# Building Our Turtle and Tortoise Resort



## Markw84 (Jul 20, 2016)

I've had requests to show how I built the "Turtle and Tortoise Resort" and detail how such a large DIY project was actually done. I thought since it was so involved, and so many different things were done, that it would be boring. But the suggestions was that those who were interested could follow, others can certainly ignore. So here we go. It will be over several posts and a long journey.

We moved from Oakdale two years ago now. We wanted to downsize a bit, but mostly wanted to be close to Brenda’s work and most of the grandkids who lived in the Sacramento area. We live in our backyard more than in the house and I created a great place we enjoyed immensely. So I knew, with the move, I was undertaking a big project to make something we could enjoy as we were accustomed to. I had lived in Oakdale 17 years and had ½ acre so room for a nice yard, pool, pond, and large tortoise area. From the patio you could see the pond with another sunken patio there, and behind that the tortoise area.




The Tortoise area was 50’ x 120’, so I devoted 6000 sq ft to them, but it still left a great size yard. The only picture that kind of shows the whole area was several years old…




Here’s one from close to the time we moved with Brenda making it rain!




The pond was about 6,000 gallons and was the 5th pond I had built. This was the 4th time I put windows in a pond, and used the sunken patio feature. Each pond kept getting bigger, with more windows!







We loved it there. It was also just two blocks from the golf course, and I had a nice golf cart in the garage, I would hop in almost every day to drive down and play golf. I even served my term on the board of the golf course and was President in 2006-2007. Between activities at the course, then people coming up to the house to enjoy the pool and the “turtle and tortoise Disneyland” it was great, but as the grandkids kept popping out of our kids, being closer to them started to take precedent.
So… May of 2014 we moved from that to this:




But before we even closed on the house, I had already drawn up the plans for my new vision. So, Since I have had several requests to go through how I built the Turtle and Tortoise Resort, it will take some time, but I will bore those who wish with the details of how I turned the picture above into this -- doing absolutely everything myself!











Next post – how do you get ready to move 18 - 24” koi, plus 60 turtles, and the tortoises??


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## Gabriel Luna (Jul 20, 2016)

Nice!
That's a mini house for tortoise in the back of the last picture?


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## georgeandbessy (Jul 20, 2016)

Markw84 said:


> I've had requests to show how I built the "Turtle and Tortoise Resort" and detail how such a large DIY project was actually done. I thought since it was so involved, and so many different things were done, that it would be boring. But the suggestions was that those who were interested could follow, others can certainly ignore. So here we go. It will be over several posts and a long journey.
> 
> We moved from Oakdale two years ago now. We wanted to downsize a bit, but mostly wanted to be close to Brenda’s work and most of the grandkids who lived in the Sacramento area. We live in our backyard more than in the house and I created a great place we enjoyed immensely. So I knew, with the move, I was undertaking a big project to make something we could enjoy as we were accustomed to. I had lived in Oakdale 17 years and had ½ acre so room for a nice yard, pool, pond, and large tortoise area. From the patio you could see the pond with another sunken patio there, and behind that the tortoise area.
> 
> ...


WOW


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## wellington (Jul 20, 2016)

Wow, I think I would have had to tell the kids to move closer. But, you were able to make a nice place again. Love the ponds and pools you did. Then there sits the typical plastic kiddie pool. Too funny


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## Markw84 (Jul 20, 2016)

Gabriel Luna said:


> Nice!
> That's a mini house for tortoise in the back of the last picture?


Yes it is. Will show more on that later...


wellington said:


> Wow, I think I would have had to tell the kids to move closer. But, you were able to make a nice place again. Love the ponds and pools you did. Then there sits the typical plastic kiddie pool. Too funny


Thanks, Barb! You know, the kids work, Brenda's work, and I'm semi-retired and do a little from home - so... AND the kiddie pool is actually for the dog to cool down in! Can't keep the grandkids out of our "sipping" pool!


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## Markw84 (Jul 21, 2016)

Chapter TWO

So with a borrowed tractor, and a great relationship developing with a Pro Services rep at Lowes, the project begins.
We had plans that took up the entire yard, but one section in the back right would be the last, and separate section to work on, so I could put a temporary pond back there, out of the way. That would allow me to work on the rest of the yard with the fish and turtles taken care of, but not in the way of construction.




Since I had a good number of large koi and lots of turtles, I needed as large a temporary pond as possible, but space was an issue. Plus it was all to get torn out within a year! I needed enough depth to keep it from overheating and for protection against the ever-present blue herons, so needed to go at least 30” deep. I decided to go with block sides and a pond liner. Since I was not motaring the block, just dry stacking, I had to consider the pressure of the water wanting to push the walls over. The solution was to just go 2 courses high with block, drive rebar down against the inside edge of the centers, and fill with dirt. I have clay hardpan, so it becomes quite hard when packed and wetted in place.




By digging down and creating a berm the block would set on, it would give me almost 3’ depth. I could then also stack dirt up the outside covering most of the first course for extra strength.




Since I always use a gravity flow filter, with pump return, I calculated I needed at least 4” pipe for a drain. I was installing 2 – 3” drains and each end of the deeper ends of the pond.




I could then close in the pond and get the walls to height.




I always like overkill for filter, and always make my own that I know works. For this temporary pond, I used a 300 gal Rubbermaid stock tank since I didn’t want to build one in that would be harder to remove.




I have the 4” pipe flowing into a smaller 26” square storage bin as a pre-filter. You can see on the very right above. In that small tote, I had the inflow at the top, and then two matala pads to pre-filter, with the outflow at the bottom. I then connected a 4” line from there to the 300 gallon tub. For a biological filter, I use the old “green machine” by Hazelock filter pads that I started using about 20 years ago, and are now quite hard to find. They are 12” tall and about 5” square with a 1” hole down the center. That allows a nice large colony of beneficial bacteria to get established in a very small surface square footage. I started the filter by using ½ of the pads from “dirty” ones in my Oakdale pond. So the little water in the bottom while installing them looks dirty, but once filled it was well diluted and started working properly from the very beginning.




