Reptile & Amphibian Forums

We live in southern Arizona and want to create an outdoor habitat for our red ear sliders. In the winter it probably gets too cold because our elevation is about 3500 feet and we get lots and lots of hard freezes and usually one or two snows a year.

So I have a nice area around a Eucalyptus tree fenced off. I want to dig a pond, but am unsure what to use to line it. I was thinking about using concrete but that can make the water very alkiline. I'm nervous about using a liner b/c the soil is very rocky. Also the sun is so intense out here that plastics and rubbers literally rot before wood does!

Any ideas?

U could get one of those preformed pond liners. They are very tough. u could also use liner but use the very thick kind. hope it helps

Hi, I live in Southern Az also, at about 3000 feet elev. I have an outdoor pond and stream with small waterfalls. We have had several types of turtles, including red ears, for around 14 years now. We have not had a problem with them. We do not heat the water or pond in any way.

Our pond is a linerpond with a thin layer of concrete over it. The concrete is textured to look like a natural shore of a pond. Thanks F

We live just north of Nogales. Where are you at?

So you dug the hole, placed the liner in there and then placed a little amount of concrete over the liner?

I just want to understand correctly.

Thank you,

Philip

After digging the hole, line it with old carpet as a padding for the liner.

A pond liner will deteriorate due to sunlight, but very slowly. A 45mil liner should last 15-20 years with no problems.

Your pond can be used year round if it is made deep enough and set up in a way that would suffice for koi to survive through the winter in your area. Find out if there are local koi hobbyists who keep their fish in their ponds all year round and mimic them.