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We live in an area with lots of forest and wetland with ponds. The biodiversity in these ponds is extensive and interesting with inhabitants like Spring Perper frogs and flowering plants

We have dug out a little pond (20 x 40 ft) on our land in moist forested area. It keeps water since it's so much moisture in the ground there. We would like to replicate the environment from the natural ponds and wetland around us in our little pond and wonder if there's a way to import it by moving material from other nearby natural ponds? If this is a doomed project it would be good to know before we put any effort into it.

Christian
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My own experience can be summed up with the phrase "If you build it, they will come".

From a standard lawn to a number of water features as long as you provide:

  • shelter: even algae mats have a place
  • food: flowers attract pollinators attract predators
  • water in varying depths: shallow for drinking and bathing, deeper for aquatics and hiding

Over a period of years we have seen green frogs show up when the nearest water is a kilometer away, toads,dragonflies, ducks, groundhogs, birds, you name it...

What I do recommend that you buy is some aquatic or floating plants to get your pond going. If there is the possibility of mosquitoes or other water borne biting insects then try and get some local fish like minnows. A bait shop might help you for this.

For plants you need a plant for every depth and style:

  • floaters like duckweed
  • underwater plants like water lilies
  • marginals like iris and reeds
  • many common garden plants do extremely well when given ready access to water such as chelone and trollius. Look for descriptions that include "damp".

My only caveat is to only buy or plant species that are local to your area. No one needs more invasive species (kudzu anyone?)

A royal visitor... King of Frogs

kevinskio
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  • I can confirm that frogs miraculously appear in new little "lakes" in my area, even if the nearest water is far away. Inexplicable! BTW, nice answer! – Aleksandar M Nov 02 '20 at 19:37
  • Thank you. What a helpful response! As for plants, we could literally go across the street where there's wetland and ponds and get plants and such from there. Would that be better than getting it externally? Also, we are planting native plants around the ponds to create a relatively natural environment. – Christian Nov 02 '20 at 21:16
  • @Christian across the street guarantees they are suitable for the climate! Local regulations may frown on it though. Try the "Take what you need, not everything" approach – kevinskio Nov 02 '20 at 23:14
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For a rich ecosystem, you need plants sticking out of the water (like reeds) for dragonflies.

Also need shelter from bird predation for part of the pond.

Avoid the "weedy" species of fish that might be offered to you because they may prevent amphibian establishment.

Polypipe Wrangler
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As noted , frogs will show up; I have several kinds from bull to a few types of tree frogs in my 10' X 5 ' pond. Also ; toads , snakes , I had a couple cooter turtles one year , dragonflys ( their larva eat small fish.) I would put small fish in it to eat mosquito larva. Koi or goldfish may eat mosquito larva when small but not when larger, so you still need something like guppies. I have mollies survive down to 50 F. Be sure to get Louisiana iris , they will grow in water. Acoris is very tolerant and reliable. Water sprite is good in or out of water. Seriously avoid hoytensis is is very invasive. Hardy water lillies grow and bloom very well ( fertilizer in gravel will encourage blooms). I also have native moss on all the surrounding flagstone. I have also found ferns to be invasive , they start slow and look good but then take over. I have found it very interesting . I started it for tropical fish , giant danios now breed prolifically and there are hundreds.

blacksmith37
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  • Koi and goldfish just munched through my expensive native aquatic plants.They are underwater lawnmowers! – kevinskio Nov 03 '20 at 15:53
  • Water lillies are too tough , they don't care much for water sprite. I do have secondary ponds growing duckweed and through it in the main pond. My 2 Koi are about 30" long, I do feed them frozen peas and corn so they are probably not very hungry. – blacksmith37 Nov 03 '20 at 21:11