Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My neighbor(not the one I'm having problems with) gave me a pond she got at K-Mart. It's above ground, stone-look inspired and is about 25 gallons. I installed it in the main box turtle pen and they love it. They have no problem getting in and out of it, and immediately started soaking in it.

would you happen to have a picture?

Not yet, it was just given to me today. The one female eastern has been soaking in it for hours. The bowl I had in there was almost half the size of the pond, but she likes it better.

nice, i bet they do like the new always fresh and clean water. Just a tip for a new pond set up, did you add some dirty pond or aquarium water to get it cycled quickly with the nitrification bacteria? If not you will want to do that, otherwise it will take quite some time to cycle and go thru spikes of ammonia and nitrite which are toxic to fish and probably not good for turles either. This summer when I get a chance I want to put cinder blocks around my pond area to use as a day pen.

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Jeff Benfer

1.0 pastel Python regius
1.1 mojave Python regius
0.1 normal Python regius
1.3 Terrapene carolina thriunguis
2.3 Terrapene carolina carolina
4.1 Kinosternon baurii
1.1 Malaclemys terrapin terrapin
2.2 double het albino and anerythristicThamnophis sirtalis parietalis
1.0 anerythristic Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis
2.2 Iowa snow Thamnophis radix
0.2 het Christmas albino Thamnophis radix
1.1 double het cherry erythristic, albino Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis
1.1 melanistic Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis
1.1 triple heterozygous for amelanistic,carmel, and stripe Pantherophis guttatus
0.1 anerythristic motley Pantherophis guttatus
0.1 Okeetee Pantherophis guttatus

I didn't even think of that. I'll add some water from the tank inside though. They've been loving the setup. I came home for lunch at about 11:00 today and the ornate was sitting under the waterfall area of the pond. Then I got off work early today at about 2:30 and the ornate was still under there. I'm thinking, maybe I could add some crawfish and misquitofish to the pond once it sets up entirely? Crawfish and misquitofish are a favorite of my boxies.

Thanks, Cliff

Actually, you'd be better off putting some dirty blue pad or other pre-filter type material (think sponges in your fiters, etc.) in a carbon bag or even a pair pantyhose or something and throw it in the new pond. Water really doesn't hold the bacteria load you need to cycle a new tank/pond quickly. You can also use gravel from an established tank, but would need a lot of it to help cycle a pond.

The easiest way is to use a dirty pre-filter when you go to clean out your tanks.

Yes, true the dirty filter or pantyhose full of established gravel works very well too, but if you gravel clean syphon with a python when you are taking out water there is more than plenty of detritus and bacteria in that water, I have set up many, many new tanks and ponds with that and a sprinkle of gravel. And if you take dirty water from an established pond you will get all that plus the benifitial algae and microinvertebrates, again you can syphon some of the scum of the bottom to get more that enough detritus and benificial bacteria. A must if you want crayfish and mosquito fish, it will also help to handle the poop load of the turtles.
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Jeff Benfer

1.0 pastel Python regius
1.1 mojave Python regius
0.1 normal Python regius
1.3 Terrapene carolina thriunguis
2.3 Terrapene carolina carolina
4.1 Kinosternon baurii
1.1 Malaclemys terrapin terrapin
2.2 double het albino and anerythristicThamnophis sirtalis parietalis
1.0 anerythristic Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis
2.2 Iowa snow Thamnophis radix
0.2 het Christmas albino Thamnophis radix
1.1 double het cherry erythristic, albino Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis
1.1 melanistic Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis
1.1 triple heterozygous for amelanistic,carmel, and stripe Pantherophis guttatus
0.1 anerythristic motley Pantherophis guttatus
0.1 Okeetee Pantherophis guttatus

You know what, you're exactly right. I must have glossed over where you typed "dirty" water. I wasn't thinking you meant dirty as in syphoning up from the gravel. That would work very well, especially, like you said, if taken from a pond or even an aquarium with live plants that probably has snails and their eggs all in the gravel. Both ways work well.