The water is drawn through the pads into 2” pipe with 6 pads each. Those pipes flow into a 3” line that exits the tub on the left and goes to the pump there. I use a pump designed for constant circulation in radiator heating systems in homes and large commercial operations. They will run 30 years 24/7 with little maintenance, and are extremely energy efficient. The pump I use here draws 400 watts and pumps just over 100 gallons per minute. I have the outflow to the pond split to the pipe you see coming over the tub on the upper left. That allows me to divert some of the flow immediately back into the filter, and reduce the amount going straight to the pond since the temporary pond is only 3000 gallons. The final pond is designed to be 10,000 gallons and will use this same pump. This double filters some of the water, and also allows a reduced flow needed on the intake. I knew a 4” line gravity fed would really only handle about 3500 gal/hr with a 4” drop gravity feed by my calculations. So the intake system could not handle the full pump capacity.
So now left with installing the liner. I used an EPDM liner. Those are excellent, and had to bite the bullet on a $380 investment that would be thrown away within a year. But they are very strong and resistant to any possible penetration by even my largest turtles’ claws. But they are HEAVY! This one weighs about 180 lbs. so it is awkward to get in place, and was quite an operation for just Brenda and me.




Once laid out I left enough to drape over all the tops of the blocks to cut off and place a cap on top to hold in place. On the far right is an area I left lower with the liner draped over a 2” pvc pipe set at exactly 1” above water level. I could then backfill behind with a dirt, peat, sand mix for a small land area but big enough for any egg laying that needs to be done before the permanent pond is in place. I will take the wall on either side of that area up another course to escape-proof.
We filled it and smoothed out folds best we could as the water pressure pushed the liner tight.







All that was left was to cut the liner excess and place a cap to hold in place.




The pump was now started. Brenda got the job of screwing on the inlet screens needed on the pond drains to keep fish or small turtles from being able to get into the underground pipes.




Since I took ½ of the “dirty” established filter pads from my pond in Oakdale all was ready for the fish. I transported them over a few weeks to ensure the water and filter were working properly without too sudden a load as this pond will be overstocked as a temporary solution. I used large storage bins, putting 1 or two koi in a bin with about 6” of water. As it was a 1 ½ hour trip, that worked well and all arrived without a problem.




I got the turtles after a month of the pond running and the fish well established. We purposefully arranged a long transition where we moved into the new home almost 75 days prior to having to be out of the Oakdale house. I needed the time to get the temporary pond ready and the tortoise enclosure.
This pond was 12’ x 18’ and took me two weeks to complete. It held about 3500 gallons. A bit small for the animals I had, but it was temporary. It cost just under $1000, but some of the materials I was able to repurpose later. It actually came out pretty nice, and my friends and neighbors were always amazed to hear I was simply tearing it all out the next year.
I added a basking platform in the middle of the pond as fall came and the sun dropped further and kept the land area in shade most of the winter. The turtles really stacked up to take advantage of a sunny day. Took this through the slider window or they would have all dove to the bottom. Even though the turtles had been extremely used to people, swimming up for food for years, when moved to this smaller pond, made even smaller feeling to them with no windows, they all became extremely shy while in this pond.




I also needed something for my spotted turtle group. They could not go in a straight sided pond with the cold weather over the winter. So I brought up a 4’x8’ enclosure I made for them I was previously using to house the smaller ones as they grew the first 3 years or so. Again, more crowded than I would ever design, but worked for the short term. The new pond included a complete upper pond with a max depth of one foot and sloping sides, and plenty of plants. Specifically, to give them as natural an environment as possible.




SO… kind of messy and a bit crowded, but all the turtles and fish were now at the new location. Next up – the TORTOISES!


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## Yvonne G (Jul 21, 2016)

A whole lotta' work for temporary, but after seeing the finished product, well worth it.


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## Markw84 (Jul 21, 2016)

Yvonne G said:


> A whole lotta' work for temporary, but after seeing the finished product, well worth it.


Yes, but I thought it would be interesting for some reading this to give an idea on a simpler way of building a quite efficient and nice pond. Doubt if anyone would want to tackle the project coming up!


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## wellington (Jul 21, 2016)

Wow. How many of you are actually doing all the work? Not just you and your wife? That's crazy and I love it. Man, I need you to help with my yard. 
Why is it though you didn't start with their perminent pond and go from there?


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## Markw84 (Jul 21, 2016)

wellington said:


> Wow. How many of you are actually doing all the work? Not just you and your wife? That's crazy and I love it. Man, I need you to help with my yard.
> Why is it though you didn't start with their perminent pond and go from there?


It was just me and Brenda helped on weekends.

Do you mean just start the thread with the permanent pond build? I thought it would be good to show two totally different styles of pond construction

If you mean why didn't I just start building the permanent pond and eliminate the need for a temporary? Well, I estimated the pond would take at least a year to get to where I could fill and use it. Could only stretch the transition between houses 75 days


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## Rue (Jul 21, 2016)

I am speechless! Can I send my husband to train...er I mean...visit you? Have him pick up few pointers?


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## wellington (Jul 21, 2016)

No, loving this thread, don't change a thing of how your telling it.
i was asking about starting with the pond build first, in the yard. But, I get it. You were very lucky to get 75 days. 
Wow, that's a lot of work for just one person and a weekender. But boy I sure bet you enjoy it more knowing it's built by your own hands. Such great ideas and great work.
Can't wait for next chapter.


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## Markw84 (Jul 21, 2016)

wellington said:


> No, loving this thread, don't change a thing of how your telling it.
> i was asking about starting with the pond build first, in the yard. But, I get it. You were very lucky to get 75 days.
> Wow, that's a lot of work for just one person and a weekender. But boy I sure bet you enjoy it more knowing it's built by your own hands. Such great ideas and great work.
> Can't wait for next chapter.


