FLEX SEAL uses for tortoise keeping

[ZEROPILOT]

Why not just line the box with thick plastic or pond liner?

I've found pond liner to be too slick for a tortoise swimming pool. Also, the black liner heats the water since the pools are only 5" to 10" deep.
If it were a box, I'd use liner or a shower curtain.

 

[PSLIMO]

Zeropilot,

If you just lay down a layer of fiberglass cloth before you wet it out with the epoxy resin it will last years if you prepare the surface below it.

The cloth will also add grit for your tortoise when he's getting out of the pond

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Zeropilot,

If you just lay down a layer of fiberglass cloth before you wet it out with the epoxy resin it will last years if you prepare the surface below it.

The cloth will also add grit for your tortoise when he's getting out of the pond

I'd added gravel to the resin in the past.
Next time I'm going to bust up the pools and start again from scratch.
As soon as my back will allow....which might be a while.
But I'm done with Flex Seal

 

[PSLIMO]

Zeropilot,

Since you're already familiar with resin, use it as intended and put a layer or two of fiberglass cloth down and wet it out with the resin. The cloth is cheap and you can get it at any of the big box stores. If you make an outer frame you can even free form the pond with the cloth. Once the resin is cured it's solid and tortoise proof.

 

[lynnefay]

Ok
It really feels good on that cement.
It feels just like what it is...A rubber lined pond.
I tossed in some mosquito fish. They lived. I consulted the garden pond forum. It's been used for a bunch of ornamental pond applications successfully. And with fishes and turtles.
Everything I can find about it says it's "food grade and non toxic" when dry.
And that it is 100% safe for use with animals...however, its NOT intended for use with human drinking water containers. Just "animals".
I'm thinking that's a knee jerk reaction to protect them from lawsuits from some idiot drinking it to cure an ulcer, etc.
The descriptions of being food grade. Then not safe for humans is funny.
I'm pretty sure that the Redfoot that walked around in it ingested some while still very wet. She was covered in it.
She's fine, too.

wait....it is NOT going to cure my ulcer?1? lol
i know this post is old, but thank you. i am building a huge indoor redfoot enclosure this weekend, 1/3 done
2 years in, are your torts ok? how did it hold up?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Zeropilot,

Since you're already familiar with resin, use it as intended and put a layer or two of fiberglass cloth down and wet it out with the resin. The cloth is cheap and you can get it at any of the big box stores. If you make an outer frame you can even free form the pond with the cloth. Once the resin is cured it's solid and tortoise proof.
View attachment 321160

I've had nothing but problems with any of my fiberglass projects. They delaminate and break down in the Florida sunlight eventually

 

[ZEROPILOT]

wait....it is NOT going to cure my ulcer?1? lol
i know this post is old, but thank you. i am building a huge indoor redfoot enclosure this weekend, 1/3 done
2 years in, are your torts ok? how did it hold up?

Simply put:
FLEX SEAL sucks.
It falls apart into rubbery particles and pieces and creates a nightmare to re seal.
However...
It MIGHT work if you end up using it UNDER some substrate. It's the tortoises nails, etc that start the process by cutting and ripping the cured material. Once that begins, it's quickly over.
If it stays 100% intact, it could last indefinitely. But I can't say for sure and it's pretty expensive in bulk.
Technically the FLEX SEAL is still sealing. The pools are still holding water. But at least 40% of the FLEX SEAL is missing. Every few days I take a few chunks out of that pen when I feed Julio. (My lone male RF)
It looks terrible. But I've been unable and/or unwilling to re do the pools yet. And I haven't decided on what to use

 

[lynnefay]

mine would be coating pine, under substrate, just for cleaning etc. not to hold their water. i'll have to think on that. thank you for the update.
also, not sure how big your ponds are. but have you thought of using those black tubs for mixing cement? sunk into the ground? pretty cheap at home depot. they are like mini stock tanks. i put river rock on the bottom for ease of getting in and out and to prevent drowning. they look pretty neat. and don't leak

 

[lynnefay]

i am going to use beeswax for the interior to protect. silicon outer edge seams. that should keep my substrate in.

 

[jeff kushner]

Thanks Z for the followup post on how badly it worked. I'm sorry that you invested so much, for naught.

That is some very expensive stuff so if it doesn't work perfectly, I'd not waste my $$ on it.

On a plus note, I've used their tape to hold and seal, with the aid of the rubber upper from a boot and cut vertically, to hold and seal my discharge terracotta crock on my septic tank. It's been there for several years already!