"Pond" Made From Old Satellite Dish

"Pond" Made From Old Satellite Dish FARM HOME Miscellaneous 31-1-30 Old satellite dishes can be used to make low-cost small ponds for wildlife, says Freida Davenport, Sheffield, Texas, who converted an old satellite dish into a concrete-lined bird bath. Davenport operates "Ranch for the Birds", a bed and breakfast located on a private ranch. Because of the size of the ranch and the abundant wildlife in the area, guided tours are furnished. "Sheep, goats, deer and especially birds love the pond," says Davenport. "Water is piped into the pond from a nearby 40-ft. dia., 7-ft. high tank that's fed by a windmill. The sound of dripping water causes birds to come in. My friend Lynn Holland provided the dish and helped out with the project." They dug out a hole in the shape of the dish, then put the dish in it. The dish's center hole was covered with wire mesh to hold concrete. Then they mixed concrete and plastered it on the inside of the dish, mounding the cement up into a rim around the top of the dish to keep heavy animals from breaking it down. After a few days of keeping the cement wet to prevent cracking, they let it dry and then applied Sani-tred, a rubber compound, to waterproof/seal the pond (Ideal Products, Plymouth, Ind. ph 574 784-3308). "The sealant will keep the pond from leaking if the cement ever does crack," says Davenport. "I planted some pond plants such as lily pads and mosses to add oxygen so the water stays clear all the time. Now frogs and water bugs have made themselves at home in the pond, too," notes Davenport. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Freida Davenport, P. O. Box 447, Sheffield, Texas 79781 (ph 432 836-4579; freidalil@starband.net; www.ranchforthebirds.com).

To read the rest of this story, download this issue below or click here to register with your account number.