Newbie here. Building a red-slider turtle pond from scratch. HELP!

[bootsies_mom]

Hello everyone!

I am new to GPF (see my intro post to learn more about why I'm here!), and I am in need of some assistance from this lovely community. I currently have a pond, and I use the term loosely, but this pond, which is about 20sf, is completely destroyed, and I believe it was just due to poor craftsmanship along with a lack of knowledge of proper equipment that was needed. I have two red-slider turtles who have been with me for over 10 years, and both have gotten used to the "pond situation". Whenever they want food, they come out of their lemongrass formed cave and go up to the backdoor and basically knock. Or, if we are filling the pond with water, we may hear them shuffling in the lemongrass, which means they are hungry. Being the clever escape artists these species are known for, they come and go as they please. I live in Arizona, so I am fortunate the climate here is better for turtles than in other places.

Now that you know our situation, please understand this- I hate that my turtles don't have a proper habitat, and it wasn't until recently that I started to learn more about what they truly need. I have asked on NextDoor for pond services with no avail, I have called pond builders here and the last quote I got was $20-22K. Last Friday 9/2, my mom's coworker gave us a desert tortoise and a small red-slider. I have been doing so much research on the desert tortoise and pretty much have her habitat set, but this is where my concern for my other turtles kicked in. I have a new, young turtle who is not accustomed to this current habitat and will most likely not survive if it stays this way.

So, long story short, I am doing this myself. I am starting from square one. I will be removing the old pond liner and underlayment. I also know this pond is so small for one turtle, let alone 3, so I will be working with a space of 20'x7' (LxW). I have been researching and looking at youtube videos and have a general idea, but after reading some posts on here, I just want to make sure I do things right. So, with that being said, I am going to list questions/comments in 3 separate categories:

Comments:
- I have a budget of about 2K, give or take. I can always add more during the long run.
- I am aware that turtles need to have a pond that has a shallow end and a deep end
- I am aware that they need to have an outside area where they can hide and hibernate (yes, my turtles hibernate. The new youngin will not be participating in hibernation this year or next), so a little outhouse, plants, rocks, etc is needed
- I will be doing most of the work. I am having a neighbor who is a landscaper dig the hole for me (bless his heart)
- My biggest concern is having a clean pond and not having gunk and feces build up.
- I know the area needs to be enclosed with a small fence or something so the turtles do not escape.
- I understand a basking area is needed..
-The desert tortoise will not be part of this area. She has her own setup.

Questions:
-I need to know what equipment is needed for the pond to work efficiently and stay clean. I read about skimmers, filters, pumps... I don't want to skimp on the equipment, so I would like to have good, solid equipment that is going to get the job done. Here are my concerns:
1. I read that skimmers are helpful in catching larger debris like falling vegetation, which we have, however I also read that the turtles can possibly be hurt. What is the general consensus out there for skimmers? Do you just do manual skimming for the turtles' safety?
2. I read that a filter treats the water chemically, specifically with carbon filler media. Is this non-toxic for turtles?
3. I was planning on buying a 250 gal preformed pond liner, specifically a MacCourt Lagoon liner. Not only does it have a lifetime warranty but its construction is UV stabilized, which I think is perfect with the AZ sun. This one is 7.6'x7.6'. I don't know if I should buy two, or if there are other rather inexpensive, larger, durable options out there? Thoughts?
4. I need underlayment. Some people suggested epdm liner. So, is this the order of construction: dirt, underlayment, pond liner? Am I missing something? I read something about clay soil...
5. I read about edging, stable shelf, always leaving a good amount of underlayment, river rocks, plants....what the heck is edging and a stable shelf? Any helpful links would be much appreciated!
6. What do you recommend for a basking area? And do you recommend this be done inside or outside the pond, or both?
7. Will the filter take care of turtle waste, algae buildup, and untouched food?
8. I wanted to incorporate like a small riverbed connecting two ponds, or something, but I haven't seen much information on that. Thoughts?
9. I'd like to add some other small guests, like snails or even a few fish (not koi, not goldfish). Any recommendations?
10. Would I be adding piping, like pvc piping, before laying the underlayment? I'm having a hard time wrapping my mind around the magical mechanics of ponds and flowing water.
11. Is there anything else you recommend I do? Do I treat the water with something specific?