And yes the gravel in the pantyhose works well too, my old fishbreeding buddies and I used to use that method when we were being stingy about wanting to get the gravel back into the old tank and not have to replace it Then we found it work just as well to get that filthy gravel cleaned water and use it, the only problem is it looks like hell for a day with all that detritus floating around and some people complain because they want instant gratification beauty tanks, but when the detritus settles the water is crystal clear and safe and that is the important thing IMHO.
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Jeff Benfer

1.0 pastel Python regius
1.1 mojave Python regius
0.1 normal Python regius
1.3 Terrapene carolina thriunguis
2.3 Terrapene carolina carolina
4.1 Kinosternon baurii
1.1 Malaclemys terrapin terrapin
2.2 double het albino and anerythristicThamnophis sirtalis parietalis
1.0 anerythristic Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis
2.2 Iowa snow Thamnophis radix
0.2 het Christmas albino Thamnophis radix
1.1 double het cherry erythristic, albino Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis
1.1 melanistic Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis
1.1 triple heterozygous for amelanistic,carmel, and stripe Pantherophis guttatus
0.1 anerythristic motley Pantherophis guttatus
0.1 Okeetee Pantherophis guttatus

No doubt. I serviced aquariums for six years and we always did the gravel or prefilter thing, probably like you said, b/c we couldn't leave a customer's house with the tank and water looking like hell.

Nawh, you'd get an earfull about all the floating turds, and be acused of making it cloudier and worse than it was after they initially set up the tank themselves wrong and didn't cycle it and killed all of the expencive first round of fish, which wouldn't have happened if they would have trusted and called in you "the pro" in the first place, been there?
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Jeff Benfer

1.0 pastel Python regius
1.1 mojave Python regius
0.1 normal Python regius
1.3 Terrapene carolina thriunguis
2.3 Terrapene carolina carolina
4.1 Kinosternon baurii
1.1 Malaclemys terrapin terrapin
2.2 double het albino and anerythristicThamnophis sirtalis parietalis
1.0 anerythristic Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis
2.2 Iowa snow Thamnophis radix
0.2 het Christmas albino Thamnophis radix
1.1 double het cherry erythristic, albino Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis
1.1 melanistic Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis
1.1 triple heterozygous for amelanistic,carmel, and stripe Pantherophis guttatus
0.1 anerythristic motley Pantherophis guttatus
0.1 Okeetee Pantherophis guttatus

Excuse me if you answered this before...
I thought that I had seen this photo before, searched for it but could not find...in my dreams, I asked this question:
In the background, there are some large plastic cans connected by pipe or tubing. Is this a water cleaner?
Looks intriguing.
Thanks
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Patsy

Actually Patsi, I believe I posted that on the toad forum, with a springtime toad and frog story from this spring.
Anyway to answer your question those half sunk in the ground plastic garbage cans are a homemade rain water catch basins. I attached them togather with PVC piping and PVC glue just like you would plumb for the drain pipes in your house. The rain water comes down the evespout into the first garbage can them when it fills up the water overflows into the second can and then into the third and then finally into the 4" tile that I trenched all the way to the back of the yard by the woods. If we get about 2/10 inch rain it fills them up about 135 gallons or so of nice soft rain water, to be used for plants, since I have hard well water. Some of the neighbors think it is really neat, and some don't come out and say it but I think they see it as an eye sore but it does work well.
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Jeff Benfer

1.0 pastel Python regius
1.1 mojave Python regius
0.1 normal Python regius
1.3 Terrapene carolina thriunguis
2.3 Terrapene carolina carolina
4.1 Kinosternon baurii
1.1 Malaclemys terrapin terrapin
2.2 double het albino and anerythristicThamnophis sirtalis parietalis
1.0 anerythristic Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis
2.2 Iowa snow Thamnophis radix
0.2 het Christmas albino Thamnophis radix
1.1 double het cherry erythristic, albino Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis
1.1 melanistic Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis
1.1 triple heterozygous for amelanistic,carmel, and stripe Pantherophis guttatus
0.1 anerythristic motley Pantherophis guttatus
0.1 Okeetee Pantherophis guttatus

I'm very jealous of that setup. Being a green thumb without gutters, I look forward to the day when I do so I can collect rain water. It's so valuable. Do you keep a little powerhead in the cans to keep the water moving to ward off mosquitos, or do you use it pretty quickly?

Thanks for the reply about the system. Amazing how little rain generates that much water!
I keep 100 gallon plastic old liquid detergent barrels under my gutter leaks.

What is a powerhead?
My mosquito control amounts to guppies. It is warm enough for them to be out all year round. The water lilies provide a little safety net against overflow and washing them all away. I probably feed a few to the ground scavengers, but they do survive.
Most of the gutter off the front of my house all goes into a large pipe that sends it into a pond. Not pretty but effective. I have smaller, short plant containers (without drainage) filled with fish & plants that water the dogs & chickens.

We are in a drought (who is not this year?) and even a slight shower will fill things back up.
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Patsy

Patsy, a powerhead is just another term for a water pump. Anything from a small pump you put in a fish tank for circulation to a Mag-drive or other kind of pond pump. It's just a generic term used in the aquarium industry.

