  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Joyce GoldenlilyJoyce Goldenlily Posts: 2,933
    It is possible the barrel was treated with some kind of preservative prior to being sold. Which would account for the oily film. I would take everything out of the barrel, line it with a piece of pond liner stapled around the edge, refill, leave empty for at least a fortnight then replant. It will take about a month to settle, ignore mozzies , it will balance itself with time. If you want to attract frogs etc. you need to provide some stones, a ramp etc on the edge of the barrel to enable them to get in and out.
  • aashfaria2152402aashfaria2152402 Posts: 2
    edited 1 March
    Hi everyone, thanks so much for all your advice!
    I was hesitant to use a pond liner as I want to limit the amount of plastic I use, but I suppose if something was used on the barrel itself, perhaps a liner would be better in the long run. I think I'll empty it, put in a pond liner and refill it with some fresh plants. I'll make sure to have ramps and platforms that are easier for frogs and other wildlife to access too. I won't be getting any fish, as I don't think it's big enough and also I don't really want any dying on me in case I do anything wrong!
    I also live in rented accommodation so am not allowed to dig the beds, but hopefully I can create a less steep ramp! Hopefully it works out with the new set up. Thanks again!
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Fish also tend to eat a lot of the :) wildlife you want to attract - tadpoles for example, and other larvae etc. 
    The other problem with using wooden barrels is that you may need to use a preservative on the outside to prevent rotting sooner than it would otherwise. 

    We used to have wooden water buckets in the yard I worked in. We painted the outers with [outdoor] gloss paint every year to prevent that happening. The fact they were always full of water meant they didn't leak, because the timber was aways swollen enough to keep them sound, but if they were left out anywhere in the sun, unfilled,  for a long time - they shrank and you'd have to try and refit all the slats into the metal bands which held them together! Happy days  ;)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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