I'm happy this thread does not have a max word count. As you can see, I have a lot of questions, and just need some general guidance and tips. If you have any links, plot plans, documents, whatever- anything you think will be helpful, please post it. I welcome any positive feedback and words of advice. Please understand that I a love for animals and unfortunately was not aware of how much red-sliders need, so instead of dwelling on it, I am doing something about it. I can get my hands dirty and can follow directions down to a T- I just need to know where to start, what to get, what the purpose of the equipment is, the mechanics of the construction, and the order of the construction.

Thank you for taking the time to read my thread. I truly appreciate every one of you

Big thanks from Frankie, Xena, Marco Polo, and Pumpkin.

 

[YShahar]

Hello everyone!

Hello, and welcome!

I'm also somewhat new to the forum, so you'll probably get more informative answers from some of the more veteran members. But having just built my pond in the past year, I can identify with your questions; they're some of the same ones I had. Like you, I could rely only on my own labor, without any mechanical help (no access for machines here, even if I could afford them). So it was one 60 year-old granny and a pickaxe... Due to these constraints, I went with as low maintenance a pond as I could manage and still get the impact I was going for.

So here are a few possible answers.

Questions:
-I need to know what equipment is needed for the pond to work efficiently and stay clean. I read about skimmers, filters, pumps... I don't want to skimp on the equipment, so I would like to have good, solid equipment that is going to get the job done. Here are my concerns:
1. I read that skimmers are helpful in catching larger debris like falling vegetation, which we have, however I also read that the turtles can possibly be hurt. What is the general consensus out there for skimmers? Do you just do manual skimming for the turtles' safety?

You might be better off building a simple intake bay instead of a skimmer. The idea is to make an inlet at one end of your pond (the opposite end to where your water comes in, and preferably downwind of prevailing wind. The opening of this inlet is made narrow and shallow, such that debris gets filtered in and can be netted out of the shallow water. You can incorporate your basking areas in this inlet as well if you want.

Typically, an intake bay will have some sort of container at one end to hold the pump, such that the larger debris gets pulled in, but never reaches the pump itself. Many people will also incorporate a "false bottom" in the inlet to allow any sludge to settle out where it can be cleaned out (eventually). In my case, I dug the inlet deep enough to incorporate a couple of upsidedown milk crates. I added stone on top of the milk crates to form the filtration media of my intake bay. Fish can come in and out and graze on these stones at will.

2. I read that a filter treats the water chemically, specifically with carbon filler media. Is this non-toxic for turtles?

Most of the folks on this forum will recommend that you build a bog filter, rather than relying on chemicals. The hose from your pump is directed underneath a layer of gravel, typically through a pvc pipe with holes or slits cut in it. This slows the water down and allows it to filter up through the gravel. Bacteria growing on the gravel will convert the harmful ammonia into harmless nitrates, which will then get absorbed by plants growing in the gravel. The clean water then returns to your pond.

3. I was planning on buying a 250 gal preformed pond liner, specifically a MacCourt Lagoon liner. Not only does it have a lifetime warranty but its construction is UV stabilized, which I think is perfect with the AZ sun. This one is 7.6'x7.6'. I don't know if I should buy two, or if there are other rather inexpensive, larger, durable options out there? Thoughts?

I personally would suggest going with a .45 mil EPDM liner. They last for decades and can be made into any shape you like. This is the industry standard these days.

4. I need underlayment. Some people suggested epdm liner. So, is this the order of construction: dirt, underlayment, pond liner? Am I missing something? I read something about clay soil...

