How do you keep your pond safe?

[Coinr]

Our old house has a pond in a fenced in yard. We bought a new home which doesn't have a fenced in yard. I'm planning on building a new pond and was planning to have a fence put up. But... The yard is big, I'm kinda liking it without a fence and the fence will be expensive. I can't think of any way to keep the pond safe for neighborhood kids other than the fence. The fence seems like the only answer to me, but maybe there's an alternative I just don't know. So does anyone have an alternative?

 

[Mmathis]

Our old house has a pond in a fenced in yard. We bought a new home which doesn't have a fenced in yard. I'm planning on building a new pond and was planning to have a fence put up. But... The yard is big, I'm kinda liking it without a fence and the fence will be expensive. I can't think of any way to keep the pond safe for neighborhood kids other than the fence. The fence seems like the only answer to me, but maybe there's an alternative I just don't know. So does anyone have an alternative?

A moat with a fire-breathing dragon! That would be cool!

 

[JBtheExplorer]

How about a natural fence? Lines of shrubs and bushes. There aren't any kids nearby, so its not something I've had to deal with. Even so, my pond is generally safe with three sides fenced off, though that was done for privacy more than anything.

 

[max384]

Our old house has a pond in a fenced in yard. We bought a new home which doesn't have a fenced in yard. I'm planning on building a new pond and was planning to have a fence put up. But... The yard is big, I'm kinda liking it without a fence and the fence will be expensive. I can't think of any way to keep the pond safe for neighborhood kids other than the fence. The fence seems like the only answer to me, but maybe there's an alternative I just don't know. So does anyone have an alternative?

A fence is really the only safe option, unfortunately. It may also be the only legal option, depending upon where you live and the size of your pond.

 

[Tai]

Oh kids......yes those little pond demons!!! They are always hanging on the edge of my pond (well they are family but still....that is what makes them demonic)

Honestly, I remember being a kid and oh boy, a pond was like this mystical source of hours of entertainment. I wanted to throw things in there, put my hands and feet in there, and god forbid there was any fish or frogs in there.

You have 3 options, from least humane to most.

1 Satelite guided lasers or angry old man yelling at them to stay off the lawn.
2 Automatic sprinklers
3 Fence

 

[Andy41]

What about one of those motion activated Ultrasonic Cat scarers, but instead of Ultrasonic it plays 1950's music?

But i also like @Mmathis idea of a Dragon....

On a more serious note... a fence is probably the best option..... over here i'd be legally liable if a kid fell into my pond and was injured or worse.

 

[johan]

Yes, if it's anywhere that some kid might wandering into it by accident, then a fence and its cost are just one of those things that are part and parcel of responsible pondkeeping. It's always so sad to hear of kids drowning in ponds, seems to happen every year, and so easily prevented by styming out a bit of money for a proper fence.

 

[bettasngoldfish]

If you don't want to fence the entire yard just fence an area around the pond.

 

[Tai]

In my area it is illegal to have a body of water deeper than 2 feet without a 6 foot tall fence fully around it and a locked gate with the lock being 5 feet above the ground.

Thankfully I have my pond in my closed yard, but if I knew there was children playing around it and it was not in the fenced yard, I would surely fence it in. You could be found responsible for their deaths in a court of law for negligence (assuming there was laws for bodies of water that you did not follow).

 

[waynefrcan]

And self closing and self locking gate.

 

[Tai]

And self closing and self locking gate.

Not sure if you have the same bylaws as I do in Edmonton but I don't remember reading that, however my fence is self locking!

 

[waynefrcan]

Edmonton cool, me too. Yes self locking and closing so as it can never be forgotten in open position.

 

[waynefrcan]

What size of pond dimensions and gals? Do you winter outside?

 

[Tai]

Edmonton cool, me too. Yes self locking and closing so as it can never be forgotten in open position.

Oh nice! Great to meet a fellow edmontonion ponder!

What size of pond dimensions and gals? Do you winter outside?

Pond is 14 feet wide, and is a half dog bone shape with the 2 wider parts being 9 feet and the narrower middle part being 8 feet.

It is approxiametly 1400 gallons and this is the first year I had it, so I have not had to over winter it. I however plan to drain it in september and take the fish/lilies indoors.

 

[Coinr]

Thanks for the replies. I like the moat idea but am not sure where to get a dragon. I was hoping there was some magical answer I hadn't thought of. A fence just around the pond would work but I just can't picture it looking very good. I guess it's going to be a fence around the entire yard.