Female Palmate Newt in my garden pond.

It's a new pond - less than a year old and still being established - hence the vast areas of pondliner. The newts have moved in and seem to like it though.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• newt
• amphibian
• palmate
• pond
• uk
• wildlife

[DJCob1]

Do you have a filter and do the newts and frogs mind the filter. Do you think the pond is better with or without a filter for wildlife only? Thanks for your help.

DJCob1

[OperaRaven]

@DJCob1 I don't have a filter, I've never kept fish in the pond, and don't intend to, so I didn't think it necessary. I use plants to regulate the oxygen levels - I have a LOT of pond weed. I had a few problems with algae when I originally set the pond up, as you can see in this video, but once enough plants are established, they take all of the nutrients out of the water and the algae doesn't get a chance to compete.

[OperaRaven]

@DJCob1 I don't know if putting a filter in is better, I have no basis for comparison, but I worked on the premise that there aren't any filters in the wild, and I wanted to do as much as possible to create a natural habitat. It's worth researching which plants are native, and only using those, if possible too. Hope this helps!

[londonlad777]

u should give it easy access in and out the pond.

[OperaRaven]

@londonlad777 It has easy access - that's the deep end. There's a very shallow gravel beach at the other end of the pond for wildlife to get in and out. :D Thanks for pointing it out though!

[londonlad777]

@OperaRaven ok thats great to hear, have you had any other amphibians visit your pond?

[OperaRaven]

@londonlad777 Plenty of frogs last summer when it was really warm, they were all sitting in the shallow margins, and occasionally I'd see one leaping into the pond if I walked past and disturbed them. I was hoping for frogspawn this year, but they haven't colonised to that extent yet - but the newts are back and breeding third year in a row. :D

[Beakster12]

I have loads, I introduced them, but they come back every year!

[GuessLisa]

@OperaRaven how and where do you get the newts cause im looking every where ever since my friend got one

[TheCombatcookie]

Iv got a billion newts in my pond lol and all palmates!!

[Bumblebeetle12]

I Wish My Pond would attract newts :(

[DJCob1]

@OperaRaven Thanks for the comment. It helps alot. I have a 1 year built pond and has already had some visitors from 1 newt (i think) and loads of frogs. I have tadpoles now. Thanks. DJCob1.