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I'm about to line a shallow (6-8" deep), 8x5 pool for my Burmese tortoise group to use as their water source (this species sits in water for hours or days). Can someone recommend what sort of cement mix to use ? I am confused with so many grades and types at Home Depot. I know I need to apply a sealer to waterproof it, and also cure it. It's shallow and in a warm climate, and I am using a wire reinforcement for the cement, plus a drain.

thanks for any advice.

Just look for Waterproof Concrete mix than you won't have to seal it. Also you should line the hole or foundation of the concrete poll with gravel. Exspecially if your area is prone to freezing temperatures.

Another option are plastic liners, and I would recommend reading a pond how to book to get you started.

Good Luck
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Jeremy

"I am become death, the destroyer of worlds" July 16, 1945 Robert Oppenheimer

1.1 Double Het "Sharp" Snow RTB's
1.1 Hypomelenistic RTB's
0.2 Pastel Hypo RTB's
2.0 Double Het Stripe Albino RTB's
0.1 Suriname RTB
0.1 Anerthrystic RTB
0.0.10 Red Bearded Dragons
1.1 Rhinoceros Iguana's
1.0 Green Iguana
1.0 Ball Python
1.1 Cream Golden Retrieviers
1.0 Pomeriaian
0.2 Catus Terribilis
0.1 Spouse
1.0 Child -coming soon-

As far as what tpye of concrete to use, look on the labels, any thing saying anything about containing VOC's, stay away from... Portland Cement mix is a good bet, so is the quick crete line ( yah just gotta know where exactly you want it with that stuff, it hardens really fast... ) After you lay your concrete, wet cure it, ( cover with paper towel or burlap in your case due to the size of your project ) and allow the water to cycle for around 30 days. I contacted the Quick-crete head office, and they said after 30 days all the chemicals will leach out of the concrete. Once the 30 days is up, then seal and re-cycle the water... change the water out weekly so the chemicals don't build up in the pond, I know with a project the size your talking about, that's not gonna be fun!! Any ways... best of luck... hope this helped...

Yes I realize my project that I posted is no where near the size of yours... but I have help build coy pond and turtle ponds as well, and used the same technique...

And when in doubt... test the water... any good fish store will have all the testing kits you'll ever need to make sure it's safe for your aquatically dependant friends...

thanks for that advice. This pond is actually replacing a larger (12x8) deeper pond that was soft-linered and had many turtles annd bullfrogs (which bred in the pond) over the past 8 years - but raccons would trash the pond, eat the lillies and sometimes turtles and frogs, every few months and I just sick of that. This new version is really just an oversized birdbath for my larger tortoises to sit in and soak.