Part of the issue is I've never found any pond or pool contractor who knows how or would be willing to tackle Windows in a concrete ( or any type) pond.


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## wellington (Jul 21, 2016)

Markw84 said:


> Part of the issue is I've never found any pond or pool contractor who knows how or would be willing to tackle Windows in a concrete ( or any type) pond.


Wow really! I would think they would jump at it and know how. Btw, are you going to tell us how when you get to that part?


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## saginawhxc (Jul 21, 2016)

This thread is amazing. Thank you for sharing this with us. I'm seriously impressed. I would love to do something like this someday.


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## Fredkas (Jul 21, 2016)

Thank you very much for sharing. I really enjoy this thread. Keep it up. Plese post as many as possible lol. I really like DIY stuff. Oh it is amazing.


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## Markw84 (Jul 28, 2016)

Chapter THREE

Within the 75 day window, from moving into the new house to having to be totally out of the Oakdale house, I also had to get the tortoise area ready for the Sulcatas. That meant in addition to the temporary pond for turtles and fish, building their area, with tortoise house and grass in and established before letting a herd of 15 Sulcatas loose on it! Going from a ½ acre to ¼ acre lot, I also realized I had to downsize the group. So I also started putting out feelers for places to rehome some of the tortoises. In the meantime, I had to get things underway as the clock was running.
The west side of the house was to be the new tortoise yard. It would be adjacent to the pond on one side. As the water level at that side was to be about 16” above grade, the wall for the tortoise yard would also be the side of the pond. The neighbor’s yard on that side was about 35” above our lot, with a slope in our yard down to our level. I wanted as much room as possible, so needed to construct a retaining wall to maximize usable lawn area instead of a slope. That meant, lost of digging, lots of concrete work, and lots of masonry work!
First thing was taking out a panel of the fence and putting in a double gate for access. Our lot is nothing but cobble mixed with a thick, clay dirt on top of hardpan. I took forever to dig as much as possible with the tractor, and then the rest by pick and shovel. I also cut in further where the tortoise house would go to again, maximize space and limit the area taken up by the tortoise house.




Next up was forming, and pouring the footing complete with rebar for reinforcing the wall. I was filling all the cells solid with concrete for added strength, and anywhere the wall also served as a side to the pond, it created added strength and helped with waterproofing.




Then the masonry work. I ended up laying over 900 concrete blocks in this project! Plus, mixed over 950 60 lb sacks of concrete in that mixer you see. That’s not counting another 7 yards I got delivered for the shell of the pond that needed to be poured in one step – no seams! SO… I started “eating the elephant” one block at a time!






And finally got to the point where I needed to start some planting to get growth going ASAP. So I back filled and added compost and amendments to get the citrus hedge started. I also started bringing in topsoil and amendments for the grass area. In the middle I scooped out a big area for a planter deep enough to give a great growing depth for a nice shade tree and some bushes for cover.




I had to run water for the landscaping and eventually the pond fill line, as well as electrical. Of course, the electric panel was on the total opposite side of the house! I put in some extra breakers in the panel, and then ran some 12/3 wire through the attic to the opposite side of the house, then underground wire in conduit the rest of the way. This would accommodate 2 separate 20 amp circuits. Of course both GFCI.




I could now level off the grass area. Form and pour the mow strip for the planter area.




And get the sod down so it could start to establish. I could only put in a little over ½ of the grass area as I needed to leave access to the yard for the pond construction. This would at least give me enough to give the tortoises enough area to be able to get them moved and out of the old place.




While the grass was growing, I could now get the tortoise house far enough along to move the tortoises. Since this was now June, the weather wasn’t as much of a concern as it would have been in winter. I originally planned on building it to look like natural stone with two cave entrances. So I made a flat top I could then plaster and shape. At this point we have things established enough to bring the tortoises up. I set up a temporary barrier using wrought Iron fencing I had built for the Oakdale area to allow access, and give them a good part of their new yard.






Then Brenda decided, after seeing this stage, she wanted the tortoise house to match our house. So I took off the flat roof and build a hip roof with pitch to match ours. The opening on the right has a top section that swings open for access. The roof section directly above will be hinged to open up.




I put 1 ½” insulation board on the ceiling to make it hold heat better. Hung two flood lights inside and added the heater. Add some stucco, shingles, and paint the eves, and the house was fully functional. And matched our house!




Once I got the project where the pond was dug, and the concrete shell poured, I could add a mowstrip along the house, and finish the rest of the grass area. I made the open area between our patio and the tortoise area closed off with the 18” wrought Iron rail with a 3’ gate for better viewing and sight line. I still had a temporary section blocking them from the wall I was adding tile and cap to finish things off.




I finished off the block wall by installing a stack stone tile. I capped the back portion with tan pavers, but the area around the pond got the travertine cap with 2” sides to make the pond totally escape proof and give a finished look. We have by now sized down to 5 Sulcatas that have the most special meaning to us. 3 adults and 2 juveniles. 






This makes the tortoise area a great part of the “Resort” and is so visible - and a part of the patio and the areas we live in so much. When the tortoises see us out, they rush over to see if there are some treats – which if the grandkids are over, there always is!




Lots of memories being made!




Next up – THE POND!


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## bouaboua (Jul 28, 2016)

WOW. WOW, WOW, WOW.

Thank you for sharing. I will LOVE to come for a visit~~


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## cmacusa3 (Jul 28, 2016)

Just Awesome!!! Coolest guy on the block!


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## Fredkas (Jul 28, 2016)

OMG!!! Thanks for sharing. Keep going!!!
Speechless... Dream house lol.


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## Carol S (Jul 28, 2016)

BEAUTIFUL!


