FALLING WATER, VORTICES, and PHYSICS

[Mmathis]

On the drive back from MS yesterday, I entertained myself by "designing" a feature on a little drawing game on my DSI. Had an idea, but not the artists skills to make it look 3-D. I'll try to download the pic later.

Anyway.... It sounds good when I think it, but since there seem to be so many on this forum with physics & engineering, thought you could help me.

OK, basic design: think of MICKEY MOUSE, but move his ears so that the 3 circles are in line. The 2 smaller circles on each end will be for my box turtles (false bottoms), and the larger, center circle will be "the pond" for some goldies & plants. All 3 will be connected as a single body of water but with a yet-to-be-determined physical barrier that will keep the turts isolated to their turtle-safe areas.

The central pond will have the depth (will try for 3' min.). Each "end" pond will be shallower, but will have a [sharp?] slant toward the deeper area so the poop can flow that way. Want to do a waterfall at the rear of the central area. If, instead of cascading water, I had wondered if where the water exiting the filter split into 2 little streams coming down in a slight curve mimicking the inside roundness of that pond. Would the water from each stream, as it circled around (one clock-wise & one counter), if it would have a vortex action and "help" the water to flow from each of the end areas?

 

[HARO]

Why not have the returns emptying into the 'ears', as that way the water flow will help to 'flush' the turtle areas into the center pond. John

 

[Mmathis]

Haro -- Not a bad idea! But think I recall reading somewhere that boxies aren't fond of too much moving water. Can you help me envision a way for maybe a 3-way, with a slower flow out the "ears?"

 

[fishin4cars]

Make the ears a bog, this way the gravel would serve as the filter, the plants in the bog will help clean out nitrates, the water coming up through the gravel would be slow and shallow providing perfect habitat fo rthe turtle to wade and drink and it would serve as the filter for the pond spilling over into the fish area. Also you would have to check and make sure what plants are safe for the turtles to eat but several people have tried different plants in bogs and I think you could find some that would grow that would provide a good food sourse for you boxies at the same time. The pond with this slower flow rate would be perfect for water lily's, and make a perfect habitat for large fancy goldfish. Koi might would work with out the plants in the primary pond but the pond would meed to be fairly large. If you stay with gold fish a 1000-2000 gallon pond would be plenty big for a good size group of fish but it could also be scaled down to 300 gallon pond for one or two nice fish. I would still consider designing a good pre-filter of some type, On the other threads a settling chamber is mentioned, could work, but as discussed there a sieve filter or other prefilter that would remove as much solid before the bog as possible would help maintain better water quality.

 

[Mmathis]

Can a bog have the same liner as the pond, but just have a bottom of gravel/rocks? Would that work? If I've been reading the articles right, I get the impression that when constructing a bog, you only extend the pond's liner a little bit into the bog area. I would like for everything to be lined.

 

[HARO]

The bog would have to be lined to avoid water loss to the surrounding soil, and preferably in a single piece with the pond. A question of my own; I've never kept box or land turtles (tortoises?) but my red-ears shed large scutes as they grow, and I immagine your boxies do too?? If so, you'll need some way to avoid these cast-off segments plugging your pump intake and/or piping; some kind of pre-filter or large screen. John

 

[Mmathis]

OH, I'M SO EXCITED!! I finally got on the "big computer" and gave myself an AVATAR! That's "Baby Bomber," taken last year. This year his facial coloring is more distinct!

You know, other people have mentioned their water turts losing scutes, but I really don't know about boxies. I'm sure they do (afterall they're reptiles who have to GROW), but since they are mostly on the land, guess theirs would become part of the soil and I'd never see them. Have never noticed anything like that in their water, and I have looked .....

 

[Mmathis]

Well, just learned another boxie fact!! Box turtles do NOT lose scutes -- they continue to grow with the turtle, and making what look like growth rings.

 

[HARO]

Really??? I would have thought all turtles would shed, much as a snake sheds its skin when it gets too small. Thanks for the info!
John

 

[Mmathis]

I woulda thought so, too! Something to remember next time you need some "reptile trivia!"