1. Do you think that american toads will breed in a garden pond 23 x 15 BUT THAT has a 3000 gph pump that pumps water into a stream and spills in? Is there too much mater movement for them?
2. It seems that I should forget about wood frogs - do you think, even if i had an idea vernal pond, that wood frogs would be willing to either travel accross many lawns and even streets just to come back to my yard to breed, or would they just remain in the woods to find a pool, if they find the woods?
3. Do you think that northern leopard frogs, which are adapted to winters much further north - although are not found in New Jersey, would thrive in my pond? I probably wouldn't introduce them, prefering only native populations.
4. It seems as though, from my research, that Spring Peepers will breed in larger bodies of water - but the water movement has to be minimal
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Therefore, the only frogs i anticipate having are:
A. Northern Green-Frogs
B. Pickerel Frogs
C. American Toads
D. Spring Peeper Tree-Frogs
E. Grey Tree-Frogs, if they will stick around
F. Southern Leopard Frogs
G. Cricket Frogs
Since much of the yard is surrounded by a 4' tall wall, i can easily forsee fencing the rest in with chicken wire, so that the non-tree frogs don't escape.
5. which of the above would breed in a 2' wide, 8" deep stream that is feed by a 3000 gph pump?
"1. Do you think that american toads will breed in a garden pond 23 x 15 BUT THAT has a 3000 gph pump that pumps water into a stream and spills in? Is there too much mater movement for them?"
I don't think the water flow would deter them if they are around and need a source of water in which to breed. The presense of fish seems to be more of a deterrent. When I setup my 1800 gallon pond, the first spring, it was FULL of toads. My pond is 1800 gallons with a 2600 gph pump. Then, I added fish, and the toads barely ever went to that pond again, preferring my smaller pond.
"2. It seems that I should forget about wood frogs - do you think, even if i had an ideal vernal pond, that wood frogs would be willing to either travel across many lawns and even streets just to come back to my yard to breed, or would they just remain in the woods to find a pool, if they find the woods?"
Wood frogs are probably no going to travel far to breed, preferring small vernal ponds in or near the woods.
"3. Do you think that northern leopard frogs, which are adapted to winters much further north - although are not found in New Jersey, would thrive in my pond? I probably wouldn't introduce them, prefering only native populations."
They could live in your climate. I don't know if they'd "thrive." None of the amphibians that visit my pond have thrived except for the green frogs.
"4. It seems as though, from my research, that Spring Peepers will breed in larger bodies of water - but the water movement has to be minimal"
Yes, and shallow and no fish.
"5. which of the above would breed in a 2' wide, 8" deep stream that is feed by a 3000 gph pump?"
Frogs prefer more still pondlike waters over a stream in which to lay eggs but if there are still areas without much flow, you might get any of the mentioned animals to breed there. The flow would have to be slow enough in the spot of interest so that eggs and tadpoles wouldn't just get washed downstream.
NJ quit worrying about the ifs! Put whatever you want in your pond and see how things turn out in the spring. Let nature take it's course. Remember if you build it they will come. I had a big frog show up at my pond and don't know where it came from. :rolleyes: The biofalls or skimmer should'nt bother them. I have frogs that took up residence in them. My goldfish never bothered them either. One happy pond I have. :D