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## Berkeley (Jul 28, 2016)

Holy moly, that is so incredible, Mark! I am really grateful for you putting this post together. I may not ever have the money or the time to do something like this, but I can for sure dream about it. 

Thanks for this!
--Berkeley


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## Eric Phillips (Jul 28, 2016)

Seriously mods this thread needs taken down immediately!!! A person can only take so much envy!!! Lol! Absolutely awesome, thanks for sharing!


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## Markw84 (Jul 29, 2016)

Berkeley said:


> Holy moly, that is so incredible, Mark! I am really grateful for you putting this post together. I may not ever have the money or the time to do something like this, but I can for sure dream about it.
> 
> Thanks for this!
> --Berkeley


Yes, when you add everything up it gets a bit scary! But to contract all this out was adding up to over $200,000!


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## Rue (Jul 29, 2016)

Everything costs so much these days it seems. We did a fence repair for our horses last weekend...not even a permanent repair, and not even a full replacement for that short stretch of fence...and I was a little appalled at how much it cost!

Now I get to watch them eat it, again. LOL...

I'm budgeting for our tortoise garden...as my ideas get more elaborate, I keep upping my budget. However! My little project won't be anything on the scale of yours . I'm a one-tortoise woman!


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## Eric Phillips (Jul 29, 2016)

Markw84 said:


> Yes, when you add everything up it gets a bit scary! But to contract all this out was adding up to over $200,000!



Well, Mark I think it's time to invest in a 3rd location! Your practically a franchise now! So, I have this place in northwest Ohio that would be perfect for your next project with your money of course we can make northwest Ohio great again without Trump In all honesty, either go big or go broke trying $200,000 of awesomeness!


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## bouaboua (Jul 29, 2016)

Eric Phillips said:


> Well, Mark I think it's time to invest in a 3rd location! Your practically a franchise now! So, I have this place in northwest Ohio that would be perfect for your next project with your money of course we can make northwest Ohio great again without Trump In all honesty, either go big or go broke trying $200,000 of awesomeness!




Hahahahaha~~I like the "we can make northwest Ohio great again" part.


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## Markw84 (Jul 29, 2016)

Rue said:


> I'm budgeting for our tortoise garden...as my ideas get more elaborate, I keep upping my budget. However! My little project won't be anything on the scale of yours . I'm a one-tortoise woman!



This is the 5th house I've had since 1984 that I put in a pond. Each one kept getting bigger. Every time I do one, I think of things I could have done and new features. This one is an accumulation of ideas!



Eric Phillips said:


> Well, Mark I think it's time to invest in a 3rd location! Your practically a franchise now! So, I have this place in northwest Ohio that would be perfect for your next project with your money of course we can make northwest Ohio great again without Trump In all honesty, either go big or go broke trying $200,000 of awesomeness!


NOPE! I think I'm done, Eric! ...well, I hope I'm done. ...I guess that's what I said last time!


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## saginawhxc (Jul 29, 2016)

Markw84 said:


> This is the 5th house I've had since 1984 that I put in a pond. Each one kept getting bigger. Every time I do one, I think of things I could have done and new features. This one is an accumulation of ideas!
> 
> 
> NOPE! I think I'm done, Eric! ...well, I hope I'm done. ...I guess that's what I said last time!



I have been talking a lot recently that in five years I want to be settled into my "forever" home.


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## Big Charlie (Jul 29, 2016)

This is amazing!


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## Fredkas (Sep 16, 2016)

Why you don't update it anymore hmmm....


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## klawran1 (Sep 16, 2016)

Fredkas said:


> Why you don't update it anymore hmmm....



Right!? I'm filled with so much envy right now. I need to ship my husband over there to visit...


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## Sam&TillsTortugas (Sep 16, 2016)

Looks great


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## Rylatts (Sep 16, 2016)

This is amazing!!!!


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## KevinGG (Nov 19, 2016)

Great job. I love the ponds. Can't wait to see how you built them.


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## Jorge Moreno (Nov 20, 2016)

Phenomenal!!!!!


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## marrufamar (Nov 27, 2016)

Woww.. you have lotta work


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## janevicki (Nov 27, 2016)

Such a beautiful plan you have made! Thank you for sharing your back yard dream setup with us.


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## Paschendale52 (Apr 24, 2017)

Did you make a second thread for the actual pond pouring? I'd love to see how the concrete pour goes with installing the seamless bottom and acrylic windows.


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## Turtlesfromcolo (Apr 24, 2017)

This is Amazing to say the very least. Thanks for sharing...Keep it coming!


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## Markw84 (Apr 24, 2017)

Paschendale52 said:


> Did you make a second thread for the actual pond pouring? I'd love to see how the concrete pour goes with installing the seamless bottom and acrylic windows.


Thanks for the reminder. I really need to continue this thread. Got really busy and have never come back to continuing it. I'll do that soon!


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## wellington (Apr 24, 2017)

How close is it to making my weeks vacation booking? 
Can't wait to see more.


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## Markw84 (Jul 27, 2017)

OK, here we go. Sorry for the delay, but I started realizing how difficult it was to really explain what and why I did things. So I'll just do some smaller installments for those interested...


CHAPTER FOUR

Before we even closed on the house, I started planning for the backyard. From Google Earth, I took rough dimensions of the yard, and laid out the lot and house so I could see how things would fit. I came up with this initially and showed Brenda to get her input…





We both agreed we wanted more tortoise area (upper section) and I also wanted more of an upper pond for my spotted turtle colony. Brenda immediately asked “all that area for the turtles to swim, where do I get to cool off?”

So, back to the drawing board, and made some changes, including a dipping pool (our sipping pool as we call it now) as Brenda reqested…






Escrow had closed now and I had a general layout to start. Within a week of moving in, I had removed a section of fence and put in a large double gate for access, and borrowed the tractor. I roughed out the dimensions of the pond and sipping pool with blocks laid at the corners, and started digging May 22nd, 2014…





I hadn’t got too far and saw that with our soil, it was way too hard to make much progress. So I decided to fill it with some water to soften things up. You can also see I have started the foundation for the block retaining wall that was the back wall for the tortoise area. I had to get the tortoise area far enough along to move the tortoises up to the new house…





But here is a photo from two days later!!!