Usually, a layer of non-woven geotextile material is put underneath the liner to shield it from anything sharp in the soil. Many of us like to add the same underlayment inside the pond as well, to cushion the liner against rocks laid in the pond, people walking on it, etc. It also allows more surface area for beneficial pond-cleaning bacteria and algae to grow.

5. I read about edging, stable shelf, always leaving a good amount of underlayment, river rocks, plants....what the heck is edging and a stable shelf? Any helpful links would be much appreciated!

The idea is that you dig your hole with shallow steps going all around the pond. This allows you to put larger rocks against the vertical sides of the shelves and gravel on top of the shelves. You can put potted plants on the shelves, logs for your turtles to climb on, or anything else. The top shelf usually has a row of rocks that slightly overhang the water's edge, mostly for aesthetics.

6. What do you recommend for a basking area? And do you recommend this be done inside or outside the pond, or both?

You could do a cobble beach, lay some flagstones, or any combination of the two. You can also incorporate logs and such for the turtles to bask on.

7. Will the filter take care of turtle waste, algae buildup, and untouched food?

If you do a bog, then yes -- so long as the surface area of the bog is suited to the size of pond. The deeper the pond, the more stable it will be in terms of its biome. And the larger the bog relative to the pond, the cleaner your water will be.

8. I wanted to incorporate like a small riverbed connecting two ponds, or something, but I haven't seen much information on that. Thoughts?

I'm one of those who loves little rivers, so I would definitely say yes to that! In fact, you can connect your bog (which is after all, a small separate pond) to your main pond using a river with a shallow slope toward the main pond. This not only provides more habitat for your turtles (and birds and other critters) but it also aerates the water and provides a pleasant sound.

9. I'd like to add some other small guests, like snails or even a few fish (not koi, not goldfish). Any recommendations?

In my pond I've added gambuzia (mosquito fish) to control mosquitoes, and large goldfish of different colors for pretty. Snails will generally show up on their own, as will dragonflies and other aquatic insects. Build a large enough pond and you'll soon have a self-sustaining ecosystem!

10. Would I be adding piping, like pvc piping, before laying the underlayment? I'm having a hard time wrapping my mind around the magical mechanics of ponds and flowing water.

The pipework can go in after the pond is finished (unless you're building a complicated setup with a bottom drain). The basics are:
1. hole in ground with shelves;
2. Underlayment to protect liner;
3. EPDM liner over underlayment;
4. Underlayment on top of liner;
5. Stones and gravel for aesthetics, stability, support for algae and bacteria;
6. Plants (floating plants, potted plants, some plants stuck bare root in the gravel)

As for the plumbing, if you build an intake bay, you can use an old trash can as a pump vault. Cut slits or holes in the bottom and a hole near the top for the hose to exit the can. The hose can be kept inside of the liner if you want or it can be run up over the liner and buried in the ground (I chose to keep mine inside the liner, and it now runs all the way along the top shelf of my pond hidden behind some rocks). The hose runs to your bog, where it meets a pvc pipe with slits cut in it to distribute water to the bottom of the bog. I recently saw a video where a guy simply cut holes in the hose itself for the bog.

For your hose, you'll want the largest diameter flex pvc pipe you can find (two inch is typical) without overdoing it (3 inch for a small pond would be overkill).

11. Is there anything else you recommend I do? Do I treat the water with something specific?

If your water has chloramine added, you'll want to treat it with a water conditioner, such as Seachem Prime. If it has chlorine only, then the chlorine will evaporate on its own.

I'm happy this thread does not have a max word count. As you can see, I have a lot of questions, and just need some general guidance and tips. If you have any links, plot plans, documents, whatever- anything you think will be helpful, please post it. I welcome any positive feedback and words of advice. Please understand that I a love for animals and unfortunately was not aware of how much red-sliders need, so instead of dwelling on it, I am doing something about it. I can get my hands dirty and can follow directions down to a T- I just need to know where to start, what to get, what the purpose of the equipment is, the mechanics of the construction, and the order of the construction.

