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'Temporary' cheap pond ideas for child!

Right, time to Don your Blue Peter badges for this one gang! My little rascal, age 4, seems to have a bit of an obsession sbout us getting a pond.

Simple answer, we aren't, and we won't, we don't have the space, and have a new baby on the way...!

However, I got thinking, if I could somehow do something small scale and temporary, which doesn't involve a hole in the ground.

I got as far as a shallow plastic box, around which we could put some stones around, and hey presto, basically a pond... 

Am I optimistic/a bit silly? Are there other ideas or considerstion? Am I just creating a mozzi trap? And... If not how could I actuslly attract some kind of life to it to make it more than a box of stagnant water?

Ideas on a post card! Ha ha.

Cheers gang. 
«13

Comments

  • stuart45
    stuart45 Posts: 4,587 Forumite
    Sixth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    What size pond do you want? If you get the right balance of plant life the water will be clear.
  • otb666
    otb666 Posts: 795 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    i remember collecting frog spawn from all the local ponds. Was rather fun locating them on map and finding them.collecting spawn to put in our pond.
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  • ChilliBob
    ChilliBob Posts: 2,262 Forumite
    Fifth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Thanks buff, I think that hits the nail on the head. @stuart45 - probably the smallest I can try away with and it still be marginally interesting. So, I'd think a washing up bowl is the minimum, double that size the max. I'm clearing gravel from a driveway so I'll use that on the bottom and to build up a ramp so to speak.

    Seems I just need to find pond plants, as a key ingredient I had forgotten :) 
  • FreeBear
    FreeBear Posts: 17,276 Forumite
    Ninth Anniversary 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Any small container will require regular topping up with water. Certainly on a weekly basis for smaller bowls.
    Got an old butler sink here you could have if you're willing to collect...
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  • ChilliBob
    ChilliBob Posts: 2,262 Forumite
    Fifth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I hadn't figured in topping up, but that makes sense, I should try to collect rainwater and use that I guess.

    Butler sink eh? that sounds like a good idea, I suspect the chances of us being closely located are pretty low, but you never know - thanks for the offer!
  • Bendy_House
    Bendy_House Posts: 4,756 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    edited 26 April 2022 am30 9:50AM
    Yes, rain water if you can. The pond life will much prefer it :smile:

    Please keep us updated on this when you (hopefully) get around to it - it'll be great to see what turns up!
  • Woolsery
    Woolsery Posts: 1,535 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    What about a small aquarium indoors/outdoors and filled with some water from the local pond, canal etc. Bit of weed and away you go!
    Aquariums are often on Freecycle etc or you could do a request.
  • ChilliBob
    ChilliBob Posts: 2,262 Forumite
    Fifth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Woolsery said:
    What about a small aquarium indoors/outdoors and filled with some water from the local pond, canal etc. Bit of weed and away you go!
    Aquariums are often on Freecycle etc or you could do a request.
    When he's a bit older that's a lovely idea. If he gets a strop on (frequent!) he can chuck stuff and knock stuff over - be that inside or outside!

    I think my sticking point now is those pond plants, will have to havr a look for local shops 
  • Bendy_House
    Bendy_House Posts: 4,756 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    If you join a Facebook or similar page for your area, I'm sure folk will fall over themselves to offer cuttings from their own pond - it's often a regular thing just to keep it under control...
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