Needles to say – no percolation. I now was certain it would be a long, hard excavation process. I had a layer of cobble filled soil with pure hardpan beneath! I had to muck out the water and use the rototiller attachment on the tractor to loosen what I could to make progress less than an inch at a time.

At this starting point, I had to devote time to getting the temporary pond I showed earlier in, so I could move the fish and turtles from the old house. I left a two month overlap in timing so I had time to complete the temporary pond before I had to totally vacate the old house. You can see here, I had already dug the temporary pond and had the block wall ready for pond liner. Progress on the main pond was slower at this point since I had to build the temporary pond first. You can also see the wet mud I mucked out dried to a crisp top layer.





A familiar sight with a pallet of concrete readymix and a pallet of block. I would end up using over 950 cinder block (about 11 pallets) and 900 sacks of readymix (16 pallets) plus 6 yards of concrete by readymix truck.





Since a major feature of my design is the windows looking into the pond, the main portion of the pond is raised above ground level. I am using a block wall as the border and escape-proof edge of the enclosures. So the pond wall is 2 blocks and a cap higher than adjacent ground level. I wanted the pond 3 ½ feet deep in the main portion. I designed the dipping pool to be 4 ½ feet deep. In addition, I have an 8” drop to a sunken patio that is the viewing area into the pond with windows on 5 of the 8 sides of the octagonal patio. So, my 3 ½ foot depth for my main pond is really excavating 24” luckily!

I could only dig so much with the bucket of the tractor with the dipping pool such a confined space, and with the ground so hard. I ended up digging the last foot or so, and shaping the edges with a pick and jackhammer!








Anywhere the wall holds back water, I filled every cell with concrete. Rebar was also in every other cell of the wall. You can see here, the wall is to height now, adjacent to the tortoise area, which is also almost ready for tortoises. On the far right is the filter chamber I am building. I put a few extra breakers in my electric panel and I ran both electric (two circuits) and water out to the tortoise house and on to the pond filter area.





I started pouring the patio as I went. Since I will be tiling the whole patio areas, I was not too concerned about the finish, but at least we were not walking on mud that next winter. Here I am starting on a few oddball areas, but most of the patio I divided into 6’ x 6’ squares as that was about the max I could do by myself, mixing, pouring, and finishing the concrete without it getting away from me. That was about 24 sacks of concrete per section. Also gave good spacing for expansion joints and tile placement later to match. I've never had one crack in all the concrete poured. No rebar in the patio sections just 3 1/2" thick pour.








To construct the sipping pool, I built vertical block walls, with another wall inside that creating the seating area the would extend around the whole pool, except for the side adjoining the pond. That side would be a sheet of glass separating us from the turtles and fish. Rebar reinforcing went in the concrete and extended into all the walls. Here’ I’ve just poured the floor. I have left the glass wall side open for access.





I then poured the seat tops and finished the block wall ready for the window frame. I would later put on a tile waterline, and plaster the entire inside.





I now could install the frames for the windows. The frames for the windows are constructed out of 1 ½” angle iron. It is very important they be installed perfectly plumb and square as the glass must seal against this frame. Because I use a octagonal designe with the water on the outside of the octagon, all the pressure is pushing inward, against the adjacent pieces which gives the entire layout extra strength. Each corner of the frame has a 12” long section embedded totally in concrete. You can also see the widow frame between the sipping pool and pond now installed. The lower patio will pour up directly to the bottoms of the frames. Here I have just poured the first section of lower patio and am ready for the next two sections.




To be continued...


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## Ariel Perez (Jul 27, 2017)

This story is amazing . The next house I move into definitely needs this kind of yard space for a nice project like yours.


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## Neal (Jul 27, 2017)

Absolutely unbelievable. I am pretty proud of my self that I have enough skill to level my wood enclosure borders (lol), but that's complete child's play compared to all this.

I'd like a pond at some-point in the future, but have always wondered about temperature control. How do you keep things warm in the winter? or, do you even need to with the turtle-species you keep?


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## bouaboua (Jul 27, 2017)

It is amazing...............


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## Markw84 (Jul 28, 2017)

Neal said:


> Absolutely unbelievable. I am pretty proud of my self that I have enough skill to level my wood enclosure borders (lol), but that's complete child's play compared to all this.
> 
> I'd like a pond at some-point in the future, but have always wondered about temperature control. How do you keep things warm in the winter? or, do you even need to with the turtle-species you keep?


I keep only N American species of turtles. All the fish I put in are also "cool water" fish. Koi, bluegill, high fin shark... So the temperatures of the pond are "natural" temperatures. Everything slows down and stops eating about the end of October, and I don't start feeding again until mid March usually = once the average daily water temp gets to the low to mid 50° range.


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## Ariel Perez (Jul 28, 2017)

Markw84 said:


> I keep only N American species of turtles. All the fish I put in are also "cool water" fish. Koi, bluegill, high fin shark... So the temperatures of the pond are "natural" temperatures. Everything slows down and stops eating about the end of October, and I don't start feeding again until mid March usually = once the average daily water temp gets to the low to mid 50° range.


That's pretty cool man. Looks like you have everything dialed in. Your filtration system must be intricate. Any future posts coming up regarding your filtration setup ?


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## Markw84 (Jul 28, 2017)

Ariel Perez said:


> That's pretty cool man. Looks like you have everything dialed in. Your filtration system must be intricate. Any future posts coming up regarding your filtration setup ?


Yes, I will detail the way I do filtration.


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## KevinGG (Jul 29, 2017)

Love these posts. Excited to see the rest. Thank you for sharing. This is a great resource.