I'd check out all of the videos put out by OzPonds as a great introduction, as his videos are also geared toward DIYers on a budget. They're very helpful!

Thank you for taking the time to read my thread. I truly appreciate every one of you

Big thanks from Frankie, Xena, Marco Polo, and Pumpkin.

Cheers!

-Yael from Israel

 

[YShahar]

Here are a couple of other "meta tips" that it might be helpful to have -- the sort of things that people often say, "I wish I had known...":

1. Build your pond bigger and deeper than you think you'll need. No one ever said, "I wish I'd made it smaller". Once it's filled with rocks, gravel, plants, and water, it's going to look tiny! So go for as large as you can at the outset.

2. Don't skimp on the liner! Better to spend a bit extra up front than be forever patching holes, especially once you've got big rocks in your pond that are hard to move.

3. Make sure your top edge is completely, totally, utterly, 100% level! Your shelves should be more or less level, but need not be all that precise. But where the water meets the land, you don't want any low or high places. A low place can become a leak, while a high place with liner showing can be an eyesore. Later on, you can build up steps to make a waterfall or stream or whatever starting from this level position.

4. Build up the edges so that rainwater and runoff from gardening doesn't enter your pond. Rainwater can be filtered into the pond, but it should be routed such that you have control of what sort of gunk it brings with it.

5. Don't forget to incorporate places for people to interact with the pond: a shelf wide enough to provide easy access when you need to get in and out of the water, a place to sit and dangle your feet in the water, a place to put a comfortable chair...

6. Hang on to any rocks that come out of your hole as you dig. If a neighbor is giving away rocks, grab them! Keep your eye out for nice rocks when you go on hikes (provided you aren't taking them from national parks or other protected areas). You'll eventually use every rock that you scrounge or find in decorating the inside of your pond and its edges.

7. Have fun! Don't get bogged down (so to speak) on getting everything exactly right (with the exception of rule #3). So long as you have a good foundation on which to build, you can make changes later on. You can even enlarge sections of the pond by seaming on more liner. Keep an open mind as you build, and incorporate new ideas along the way. A pond is always a work in progress!

 

[Laaf]

Your turtles are lucky they have you! And you are lucky you have a neighbor who can help with digging.

The size is not as important as water quality. They will use whatever you can provide.

I agree a bog filter is the way to go and you will have the chance to have more aquatic plants. An intake bay is much more lovely than a plastic skimmer box. (I am stuck with a plastic skimmer box because I had to hire builders and it was what they know)

I agree to build as big as you can.

You can make the dividing area between the bog and pond, and pond and intake bay be shaped so the turtles have an area to bask in the sun.

In other parts of the pond, flatter rocks with a fully submerged and fully exposed area would give your turtles options. There are red sliders in water near my house. It is amazing how many can fit on an exposed log! That is another option for you.

Will you plan to add goldfish or minnows of some kind? They may end up as turtle food. But that is good for your turtles.

 

[Mmathis]

@bootsies_mom Ahhh, another turtle mommy after my own heart! I have box turtles. They need a source of fresh water, but are not aquatic turtles. I began my journey about 11 years ago. My goal was to create a “turtle-safe,” escape-proof pond for the boxies. Originally I was using shallow pans in their habitat for water, but that got old really fast (you know how messy turtles are….). I researched filtration….and eventually decided to go for an ecosystem. I built a 3000 gallon goldfish/garden pond with a structured “beach” area just for the turtles (they didn’t have access to the entire pond, only their “safe” area). The pond was built so that their part of the pond became part of their habitat. It was great…..but we’ve since moved and building a new pond has been always in the future. We decided to hire it out this time around as we aren’t physically able to do the work ourselves. …..and that’s where we stand….at a standstill. I have decided WHAT I want, but finding someone who is capable and willing to do the work for a reasonable price….needless to say, I am picky when it comes to my turtles!

