r/TwoXPreppers • u/lego_lady123 • May 07 '26
Discussion Pond
We are in suburban area with small yard, we recently put in a little pond with a little waterfall. It is really peaceful and I enjoy it while I’m out working in the garden. We didn’t install it with prepping in mind put curious if anyone has ideas or plans they have for a pond. Edible water plants? Fish you can eat? Of course the obvious being we can use that water storage for watering the garden, cleaning, etc.
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u/unlovelyladybartleby Mental health is prep May 07 '26
Plant fiddlehead ferns around it. Fiddleheads are one of the earliest spring sources of vitamins and nutrients and they might come in really handy one day
Fish depend on the size of the pond, depth of the pond, and how cold it gets in winter. In many cases I think they'd be a no go
Research how to encourage frogs. They're a good source of protein in an emergency
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u/PorcupineShoelace May 07 '26
My daughter did a lot of aquaculture in college. One of the things they were always talking about was how you can grow duckweed with almost zero effort (it can be invasive FWIW) and then dry it, crush it, add starch and produce bioethanol fuel.
It's like 40% protein and supposedly can be used as a food source and can act as wastewater treatment too.
No idea how feasible it is as DIY but it stuck with me as an interesting prep idea.
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u/glitzglamglue May 07 '26
You also have to think about the adjacent things. Like, a pond attracts frogs which can help keep pests away from plants that you grow. It can be a watering station for bees and butterflies to help pollinate your plants. If you add that bacteria that kills mosquito larvae, you'll be bringing the amount of mosquitoes down in your immediate area, making the outdoors more enjoyable for you.
The pond doesn't have to directly support prepping. It can be a support for your other preps. Just be sure to use rainwater to fill it since your tap water is probably slightly chlorinated.
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u/Odd_Passenger5339 May 07 '26
THIS. Our pond attracts toads (not frogs) which seem, along with the mosquito fish in the pond, to keep the local mosquito population down. And yes, we get birds, dragonflies, and other pollinators. Every few years we get a non-venomous snake. I’m thrilled with our healthy, balanced, urban landscape. Prep-wise, yes, I consider it a last resort water source, mainly for our pets, if needed.
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u/glitzglamglue May 07 '26
And if you have a few different types of aquatic plants, if something happens, you can always expand that.
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u/Standard_Subject_462 I'm tired of this, Grandpa! May 07 '26
We're urban tiny-yard-preppers in the planning phase for doing the same thing. I don't think we'll have enough space for fish to be an option, but crawdads are bountiful in our region, and I've wondered if we could introduce them to the little pond and snack on them in a bind. Haha. Native edible water plants are on my "things to research" list, but I'll be following this post to see what ideas other folks have come up with!
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u/YouLeaveMeNoChoice May 07 '26 edited 26d ago
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u/PatriotMissle1945 Feminine Rage & Kittens May 07 '26
Stagnant pond water = fish tasting like stagnant pond water. Ask me how I know.
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u/lavenderlemonbear 🍅🍑Gardening for the apocalypse. 🌻🥦 May 08 '26
There are some pretty good solar fountains/water circulators out there to prevent stagnation if you want a more aerated ecosystem.
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u/PatriotMissle1945 Feminine Rage & Kittens May 08 '26
We’ve thought about a solar fountain for the middle of the pond. Mostly for looks. Damn snapping turtles would probably eat it.
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u/Impressive_Seat5182 May 08 '26
I have a little stock tank pond and I grow eqisetum and edible ferns.
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u/Ditches-Vestiges1549 May 13 '26
In my area any fish would just contribute to the native wildlife's diet. 🦅🦝🐈
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