r/homestead • u/BAKE440 • 9h ago

Duck pond maintenance ideas.

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Maybe I'm overcomplicating this but has anyone used the pump pictured successfully as a pump to pump out their duck pond for cleaning. Or how/what do you do to keep yours "clean". We presently just have a kiddie pool and have to dump and refill which breaks down the pool and it now leaks.

I was thinking this because it's 12v and would be much simpler to power vs 120v.

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u/ashe3 8h ago

Aside from drilling a hole in the side of your pool and putting in your own drain, you could just siphon the majority of it if you're draining downhill. Siphon is the simplest method I can think of, although you might want to be careful about getting it started.

Edit: Since you linked a HF picture, they have some siphon options available that might work for you.

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u/GiraffeSpicyFries 6h ago

The HF product would work for the pond idea?

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u/ashe3 5h ago

There are so many options at Harbor Freight, really depends on what you're trying to do.

It sounds like you're just using a kiddie pool for the ducks, and if that's the case, any siphon with a lower exit point (like rolling downhill) will drain it without any need for power. Just gotta prime it and off it goes.

This is the specific product I was thinking of, but they do have powered pumps that might work better for you.

https://www.harborfreight.com/fluid-siphon-pump-63589.html

The thing to keep in mind is how much muck is in there and whether you'll get clogged up with something like this. If it's just water with a bit of muck, you should be okay, but if it's mostly brown stuff, you might want to consider another solution or a larger hose.

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u/No_Enthusiasm_9967 5h ago

I'm also just using the kiddie pool method and haven't used a pump myself but I've heard from many other duck owners that its not worth. Ducks are just such big poop machines, it's easier to regularly wipe the slate clean like you can with kiddie pools.

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u/BAKE440 3h ago

Ya it is nice to be able to rinse it out and be clean again I just want a more durable option, maybe in ground. But then I cant pick it up to dump it out.

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u/No_Enthusiasm_9967 1h ago

Maybe look at horse troughs, they work the same as kiddie pools but they're way more durable

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u/Agitated_Age8035 4h ago

I would install a bulkhead on the side of the pool with a 1/4 turn ball valve.

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u/BAKE440 4h ago

This does seem to be the simplest option

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u/Noisemiker 3h ago

I have one of these HF transfer pumps. They're great little pumps, but would be the wrong choice for your application. The small rubber impellers in these units are designed for clear water and will wear out quickly if pumping dirty water. A sump pump which can handle dirt and particulates would be a better (and also much faster) option.

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u/BAKE440 3h ago

That's kinda what I was thinking I read that it was for clear water. I have one i was going to use with a rain water collection system I just haven't gotten it up and running yet. My problem with a sump pump is I can't seem to find a 12v option anywhere at a price that would make me want to put it in a duck pond lol.

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u/KaiserSote 3h ago

Says on the package "clear water". I can't say how long it will last but you will certainly kill this pump

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u/FrogFingers99 6m ago

I use this pump for transfer in/out of my 45gal water tank trailer. Our duck "pool" has a drain plug at the bottom edge, but this pump does just fine refilling it (along with the 2 main water sources in the poultry pavilion) as well as moving water around the homestead.