I'm Exhausted

[DoubleD1996!]

It's been brutally hot, but I had to get a few projects done for winter prep. I hate scrambling at the last minute, and I still have indoor stuff to figure out.
It took me three days to build this enclosure, and I still have a few things to do.

Digging this pond was a nightmare. My entire neighborhood used to be farmland owned by the farmers mother next door. I've never seen so many rocks, and some antique bottles.

I moved all the dirt into brumation boxes.



I still suck at Digging ponds, but at least I didn't break the shovel.

I'm arguably worst with liners

Rinsing the sand did not help(hour btw)


Put in a plant to cycle things

Filled her up, so clear btw

Tossed in some shrimp and mosquito fish

And matten filtration( but I don't think the turtles will let it stand).

Still much to be done, but at least a head start.

 

[wellington]

A pond is hard work. I have done several. The largest was about 4 feet wide and 8-10 feet long, 4 feet deep at the deepest part. I wasn't good at doing it either. Could never get the gradual slope I wanted. But my fish didn't care and neither did the one turtle. I too found buried bricks, bottles, rocks. My house was a brick and whoever built it, buried the left over materials.

 

[DoubleD1996!]

A pond is hard work. I have done several. The largest was about 4 feet wide and 8-10 feet long, 4 feet deep at the deepest part. I wasn't good at doing it either. Could never get the gradual slope I wanted. But my fish didn't care and neither did the one turtle. I too found buried bricks, bottles, rocks. My house was a brick and whoever built it, buried the left over materials.

It's definitely tough without some sort of machinery, but it is satisfying doing it by hand.

 

[wellington]

It's definitely tough without some sort of machinery, but it is satisfying doing it by hand.

Yes it sure is.

 

[mark1]

once it's established it'll look great....lot of work setting it up, but setup right and the maintenance work is easy, and the turtles do so much better outside............getting ready for winter here too.... today i had to get some roots out of an undergravel filter, thankfully it was one i had a removable access door.......... we had a daytime hot 3 week drought, the roots were sucking up 10-15 gallons of water a day, was hard to keep up with........

 

[Moozillion]

It's been brutally hot, but I had to get a few projects done for winter prep. I hate scrambling at the last minute, and I still have indoor stuff to figure out.
It took me three days to build this enclosure, and I still have a few things to do.
View attachment 395355
Digging this pond was a nightmare. My entire neighborhood used to be farmland owned by the farmers mother next door. I've never seen so many rocks, and some antique bottles.
View attachment 395356
I moved all the dirt into brumation boxes.

View attachment 395358
View attachment 395359
I still suck at Digging ponds, but at least I didn't break the shovel.
View attachment 395360
I'm arguably worst with liners
View attachment 395362
Rinsing the sand did not help(hour btw)
View attachment 395363
View attachment 395364
Put in a plant to cycle things
View attachment 395365
Filled her up, so clear btw
View attachment 395367
Tossed in some shrimp and mosquito fish
View attachment 395369
And matten filtration( but I don't think the turtles will let it stand).
View attachment 395370
Still much to be done, but at least a head start.

WOW!!! What a job! Well done, you!

 

[DoubleD1996!]

WOW!!! What a job! Well done, you!

Why thank you!

 

[NorCal tortoise guy]

Looking nice! Are your walls garage door panels?? I love repurposing materials!

 

[jeff kushner]

I love the reused garage door panels....brilliant!

 

[DoubleD1996!]

Looking nice! Are your walls garage door panels?? I love repurposing materials!

Yep. Always trying to find a way to save a buck.

 

[DoubleD1996!]

I love the reused garage door panels....brilliant!

Thanks!

 

[isotyph]

This is gorgeous! I wish I lived in a climate that allowed my red ear to live outside longer term.

 

[DoubleD1996!]

This is gorgeous! I wish I lived in a climate that allowed my red ear to live outside longer term.

They're an invasive species in Canada. So it may be possible.

 

[isotyph]

They're an invasive species in Canada. So it may be possible.

Can definitely keep my girl outside during the summer but have to keep her indoors during the winter- temperatures get down to -45 c on some chilly winter days here. There’s allegedly a population of RES in a local lake but I’d be nervous with a man made pond and those temps

 

[DoubleD1996!]

Can definitely keep my girl outside during the summer but have to keep her indoors during the winter- temperatures get down to -45 c on some chilly winter days here. There’s allegedly a population of RES in a local lake but I’d be nervous with a man made pond and those temps

I hear you. Might be worth looking into next year. You dig a few feet below tge frost line, set it up right, and uts smooth sailing.