BTW, if it wasn’t already mentioned (I didn’t read through the other answers), consider incorporating a bog (plant filtration) area.

Mine are already starting to slow down for brumation.

 

[GBBUDD]

One member here has a very unique turtle habitat . @Jhn laid out like a giant sand box coraled with 2x all the way around that is raised and keeps his turtles from walking away . I BELIEVE THE BEST POST IS TITLED tHIS IS WHAT BOREDOM GOT ME

 

[bootsies_mom]

Hello, and welcome!

I'm also somewhat new to the forum, so you'll probably get more informative answers from some of the more veteran members. But having just built my pond in the past year, I can identify with your questions; they're some of the same ones I had. Like you, I could rely only on my own labor, without any mechanical help (no access for machines here, even if I could afford them). So it was one 60 year-old granny and a pickaxe... Due to these constraints, I went with as low maintenance a pond as I could manage and still get the impact I was going for.

So here are a few possible answers.


You might be better off building a simple intake bay instead of a skimmer. The idea is to make an inlet at one end of your pond (the opposite end to where your water comes in, and preferably downwind of prevailing wind. The opening of this inlet is made narrow and shallow, such that debris gets filtered in and can be netted out of the shallow water. You can incorporate your basking areas in this inlet as well if you want.

Typically, an intake bay will have some sort of container at one end to hold the pump, such that the larger debris gets pulled in, but never reaches the pump itself. Many people will also incorporate a "false bottom" in the inlet to allow any sludge to settle out where it can be cleaned out (eventually). In my case, I dug the inlet deep enough to incorporate a couple of upsidedown milk crates. I added stone on top of the milk crates to form the filtration media of my intake bay. Fish can come in and out and graze on these stones at will.



Most of the folks on this forum will recommend that you build a bog filter, rather than relying on chemicals. The hose from your pump is directed underneath a layer of gravel, typically through a pvc pipe with holes or slits cut in it. This slows the water down and allows it to filter up through the gravel. Bacteria growing on the gravel will convert the harmful ammonia into harmless nitrates, which will then get absorbed by plants growing in the gravel. The clean water then returns to your pond.



I personally would suggest going with a .45 mil EPDM liner. They last for decades and can be made into any shape you like. This is the industry standard these days.

Usually, a layer of non-woven geotextile material is put underneath the liner to shield it from anything sharp in the soil. Many of us like to add the same underlayment inside the pond as well, to cushion the liner against rocks laid in the pond, people walking on it, etc. It also allows more surface area for beneficial pond-cleaning bacteria and algae to grow.



The idea is that you dig your hole with shallow steps going all around the pond. This allows you to put larger rocks against the vertical sides of the shelves and gravel on top of the shelves. You can put potted plants on the shelves, logs for your turtles to climb on, or anything else. The top shelf usually has a row of rocks that slightly overhang the water's edge, mostly for aesthetics.



You could do a cobble beach, lay some flagstones, or any combination of the two. You can also incorporate logs and such for the turtles to bask on.


If you do a bog, then yes -- so long as the surface area of the bog is suited to the size of pond. The deeper the pond, the more stable it will be in terms of its biome. And the larger the bog relative to the pond, the cleaner your water will be.


I'm one of those who loves little rivers, so I would definitely say yes to that! In fact, you can connect your bog (which is after all, a small separate pond) to your main pond using a river with a shallow slope toward the main pond. This not only provides more habitat for your turtles (and birds and other critters) but it also aerates the water and provides a pleasant sound.


In my pond I've added gambuzia (mosquito fish) to control mosquitoes, and large goldfish of different colors for pretty. Snails will generally show up on their own, as will dragonflies and other aquatic insects. Build a large enough pond and you'll soon have a self-sustaining ecosystem!


