Newbie with ?'s 'bout hot tub pond

[BuRunx]

Hello,
I have a small hot tub I would like to convert into an indoor basement pond for my two baby Red Eared Slider turtles(RES) and have many questions. I have had RES before in a 40 gallon aquarium tank and know their requirements, but I don't know how this hot tub works. I believe it is this model or very similar (http://www.softub.com/modelsfeatures/softub-140). Can I use the filtration on the hot tub at all or will it get clogged? I was looking at the Skippy DIY filters and was wondering if I could use a 5 gallon kitty litter bucket to make a filter? Also, I have NEVER made anything like this filter before and am wondering if there is a detailed link for making one that includes EVERYTHING on how to make the holes, to what to use for sealants, etc.
Any other helpful hints are welcome.
Thank you!
Rebecca

 

[fishin4cars]

Lets go back further, First things first, we ask all new Members to post a introduction in the introduction thread. That's where we would like to know a little about you. Good place to tell us about your past knowledge of turtles, and what your goal is, then you'll start getting more answers. But for now, You Hot tub filter will have to be greatly modified to work as anything for living creatures. Be a intresting and workable project but you have quite a bit of research and pointers ahead of you, Be ready for this project to be a lot of new learning for your hobby.

 

[fishin4cars]

https://www.gardenpondforum.com/diy-do-yourself-f9.html

Start here and look through some of the different designs, This will help you greatly as you see what is best suited for your space and capability to build. Going to be many suggestions from different members so ultimately you'll have to make a choice on which one best suits your needs and which one is most practical for your specific use.

 

[addy1]

A hot tub filter is pretty fine, it would clog quickly. You would be best to try and get a diy filter going for the hot tub.

 

[HotTubWorks.com]

Actually a hot tub filter will work. We have a few clients who use their hot tubs for ponds. The softub filter is ok to use. You will need to clean it every month and replace it 2 times a year.

 

[milljeenath]

Hot tubs are really high on maintenance. They need routine and effective maintaining and dirt precautionary techniques. To keep the hot tub working efficiently, a hot tub filter is necessary. The proper filter will make getting into your hot tub a delight, since the water will be clear, clean and inviting. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Waterbug]

I'm not sure how the tub would be configured, how deep the water would be. Depending on the filter you could probably just replace the screens or whatever with the media you would normally have in a Skippy. But even then I assume the spa filter is small in size so it still might have to be cleaned often. We are talking about removing debris from the water, not ammonia conversion I assume.

Are you planning to use the same high powered pump on the spa? With a smaller pump you could just use itself as a settling tank and make one of the inlets into a drain. That would greatly reduce the amount of junk the filter would have to deal with.

Sounds like a cool project. Hope you can post some pictures.

 

[wickworth]

Good post! I was really looking for this kind of stuff, this post just saved me a lot of looking around. Thanks for sharing with us.

 

[heninquins]

http://www.gardenpon...ourself-f9.html

Start here and look through some of the different designs, This will help you greatly as you see what is best suited for your space and capability to build. Going to be many suggestions from different members so ultimately you'll have to make a choice on which one best suits your needs and which one is most practical for your specific use.

Thanks for sharing . Its really helpful to everyone who utilizes it, including myself. Keep sharing more.

 

[Catfishnut]

Rebecca,

Heck, if you are only going to put two small slider turtles in this hot tub tank, I don't see why you really need any great amount of filtering. Unless you are planning to add many plants, some fish, or leave some uneaten food in the tank to rot (that the turtles don't eat right away). I assume that your tank must have some good volume to it, and with just two small turtles, I would not expect them to foul the water very badly, very quickly. The filtration system for the hot tub ought to be sufficient.

I kept several baby snapping turtles in a homemade terrarium with a shallow pond at one end. The terrarium was 4' x 6' long and only 4-6 inches depth. One end of the terrarium was a pond, the other end was set up like a sandbar / mudbank with plants and rocks and driftwood. I also kept some skinks in the same terrarium. Not to mention toads and frogs and crickets and other little critters (whir-lig-ligs).

I had a really low volume water pump that ran the water from the pond end to the upper dry-land area and created a stream that meandered down the middle of the dry-land area and into the boggy area into the pond and back. The stream was small, no more than 4 inches wide and about an inch deep or two at most. It was more decorative than anything. I had one small waterfall and a lot of rocks in the stream. The turtles didn't dirty up the water here hardly at all and I had them for years.

I guess it would all depend upon how large your sliders are now. My snappers (about 3-4 of them) were the size of silver dollars when I finally returned them to nature.

I built that terrarium when I was in 7th/8th grade back in 1978/1979 and I still have it today! I built it good! It housed a lot of my pets over the years, including a green iguana (which I raised til it was 4 1/2 feet long), an albino ferret, a hognosed snake and a couple of baby prairie rattlers for a short while. Not all at the same time, of course.

Are your sliders read ears? How big are they? If they are really big now, they might make a mess, but I think the filter system you have will probably suffice. Turtles don't require that great of water quality. Just contemplate their natural environment, if they were in the wild.

Gordy (aka catfishnut)

 

[jamesspader]

Hello to everyone my name is James and I am new here in this forum I want to take a part in discussions and looking forward to share ideas and view with others.

Accredited High school Diploma Online

 

[addy1]

Welcome to our group! James, post an introduction in the introduction thread and tell us about yourself and your pond or pond to be.

 

[wickworth]

Hello to everyone my name is James and I am new here in this forum I want to take a part in discussions and looking forward to share ideas and view with others.

Accredited High school Diploma Online

Hi James, Welcome to the this community. Its really nice to see you!