Thanks Curtis.
I have a few of those.
Ya learn something new...
I only use them occasionally.
Mostly, I try to balance the ecosystem and it seems to work.
We are in a severe drought (so is everybody?) and I am occasionally adding water.
So, I guess I should pay more attention this summer.
Usually there is enough rain to flush, etc.
I think a bullfrog has moved into my large pond.

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Patsy

ps the picture is from the last one to move into the pond.
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Patsy

Actually Curtis the garbage cans have the lids wired on and the PVC tubes are water tight so no mosquitoes get in and lay, it' never been a problem. I just take the lid off and either put this little water pump with hose attached down in the water and pump it out or for small jobs I just dip the watering can in and fill it up.
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Jeff Benfer

1.0 pastel Python regius
1.1 mojave Python regius
0.1 normal Python regius
1.3 Terrapene carolina thriunguis
2.3 Terrapene carolina carolina
4.1 Kinosternon baurii
1.1 Malaclemys terrapin terrapin
2.2 double het albino and anerythristicThamnophis sirtalis parietalis
1.0 anerythristic Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis
2.2 Iowa snow Thamnophis radix
0.2 het Christmas albino Thamnophis radix
1.1 double het cherry erythristic, albino Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis
1.1 melanistic Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis
1.1 triple heterozygous for amelanistic,carmel, and stripe Pantherophis guttatus
0.1 anerythristic motley Pantherophis guttatus
0.1 Okeetee Pantherophis guttatus

I was thinking maybe a sock full of gravel from an established tank. I have so many established tanks at my house that its unreal. I have the main tank with African Cichlids, then a network of tanks along the wall that my father had set up a year ago when he kept and bred oscars at my house. Half of those tanks are still set up with water, gravel, ect, but have no fish in them. The other half still has the gravel and rocks and artificial plants in them, but no water.

Sounds like you need to be introduced to craigslist Make some money, clear some room!

I need to do something about all the tanks. As of right now, its serving one purpose: I was given some mud turtles about 4 months ago, and they're in one of the tanks. I was going to bring the entire thing over to my parents' house, but my father has that 'you're not bringing any of your damn animals to my house' attitude. The only animal he allows at his house is my boxer and my chihuahuas, on occasions.

I was going to suggest water turtles, specifically mud or diamondback terrapins if you have big tanks to fill, both species are a delight to watch, they are like little puppies.
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Jeff Benfer

1.0 pastel Python regius
1.1 mojave Python regius
0.1 normal Python regius
1.3 Terrapene carolina thriunguis
2.3 Terrapene carolina carolina
4.1 Kinosternon baurii
1.1 Malaclemys terrapin terrapin
2.2 double het albino and anerythristicThamnophis sirtalis parietalis
1.0 anerythristic Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis
2.2 Iowa snow Thamnophis radix
0.2 het Christmas albino Thamnophis radix
1.1 double het cherry erythristic, albino Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis
1.1 melanistic Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis
1.1 triple heterozygous for amelanistic,carmel, and stripe Pantherophis guttatus
0.1 anerythristic motley Pantherophis guttatus
0.1 Okeetee Pantherophis guttatus

I had the oppurtunity to get some 2 inch diamondback terrapins from a friend of mine who has a pet store in Alabama. I turned it down though, mainly because I've heard they are incredibly hard to care for though. I use to have cooters, sliders, maps and snappers in my pond in the backyard up until 2007 when something mutilated half of them. I gave the remaining ones to a friend of mine, a reptile wholesaler actually, who has several large breeding ponds. I only have the muds because someone gave them to me.

1 tablespoon of corralife sea salt per 10 gallon with every water change and feed a mix of Reptomin, Wardleys, and HBH , with occational krill treat and no problems. That is more or less still freshwater not brackish and yet enough salt to keep their bodies happy and keep fungus away, it worked 15yrs ago and still does today, never have had a problem with diamondbacks using that formula. They are one of the most intelligent turtles with tons and tons of personality, right up there with boxies.
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Jeff Benfer

1.0 pastel Python regius
1.1 mojave Python regius
0.1 normal Python regius
1.3 Terrapene carolina thriunguis
2.3 Terrapene carolina carolina
4.1 Kinosternon baurii
1.1 Malaclemys terrapin terrapin
2.2 double het albino and anerythristicThamnophis sirtalis parietalis
1.0 anerythristic Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis
2.2 Iowa snow Thamnophis radix
0.2 het Christmas albino Thamnophis radix
1.1 double het cherry erythristic, albino Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis
1.1 melanistic Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis
1.1 triple heterozygous for amelanistic,carmel, and stripe Pantherophis guttatus
0.1 anerythristic motley Pantherophis guttatus
0.1 Okeetee Pantherophis guttatus