The pipework can go in after the pond is finished (unless you're building a complicated setup with a bottom drain). The basics are:
1. hole in ground with shelves;
2. Underlayment to protect liner;
3. EPDM liner over underlayment;
4. Underlayment on top of liner;
5. Stones and gravel for aesthetics, stability, support for algae and bacteria;
6. Plants (floating plants, potted plants, some plants stuck bare root in the gravel)

As for the plumbing, if you build an intake bay, you can use an old trash can as a pump vault. Cut slits or holes in the bottom and a hole near the top for the hose to exit the can. The hose can be kept inside of the liner if you want or it can be run up over the liner and buried in the ground (I chose to keep mine inside the liner, and it now runs all the way along the top shelf of my pond hidden behind some rocks). The hose runs to your bog, where it meets a pvc pipe with slits cut in it to distribute water to the bottom of the bog. I recently saw a video where a guy simply cut holes in the hose itself for the bog.

For your hose, you'll want the largest diameter flex pvc pipe you can find (two inch is typical) without overdoing it (3 inch for a small pond would be overkill).



If your water has chloramine added, you'll want to treat it with a water conditioner, such as Seachem Prime. If it has chlorine only, then the chlorine will evaporate on its own.


I'd check out all of the videos put out by OzPonds as a great introduction, as his videos are also geared toward DIYers on a budget. They're very helpful!

Cheers!

-Yael from Israel

Hi Yael,

WOW. Thank you so, so much for all the information. This is amazing and I really appreciate you taking the time to respond. Everything is great. I will definitley take your advice and look into building a bog and an intake bay. I did have a question though- would I still need to get any other type of pumps, especially if I want to keep water flowing? It sounds like the intake bay may be able to keep the water flowing? But i'm wondering if a pump is still needed.

Also, have you come across any plot plans that describe the construction you are referring to?
Good call on the gambuzia-we have so many mosquitos here and they LOVE my blood, so I am constantly full of bites.
And last question- so I should skip the preformed pond liner all together and just use underlayment and EPDM it sounds like, correct?

Thank you!!!

 

[bootsies_mom]

Here are a couple of other "meta tips" that it might be helpful to have -- the sort of things that people often say, "I wish I had known...":

1. Build your pond bigger and deeper than you think you'll need. No one ever said, "I wish I'd made it smaller". Once it's filled with rocks, gravel, plants, and water, it's going to look tiny! So go for as large as you can at the outset.

2. Don't skimp on the liner! Better to spend a bit extra up front than be forever patching holes, especially once you've got big rocks in your pond that are hard to move.

3. Make sure your top edge is completely, totally, utterly, 100% level! Your shelves should be more or less level, but need not be all that precise. But where the water meets the land, you don't want any low or high places. A low place can become a leak, while a high place with liner showing can be an eyesore. Later on, you can build up steps to make a waterfall or stream or whatever starting from this level position.

4. Build up the edges so that rainwater and runoff from gardening doesn't enter your pond. Rainwater can be filtered into the pond, but it should be routed such that you have control of what sort of gunk it brings with it.

5. Don't forget to incorporate places for people to interact with the pond: a shelf wide enough to provide easy access when you need to get in and out of the water, a place to sit and dangle your feet in the water, a place to put a comfortable chair...

6. Hang on to any rocks that come out of your hole as you dig. If a neighbor is giving away rocks, grab them! Keep your eye out for nice rocks when you go on hikes (provided you aren't taking them from national parks or other protected areas). You'll eventually use every rock that you scrounge or find in decorating the inside of your pond and its edges.

7. Have fun! Don't get bogged down (so to speak) on getting everything exactly right (with the exception of rule #3). So long as you have a good foundation on which to build, you can make changes later on. You can even enlarge sections of the pond by seaming on more liner. Keep an open mind as you build, and incorporate new ideas along the way. A pond is always a work in progress!

