What can I do to improve this new pond?

Question

There is a new pond which has formed on a run down site which I visit to walk my dog. It has formed inbetween mouds of mine waste and the water is a bright orange-red colour. I'm in Cornwall and htis is very common because of the minerals in the rock. It has grown those reeds with the long brown foamy things on the end (sorry do not know what they are), and a little bit of pond weed, and there is evidence of dragonflies breeding there. I have seen a heron in the area and I know animals must drink from it. The orange water is obviously not completely toxic then, but what can I do to try and get it to settle more? I want to encourage wildlife there.

Answer 1

I grew up in the country, and my father used to put something called "alum" (short for aluminium sulphate) in one of our dams to clear the water, as we used the water from that dam on our garden. Alum works extremely well, and the water went from being very muddy to being very clear.

I found a website with info. about clearing muddy ponds, and there is info. about alum on it as well.

http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/wildlife/Home...

Hope that's useful.

Answer 2

Speak to your local council, they will put you intouch with the wildlife trust for your area and advise you on wot to do!

Answer 3

this a good question.  But I don't know how one can save a pond from pollutants and such.  Ask the county the pond is in and ask them what you can do to save the pond !!!

Answer 4

Try to plant some reeds but make sure they do not take the pond over.