First off, Elvis, the desert wonder tortoise is alive and active! Now, I am building an outdoor pond for (what I am planning for) one or two FEMALE red-eared sliders. The pond will be incorporated into my desert tortoise garden yet the two breeds will not be able to see each other, so in essence will be able to cohabitate without really cohabitating (Does that make any sense?) To my question, the pond is fairly large (10' x 6' Average) and at its deepest point 3'. It will be lined with EPDM with gradual shelves staircasing up the exterior walls. I will have larger boulders and rocks along the staircases. My question is, should I ballast the bottom of the pond with a sand, river pebbles or gravel? Or just leave the EPDM exposed?
What to put over pond lining
- Thread starter Elvis Fan
- Start date
DoubleD1996!
Well-Known Member
I'd put gravel or sand at the bottom. My red ears like to forage and they tend to scratch at the bottom.
Mr @Markw84 might have some good tips!
I would suggest no substrate. The issue is that debris continually will collect between rock, in sand, gravel etc and create a real maintenance problem. The trapped debris will overwhelm the filtering and ease intricate levels way too high. With a bare bottom I never have to clean the pond - just the filter
Make some rock caves and pit in some potted aquatic plants. I use elephant ear for great cover.
Make some rock caves and pit in some potted aquatic plants. I use elephant ear for great cover.
I have a large galvanized water trough. . . either 300 or 600 gallons (I can never remember which). . . and a dinner plate size snapper lives in there. Because I had in the back of my mind that when they welded the trough together that weld or flux or whatever was toxic, I lined it with heavy duty pond liner. There is no substrate, just the liner, and Snappy has lived in there for several years without tearing the liner.