These are all great tips!! Especially #7. I have a tendency of forgetting to have a good time and just focusing on having things be perfect, so I really appreciate the advice

 

[bootsies_mom]

Your turtles are lucky they have you! And you are lucky you have a neighbor who can help with digging.

The size is not as important as water quality. They will use whatever you can provide.

I agree a bog filter is the way to go and you will have the chance to have more aquatic plants. An intake bay is much more lovely than a plastic skimmer box. (I am stuck with a plastic skimmer box because I had to hire builders and it was what they know)

I agree to build as big as you can.

You can make the dividing area between the bog and pond, and pond and intake bay be shaped so the turtles have an area to bask in the sun.

In other parts of the pond, flatter rocks with a fully submerged and fully exposed area would give your turtles options. There are red sliders in water near my house. It is amazing how many can fit on an exposed log! That is another option for you.

Will you plan to add goldfish or minnows of some kind? They may end up as turtle food. But that is good for your turtles.

Hi Laaf,

thank you for the kind words! These are great tips and I will keep them in mind. As for the goldfish, I was thinking about it, or other kind of fish that are suitable for turtles. I was reading that turtles can feed on decomposing fish in lakes, so I'm assuming if a goldfish doesn't make it, they won't get sick. I have to look more into it to make sure the turtles are safe!

 

[bootsies_mom]

@bootsies_mom Ahhh, another turtle mommy after my own heart! I have box turtles. They need a source of fresh water, but are not aquatic turtles. I began my journey about 11 years ago. My goal was to create a “turtle-safe,” escape-proof pond for the boxies. Originally I was using shallow pans in their habitat for water, but that got old really fast (you know how messy turtles are….). I researched filtration….and eventually decided to go for an ecosystem. I built a 3000 gallon goldfish/garden pond with a structured “beach” area just for the turtles (they didn’t have access to the entire pond, only their “safe” area). The pond was built so that their part of the pond became part of their habitat. It was great…..but we’ve since moved and building a new pond has been always in the future. We decided to hire it out this time around as we aren’t physically able to do the work ourselves. …..and that’s where we stand….at a standstill. I have decided WHAT I want, but finding someone who is capable and willing to do the work for a reasonable price….needless to say, I am picky when it comes to my turtles!

BTW, if it wasn’t already mentioned (I didn’t read through the other answers), consider incorporating a bog (plant filtration) area.

Mine are already starting to slow down for brumation.

Hi TurtleMommy,

I definitely love my turtles, so I am happy you feel the same way! I love the idea of an ecosystem, and building a 3000 gallon pond, which sounds unbelievably cool! Do you mind me asking how you built the pond and the dimensions of it? Since I will be using liner, I don't really know how to measure the "size" or "gallons" of the pond, if that makes sense.

I also see you had several species of goldfish in the pond. did you ever run into any issues with the turtles and fish cohabitating? I can imagine the turtles might have eaten the fish. I definitely want to have an ecosystem, so I would love some fish, but I just don't know if I will have to care for the fish separately (buy them food, check the water, treat the water, etc) unless I am overthinking it. what are your thoughts on this? I'm really interested to hear how yours was.

Thank you!

 

[GBBUDD]

https://www.gardenpondforum.com/threads/this-is-what-boredom-got-me.28684/page-4

REACH OUT to @Jhn hes kept turtles for years

 

[bootsies_mom]

One member here has a very unique turtle habitat . @Jhn laid out like a giant sand box coraled with 2x all the way around that is raised and keeps his turtles from walking away . I BELIEVE THE BEST POST IS TITLED tHIS IS WHAT BOREDOM GOT ME

Hi GBBUDD,

thank you for the links and the helpful information! I will check it out. It's nice to know that everyone is creative and that there really isn't a "right" or "wrong" way. It sounds like as long as you have the necessary items, you can get creative with everything else

 

[JRS]

ever run into any issues with the turtles and fish cohabitating? I can imagine the turtles might have eaten the fish. I definitely want to have an ecosystem, so I would love some fish, but I just don't know if I will have to care for the fish separately (buy them food, check the water, treat the water, etc)

The sliders are not efficient fish catchers, especially in a larger pond. They may chase a bit but usually learn it is not worth it, unless they make a lucky grab. Care for the turtles and the fish is about the same so you would not have to do anything extra. They will even eat each other's pellets, just make sure the turtles do not get fish cold weather wheat germ, gets very messy... Should not be an issue in your climate unless higher up?