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## daniellenc (Jul 29, 2017)

I just have to say Brenda is a lucky lady and your colony of turtles must love you.


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## Markw84 (Aug 5, 2017)

Next installment....


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## Markw84 (Aug 5, 2017)

With the winter rains and mud, I decided to turn my attention to the outdoor kitchen. I like to barbecue probably 5 days a week. I really missed having my nice barbecue set up. So this was a good time to get that project done. I decided to build a steel frame bar around the whole area that would be faced with a tile matching what I would do for all the pond and pool walls. I ran another circuit from my electric panel and ran it under the concrete going to the barbecue. I tied into the sewer line nearby and ran that to my sink area also under concrete. I then framed it. As you can see, wet weather, so a good time for this part! This is a view from the master bedroom patio. You can see this is where the temporary pond is located. In the background is the sipping pool and then pond.




Next up – install the overhang for the bar area and start installing the backerboard for tile. At least at this stage, we have a countertop to set our wine on!!





Some tile and grout, travertine tops routed and sanded for a smooth ½” radius edges, and I was ready to drop in the appliances and fit in the drawers and doors. Turned out nice with a big barbecue, side burners, sink, refrigerator and storage space below. Seating for 8 around the bar.












I decided to finish the barbecue/outdoor kitchen and all the pool and pond walls with a tile stack stone look. I then capped the wall with a paver cut to create a 2” overhang on each side. Here, where Brenda is grouting, is a swim up bar I made, so the cap has extra width for the eating/drinking countertop created. I made two removable benches to sit at the bar. The sheeting waterfall I installed, will also be faced with the tile and capped with travertine. I wanted everything to match and tie in together.





The pavers are then capped top and sides with travertine. I chose travertine as you can get large squares that can be installed with very tight joints. The finished look can make a nice countertop, almost like a solid granite top. Importantly, the ½” solid travertine tiles are fairly easy to work with. You can shape and sand it fairly easily to get the look I was after. I set the tiles, The top first, then both sides creating a look like a thick cap. 

Here the tiles are set and I am setting the last of the edges around the sipping pool. You can see the travertine is not finished and has very square edges.




I then use a diamond bit shaper to grind all the edges to a smooth ½” radius edge to soften the look.





I then sand the whole section down to smooth out and restore the luster. You can use a regular sander on travertine. Dusty, but effective. Progressively finer grade sand paper, and you bring back the luster to the sanded parts.





Grout it and you end up with a nice looking cap in my opinion.





I also choose this because it makes a wall around the pond with a 2” overhang and a cap that give a turtle nothing to grab onto. Where the wall is right up to the water, it is a 5” reach all the way up to the top of the cap for a turtle and nothing to grab onto. It is completely escape-proof. I do have some turtles in here that are excellent climber and escape artists. No one can get out of this area!





Next up - designing and building the pond filtration...


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## bouaboua (Aug 5, 2017)

WOW! ! ! !

_I'm speechless....._


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## Turtlesfromcolo (Aug 5, 2017)

This is AMAZING!!


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## KevinGG (Aug 5, 2017)

Very nice


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## gaveau yohann (Aug 6, 2017)

What a journey!!! thanks for sharing. It is beautiful.


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## Jimb (Aug 6, 2017)

Unbelievable!!! What an awesome job.


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## Ariel Perez (Aug 6, 2017)

Wow such attention to detail. That is incredible !!!


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## Markw84 (Aug 8, 2017)

I thought I would put in filter design here. It could go anywhere in the chronology as every step of the way requires attention to different elements the filtration will require.


FILTRATION!

Every step of this project had to account for the filtration I had designed. The Electric run for the pump, aeration, and ultraviolet filters. The plumbing for fill line, drains, skimmers, pump return to waterfall, all had to be planned and placed for proper water circulation. Great water quality is not only a requirement for me to ensure the health of my turtles and fish, but without perfectly clear water, the window features I have prominently in the plan are rendered useless and an eyesore!

Over the years, and the 7 different ponds I have built for myself, I have tried many different ideas and done countless hours of research on filtration. I have ended up with and feel most confident in the biological, gravity type filter I have come up with after several different versions. I use gravity flow to push water through a balanced flow from two bottom drains and two skimmers I place at opposite ends of the pond to ensure a minimum of possible “dead spots” in the pond so all the water circulates without areas of no circulation. The pump I use is extremely energy efficient for the volume of water I want to circulate. I like to size the pump to turn the volume of the pond in 1-2 hours for best filtration. For a 10,000 gal pond, I am using a 110 gal/minute pump. That will give over 6000 gal/hr, so the volume of the pond will turn in less than 2 hours 24/7.


Most all pumps I ever see offered at pond supplies do not work for me. To get that type of GPH, they always use at a minimum a 1 HP pump. That would normally draw about 1 – 1.2 Kw to run. When talking cost to run electric appliances, everyone uses an “average” cost of electricity that has nothing to do with the actual cost in California! In most of California, if you are on PG&E, you are paying 37¢ per KWH. They do have tiers to the cost structure, but minimum normal household use will take you over the lower rates, so adding a pond is always adding on top of useage that is already over to the top tier. So, doing the math – 1.1 Kw X 24 -= 26.4 KWH. Times 30.5 average days per month = 732 KWH per month to run. At 37¢ that is $271 per month to run the pump!

Years ago, I was consulting with a koi breeder who used water radiator heating circulating pumps for his ponds. These are pumps designed to be used in homes and factories to circulate water 24/7 and run for 30 years or more. Very high volume, lower head pumps and extremely efficient. This is the type of pump I use. My 6600 GPH pump is 1/4 HP and draws 330 watts. Plus, this new pond, in the Sacramento area is in the Sacramento Municipal Utility District, not PG&E!!!!!! SMUD charges 1/3 the rate PG&E charges. So now .33 x 24 x 30.5 x 12.9 = $31.16 per month to run the pond 24/7. That is much better!

