Are you putting any plants in as that will encourage the locals?.
Was very surprised to find two hedgehogs in the back garden late last night~

Oh lucky, lucky you. I haven't seen a hedgehog for about 45 years!!! Yes I will get some oxygenatng plants soon. Don't want iris want something pretty!! lol

~At last years Hampton Court show we bought a beautiful mini Papyrus which sadly died over the winter but also a pale pink loosestrife~ Lythrum Slicaria Blush which is very pretty~ there are some gorgeous irises so don't dismiss them out of hand have a look at this site www.cayeux-irises.com~also got a Thalia Dealbata ~ check it out as it has some lovely leaves and funny sweet pea looking flowers on tall stems~got them from Dorset water lily company.The Dorset Waterlily Co
www.dorsetwaterlily.co.uk

if it stays in open sun it will go green but that will incouradge wild life as clear water is just for people
a lilly will clear it but it could take over such a small pond
.its easy to cut it down out of the pond ofcourse with a bread knife

the insects and birds will arrive first . there isnt an actual time but youd be amazed how quick it settles in.

In my experience, the green disappears after about 2-3 weeks as the pond ecology balances. Maybe a little sooner with oxygenating plants. Don't be too quick to "clean it up". I once spent an entire summer repeatedly draining and cleaning a pond which kept going green, only to find out that if I had waited ONE MORE WEEK everything would have been clear and happy! Oh, well, I've got to learn some things the hard way, I guess.

Its actually soil in the pond, making it mucky. When my daughter, at my request, filled in the holes in the bricks to put some camanpulas in, she got more soil in the pond lol. I know it will sink. But when I asked a question about ponds before, I was advised not to put ordinary soil in it. And to buy the plants in proper aquatic soil with the special baskets.
The blue tits and the sparrows have found it alreaady nosy!!! Wicked saw them after 2 hours of the area being completed !

algi loves lots of sun and the same food as higher plants so once you get enough higher plants or cover it will naturaly go .the thing is you only want a wildlife pond and algi cover will stop a lot of birds seeing tadpoled etc.it will clear in winter like all aquatic plants.again the garden soil will do good in the long run .if you go and look at a river or pond with lots of cover ie lillies plants it will be clear.if you find one without it will be green.life always finds the niech it fits in.the most importent thing is the blue tits and sparrows and that your pond will be great.

Nosey i just guess im inpatient!!! plus I dont want to do the wrong thing. Wouldn't want to kill any of the wildlife, I don't want to over crowd the pond. So I just want to know how many plants should iIput in it? Obviously I want whatever decides to live in my pond to breath and be safe.

i would realy just get the floating airating plants as higher plants are only stopped bye depth.i wouldnt trust the sellers of plants or even the labels.id avoid lillies and irisses and bullrushes etc .what people actualy call and sell as bullrushes eg with the big cigar shape flowers arnt bullrushes for a start.i went to buy my beloved ornimentle grape vine . i didnt know what egsactly i wanted . i just didnt want russian vine as it grows at an unbelievable rate.i looked on the instructions etc to this vine and went to the owner of said garden centre.i pointed at the plant as im dyslexic to a degree and it didnt have a price on it .i said how much is that ornimentle grape vine that grows 90`.
she walked over looked at me in that old fashioned way saying "90 feet" in a im stupid and as if it grows 90 feet kind of way .
she soon ate a large slice of humble pie when she read the label bla bla bla grows 90` .
she went ow it does grow that long.
what did she think i made it up for a laugh.
why did she not know what as a plantsmen what she was selling to someone who isnt.
bye the way it easily grows 90` i love it.its lapped my pond ,my garden of 40 feet and id say its up in my cherry tree a good 40` to.
i would look at some plants you like,right down there latin name and google the name as it will give you an unbiast answer.
i own sterlet which are related to sturgeon and sharks .
they grow in a pond about 6` long.
i was gowing to a reputable dealer and bying the food they needed i thaught.there sterlet did badly and so were mine.
i looked on the internet and it said they need at least 47% protien as unlike a lot of pond fish they are true predetors ,excuse my spelling.
theres was in propper containers looking professional etc but only 37% protien and with the very basic stomack they have this ment they were starving and eating there own liver.
this is from a reputable shop ie swallow aquatics.i changed and my fish flourished and are now 4 feet i just 1 year.they lost loads of sterlet and sold lots of ill ones that must of died to.
i kept telling them there feeding them wrong for a good couple of years.
who and behold they now sell the propper food strangley enough.
the thing is i just wouldnt and dont trust things just because people tell me anymore.i find this with a lot of things in life as many people and gardeners must do.anyway good luck bye for now.

nature will take over your pond if you put nothing in there bye the way .

Nosey, please don't worry about your spelling!!. I understand perfectly what your saying and I am very glad you take the time to give me so much advise. I really appreciate it!!!. I don't understand why people dont know about dsylexia in this day and age. So many people have it. It doesn't make you thick it just means you get letters a bit mixed up. People should feel ashamed that they dont take the time, or make the effect to help people like yourself. Nature as you say will take care of herself.

thanx for that great its just im treated thick and feal the need to explain ,my dad r.i.p expected so much more i wish he knew me now.

While I was working for a hospital, I worked under a doctor who was dyslexic. By his own account, he scarcely slept through med school, and it always takes him twice as long to deal with written orders and read reports, but he always does it all, and does it right. My respect for him knows no bounds!

As for myself, I thank God every day for the word processor, and electronic editing!

Keep on marching, Nosey, and remember that those standing on the sidelines and jeering aren't getting anywhere!

ow thank you so much tugbrethil its just annoying when im a good comunicater .this computer has taught me to spell a lot better than most teachers ever did . i hated school because i was bullied,believed the only people to lay hands on me should be my mum and dad and got completly penalised for scruffy work and bad spelling yet my mind was right there.this was realy frustrating.they had know real understanding of dyslexia then.i can read realy well but i just cant right or spell . i can even see its wrong but i just dont know what right is .as i was good at art id go to history and draw a wicked tank while everyone else was writing about it which i also got in trouble for .im not a natural athlete either lol and i wasnt the apple for teacher type but im still here.one crowning glory is as an adult i enterd an open art compertition and beat my old art teacher hands down which didnt make her happy lol .

Nosey your Dad knows how brilliant you are. Your a fantastic drawer, and painter, You've done so much with your life, your very, very creative (I wish I was!!!) Plus you have earned my respect as you know so much more than me about ponds and your willing to share your knowledge. Not everyone can do that my friend. So power to you... I'm begining to sound like a hippy lol You don't need to explain anything to me. Respect!! Don't know if I've told you this before but I love your avatar!! he/she is so cute!!

Nosey just read your note to Tugbrethil. I am so glad you beat your art teaacher serves him right. What goes around comes around. He got his cumupance. Good foor you

ow its know big deal youd help me im sure i got nothing to hide.

i think you did say you realy liked my springer avitar hes 12 years old to.as for my art teacher yes that was a great moment for me when she told me id never be anything.

that realy is the wrong thing to say to me

you seam a nice person and we are both helping nature in your pond so in a way im donig it for me lol