I was wondering, do you know the gender of your turtles? May have to deal with youngsters if mixed and an egg laying area available.

 

[GBBUDD]

The little bUGGER WAS PROFICENT ENOUGH TO TAKE A BITE OF MY CALF MUSTLE , THE LITTLE BUGGER

 

[YShahar]

Hi Yael,

Hey there! more answers below...

WOW. Thank you so, so much for all the information. This is amazing and I really appreciate you taking the time to respond. Everything is great. I will definitley take your advice and look into building a bog and an intake bay. I did have a question though- would I still need to get any other type of pumps, especially if I want to keep water flowing? It sounds like the intake bay may be able to keep the water flowing? But i'm wondering if a pump is still needed.

Typically, you need only a single pump. The idea is to put it in the intake bay (in a perforated container of some sort to keep debris out) and to run the hose from the pump to the bog. Think of the intake bay / pump area as the "heart" of your water system and the bog as the "kidneys" that clean the water.

Some people also add jets and smaller pipes splitting off the main pipe to get different effects. For example, you could cut the main hose, insert a T connector and add a small hose to make a secondary water fall, or just shoot water out of a corner of the pond that otherwise might not get much circulation.

Also, have you come across any plot plans that describe the construction you are referring to?

I built mine based on watching youtube videos. Search for "intake bay" and you'll find a ton of things out there. In fact, the main issue is information overload! To make things simple, I would watch the recent videos by Ozponds, as he's recently built a small pond with an intake bay and stream, with a good explanation of how and why he made certain choices.

Here are a couple of photos of my set up, just to give an idea of what a DIY build might entail.

Here, I've started digging the intake bay in an area off the patio (the main viewing area):

Here's how this area relates to the main pond. At the far end will be the stream and waterfall, and eventually the bog area. The prevailing wind in our area blows toward the house, so that will help blow debris into the intake bay. Since it's close to the house, it will be convenient to net out the stuff that blows in there.

Here, I've laid down underlayment in the intake bay, topped off with fine sand, due to all the rocks in my soil (I later removed most of the sand, after finding that I hadn't dug deep enough to include that much sand.

Once the liner was in the hole, I added more underlayment, and then my milk crates and pump vault:

Then, I folded the liner over the inside, backfilled with sand, and started adding rocks:

Here's what it looked like soon after filling the pond and turning on the pump...

And here's what it looks like today...

Hopefully, this gives some idea of what's involved. It isn't all that complicated, but does involve some work in the digging stage.

Good call on the gambuzia-we have so many mosquitos here and they LOVE my blood, so I am constantly full of bites.
And last question- so I should skip the preformed pond liner all together and just use underlayment and EPDM it sounds like, correct?

Thank you!!!

I would definitely skip the preformed liner altogether! With EPDM and underlayment, you can make your pond any size and shape you want, with a lot less hassle than trying to make a preformed liner do what you want it to. You can even add new sections later on (by seaming more liner onto your existing liner).

In my case, the liner was .60 mil roofing liner (as here in Israel, the fishsafe stuff was super expensive, I took the chance that the roofing material would be safe once washed down). It was really, really heavy, so getting it into the hole wasn't easy! If you aren't digging quite such a big pond, and you use the .45 mil standard EPDM, you may be able to add the liner without help, though it's much easier with two people. So if you can draft a friend once your hole is dug, that will make quick work of adding the liner.


Cheers!

-Yael