For those interested, this is the pump I use. It is a Bell & Gossett series 2 ½. They come in all different sizes. I’ve used their 1/6 HP and 1/12 HP pumps on previous ponds. You will not find another pump that will pump anywhere close to the volume of water as efficiently.






The way I do it, the main filter chamber has to be at water level as gravity feeds water into it. Here is the filter chamber I am building at the far right. Water level is 12” higher than the ground level (grass area) in the adjacent tortoise yard.






Since 6000 GPH is flowing through this, I need enough pipe size coming into the filter chamber to minimize the drop in water level needed to push enough water in. I calculated I needed at least 2 - 4” pipes to give a 1” water level drop. So I used 3 - 4” pipes to give a nice margin to be sure. Here are the 3 – 4” ABS pipes I am using to feed the filter chamber. I am running one from the near bottom drain and up through the near skimmer. Since both are quite close to the filter, I have combined them both into the same line on the left. The middle line, I am running to the other bottom drain. So I had to run the line under the pond. All Jackhammer work for the line and drain! The line on the left runs around the perimeter of the pond to the far skimmer. You can just see the skimmer sticking up right next to the sipping pool. Since these were longer runs and I wanted to balance flow, they both are on their own 4” line.

I am standing in the filter taking these pictures…









Here I have backfilled the 4” lines and installed the pump impeller housing for the return line to the waterfall. I am using a 2 ½” pump, but using a 3” return line to reduce head pushing water to the waterfall. I am only lifting water 3 feet to the waterfall chamber, so there is very little head loss at all with this system. Here is the filter chamber with pump impeller housing installed on the far right. The 3 – 4” lines run under that. The 3” line (black ABS) to the waterfall is going off to the left. You can see the electric conduit (grey) and the white water lines for irrigation and fill line.






Here is a finished view showing the filter chamber and you can see how I incorporated it into the wall and stairs to the upper patio I built at the top of the stairs. The 3” line pushing water to the waterfall runs from the left side of the filter chamber, under the upper patio and part of the upper pond, to the waterfall in the far back center in this picture.





Here, I have now done the masonry work and have the wall outlining the upper patio on the right, with the wall for the back of the pond area leading to the waterfall that is taking shape on the far left.






Since I need vertical wall and no possible escape routes for turtles, I constructed the waterfall itself from mortar that I hand shaped to resemble rock. Here I already have set the real rock for the top edging of the upper pond, and have started shaping the wall of the waterfall. You can see the chamber above the waterfall the water from the filter pumps into. That Upper chamber will have plants sitting in it to let the roots grow and create a natural filtration, consuming nitrates and lots of bacteria growing on the roots. The water spills over creating the waterfall.





Some more brown color for a deeper color texture…






Then add some more black and just a bit of white to match the natural rock I am using…






Once you add some plants, and plaster coat is done, it starts looking like a real waterfall…

The upper chamber above the waterfall is big enough to place some large plants the turtles cannot get to. That provides great additional filtration as the roots grow and fill in a lot of that chamber.





The main biological filter is the filter chamber itself. Since this is the heart of the biological filtration, I thought I would also show the diagram I made of how I built it and the design concept.






You can see the 3 – 4” inflow pipes on the left. A raised ledge is built creating a chamber inside that is capped with a piece of ½” plexiglass. I have 35 - 1 3/8” holes drilled in the plexiglass and have 1” threaded fittings screwed in around the plexiglass in each hole. The water flows in through the 3 – 4” pipes. A pair of Matala pads will create a pre-filter against the ledge, and the water will then flow through the Matala pads to the main chamber. It will then flow through foam pads on each of the 35 1” pipes to the area below the plexiglass. That is then drawn to the pump through the 3” pipe you can see At the top of this picture under the plexiglass. I cut multiple slots in the 1” pipe for good water flow through the foam pads that slip over these pipes.








Following are pictures I just went out and took to illustrate things in operation as they are today.

Here it is in operation. I use a 1” pipe with a threaded fitting I can adjust to friction fit between the front and back wall to hold the Matala pads in place. The Matala pads filter out the bigger debris. I have a coarse (black) stacked against a medium (green) pad. I built the filter chamber exactly to fit a standard full pad. They are 39” wide and 24” tall. Those two pads alone are rated to filter about a 1200 gal pond. The foam pads are 4 ½” square and 12” tall. They are the basic style the real old “green machine” pond filters were based around. An old Green machine for a 5000 gal pond had 6 of these pads in it. I use 35 here. So in a chamber that is 39” x 45” I have what a manufacturer would rate at probably a 30,000 gal+ pond capacity. Lots of surface area for beneficial bacteria to colonize.







I addition to the filter itself, all the pond surfaces will become colonized with a biofilm of beneficial bacteria. I have found it takes about 2 years to really establish a new pond and see the true results of the entire design. I also rely on plants to provide a big boost in filtration. My chamber above the waterfall is filled with plants living off the nitrate “waste” produced in the pond. The roots fill the entire chamber and I have to thin out to roots a few times a year to ensure proper water flow, but it works fantastically.





The upper pond is also filled with plants. My design idea was to make this a habitat for the spotted turtles in addition to making a “bog filter”. They love to stay in shallower water and hide amongst plants. I hoped the larger cooters would stay below and leave the plants alone. It works perfectly! The plants thrive and add tremendously to the filtering. The spotted turtles love it and stay up here.






I even stick a plant in the skimmer to let the roots grow with the water flow. This is a tuber from an elephant ear I just stuck in the water in the skimmer, propped in place with a block, and let it grow.





I also built a small “reef” of blocks and rock with some aquatic planters zip tied together forming a sunken island. The umbrella plants are in coarse gravel, so the roots only have pond water to feed off.





