Help creating a turtle pond in Charleston SC for local wild box turtles that visit my yard often

[Darthnater]

This is my first time ever doing anything like this. I have the pond dug, it's 570 gallons or right now, I will probably enlarge it some too. There's a deeper portion in the middle that's 2 feet right now maybe make it 3, and the 9ftx7ft rest of the pond is about a foot and has some sloping beach areas. It will be heavily planted, layer of dirt and sand on top. I plan to get rocks for some areas too. It will get morning sun and shade later in the day. I will expand it a little from what's in the picture, so it has a central deep area that is 2-3 feet deep, a ring around that which is 1-2 feet deep, and another shallower portion that slopes up to a "beach" so they can rest on the bottom with their heads out.

I will have small fish, freshwater grass shrimp, local snails. I have a pump that I would like to feed into a natural bog filter inside a barrel or something but that may be a project for later, for now I may just pump the water through some filter media and up to a downhill stream. I am wondering what would be a good local turtle to introduce that will get along with the box turtles that visit my yard. Also any other suggestions on how I can improve my design or something I should add is appreciated.

 

[Ink]

@DoubleD1996! Might be able to help you

 

[Yvonne G]

... or @mark1

 

[Darthnater]

Thank you both for the tip.

 

[Tim Carlisle]

I really miss living in Chasn and seeing all the wild eastern box turtles...especially the babies. I always had to thoroughly inspect my yard before running the mower.

 

[Paschendale52]

I would definitely go to 3' in the middle. At 2' birds and racoons and such have pretty good access.

 

[Darthnater]

I really miss living in Chasn and seeing all the wild eastern box turtles...especially the babies. I always had to thoroughly inspect my yard before running the mower.

I was moving some firewood yesterday and saw a momma and a baby hiding under a log.

 

[Ink]

I was moving some firewood yesterday and saw a momma and a baby hiding under a log.

Did you get a picture?

 

[ryan57]

The main thing is the liner. The best would be EPDM with HDPE under it on top of underlayment. I went cheap because mine is 1500 gallons or so so I have foam insulation over the dirt then harbor freight blankets and the liner on top with no rocks. No turtles with scratchy nails though. That's why EPDM is best. It's the material that flat roofs are made of and very durable. I'm not finished stacking the rocks and I needed to get the fish out of the basement and in the sun or I'd have photos. Final photos later and it will look absolutely awesome. It's about 16' long x 5' average with 4' depth 5x5 at the bottom and 250 gallon bog filter. Our guest eastern box turtle goes in and out of it currently and it will be gated off to keep tortoises out! Please be kind. If course this is temporary but the fish are absolutely loving it. Getting the electrical in and the pond dug out and fish in it were the focus.


Now... filters... you are absolutely right on about the bog filter. On this build I used a preformed pond liner and filled it with water lettuce. Those plants are AMAZING!!

A couple of years ago I built a skimmer out of a garbage can that had some mechanical filtration that went to the pump and the surface tension of the water kept all surface debris gone. I was going to do the same and still may end up doing that but the water lettuce keeps the water very, very nice. I decided against the bottom drain and am happy now that I didn't.

The most important tip - wherever the pump returns to the bog filter make a Venturi. Same principle in salt water tanks for the protein skimmer. Puncture the hose/tube or PVC and insert an air tube cut at a 45degree angle. It provides much needed oxygen to the flowing water with no additional parts or energy.