Aeration is also key for a healthy pond. I built the waterfall as a 2 step main waterfall to maximize the aeration from the 6000 GPH of water flowing over the falls constantly.





I also installed two large aeration plates in the pond. This makes a huge difference in water quality. It is amazing how much this improves the oxygen content of the water. When installed you can immediately see the difference in the way the fish act!






The water flow is through the upper pond, creating a nice bog filter. It’s flow is split into two streams that then feed the lower, and much larger main pond. I designed the streams and their outflow to create a subtle, but distinct current that ensures the water mixes throughout the entire pond, before returning through the two bottom drains and the two skimmers to the filter.





I have 3 UVC filters the water also flows through as it enters the chamber above the waterfall. Flow rate is extremely important for a UV filter and if the flow is too swift, there is not enough “dwell time” in the UV filter tube where the water is exposed to UVC. I use 3 - 40 watt UV filters. They are designed for an optimum flow of 1500-2000 GPH ea. At the lower end you actually get a bit of a sterilizer effect, helping to kill off possible bad bacteria that could effect the Koi. So I split the flow into 4 going into the waterfall chamber. ¼ of the flow goes into each of three UV filters, and ¼ goes into the pre-waterfall chamber directly. So in effect, I have about 1500 GPH going through each of the UV filters. During the first two years of getting a new pond established, this is a great way to eliminate problems with the green water algae blooms that are otherwise inevitable. I do not have these turned on in the winter months at all. And now, with the pond finally established, I really don’t use them much at all. But they helped tremendously, especially the first year.

I couldn’t be more pleased with the way the entire filtration system is working. June this year marked the 2 year anniversary filling the pond. So I do now consider it fully established. This summer, with record high temperatures and 100°+ days, the pond remains completely clear, with fish and turtles thriving.

I’m sure there are filters systems now that are much less time consuming to clean. I do spend, in peak summer, about 1 ½ hours a week cleaning the filter pads and trimming back roots. Some of the new filters are more a pool type filter, that you just backflush for the weekly maintenance. However, I am reluctant to try something when I know what works so well for me. I would like to find something less maintenance intensive for the long term, but then the high pressure pumps and energy consumption that Comes with that also concerns me. For now it is an ongoing research project I am keeping my ear to the ground and see if something intrigues me enough to perhaps convert. I know what I have now works. Works really well. And we really enjoy our pond!


Next up… Building the pond shell, with windows and making waterproof.


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## KevinGG (Aug 10, 2017)

Markw84 said:


> I thought I would put in filter design here. It could go anywhere in the chronology as every step of the way requires attention to different elements the filtration will require.
> 
> 
> FILTRATION!
> ...



Amazing thread Mark. Going to do some research on those pumps. Running 5 ponds right now so those would be a great help.


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## Fredkas (Aug 11, 2017)

Man!! one of the best thing in my life is found tfo and you are one of the members!!!


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## Markw84 (Aug 12, 2017)

KevinGG said:


> Amazing thread Mark. Going to do some research on those pumps. Running 5 ponds right now so those would be a great help.


Kevin. I really like these pumps for ponds when you don't need high pressure. I'm constantly on the lookout for the most efficient pumps and have never seen anything that comes close to these for GPH / watt and for running 24/7 for 20 yrs + trouble free.


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## nuzul arief (Aug 22, 2017)

Woww just Woww.. what a palace..


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## wellington (Aug 22, 2017)

This is so amazing. Just love it. What a great place to have a staycation, every single day!


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## christykindness (Oct 1, 2017)

Markw84 said:


> I've had requests to show how I built the "Turtle and Tortoise Resort" and detail how such a large DIY project was actually done. I thought since it was so involved, and so many different things were done, that it would be boring. But the suggestions was that those who were interested could follow, others can certainly ignore. So here we go. It will be over several posts and a long journey.
> 
> We moved from Oakdale two years ago now. We wanted to downsize a bit, but mostly wanted to be close to Brenda’s work and most of the grandkids who lived in the Sacramento area. We live in our backyard more than in the house and I created a great place we enjoyed immensely. So I knew, with the move, I was undertaking a big project to make something we could enjoy as we were accustomed to. I had lived in Oakdale 17 years and had ½ acre so room for a nice yard, pool, pond, and large tortoise area. From the patio you could see the pond with another sunken patio there, and behind that the tortoise area.
> 
> ...


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## christykindness (Oct 1, 2017)

exactly my thought!! how did you move them? can't wait to read on!


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## Gattu N'Coco (Dec 22, 2017)

I haven't seen anything like this in my life.. can I send my torts there.. they'll be healthy af. It's a paradise man. Hats off.[emoji108]


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## NorCal tortoise guy (Jan 19, 2018)

Very impressive!!


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## Michael Malone (Jan 20, 2018)

Very cool!


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## Paschendale52 (Jun 13, 2021)

Every so often I'll check back up on this to see if the last step is there for water proofing and such. Its a beautiful setup and I'd love to see the finale.


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## Sleppo (Jun 16, 2021)

Markw84 said:


> I've had requests to show how I built the "Turtle and Tortoise Resort" and detail how such a large DIY project was actually done. I thought since it was so involved, and so many different things were done, that it would be boring. But the suggestions was that those who were interested could follow, others can certainly ignore. So here we go. It will be over several posts and a long journey.
> 
> We moved from Oakdale two years ago now. We wanted to downsize a bit, but mostly wanted to be close to Brenda’s work and most of the grandkids who lived in the Sacramento area. We live in our backyard more than in the house and I created a great place we enjoyed immensely. So I knew, with the move, I was undertaking a big project to make something we could enjoy as we were accustomed to. I had lived in Oakdale 17 years and had ½ acre so room for a nice yard, pool, pond, and large tortoise area. From the patio you could see the pond with another sunken patio there, and behind that the tortoise area.
> 
> ...


WOW! Both of your houses look like somewhere I want to vacation to! Incredible work both are beautiful.


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