Mmathis
TurtleMommy
- Joined
- Apr 28, 2011
- Messages
- 14,292
- Reaction score
- 8,341
- Location
- NW Louisiana -- zone 8b
- Hardiness Zone
- 8b
- Country
I may have just solved my search for a material for the false bottom. My "turtle blog "!!! 
My choices were:
1 -- make a bog filter -- that's what I'll eventually convert the "turtle" section to, as I 100% like the idea. But being a pond newb, I'm finding that just doing the basic pond stuff is a little intimidating & overwhelming for now. Gotta get my feet wet, first (pun intended ).
2 -- possible materials for false bottom.
egg crate -- isn't UV resistant, so not usable
grass pavers -- a product that you put on the ground in high-use areas -- the grass can grow through it, cars can drive over it, it comes as snap-together 24" x 24" sections, AND is UV resistant, made of EPDM rubber like the pond liners -- cool stuff -- but not too cost effective (maybe later, but not right now), and just came up with....
vinyl garden trellis panels! These are made for outdoor use, are pretty rigid (which I want), and are affordable. They make one designed for privacy that has smaller holes. I will be fitting sheets of craft mesh on top of it so the poop can still sink to the bottom, but will be a better surface for little turtle feet
Easy to cut-to-size (to fit the enclosure space), but think this style only avail. in white (was hoping for a dark color so it would blend in) and isn't paintable. Oh well....
Then, was going to have flat rocks in place on top of the false bottom. I wanted to make my own. Found some of the little plastic flower pot saucers that you put under you planters to catch the water runoff. They come in 4" up to whatever size you need. The pattern on the bottom, if cast in cement/mortar would actually be little channels -- the channels would keep poop from collecting on top of them.
I could keep searching, but getting tired of internet searches, phone calls, & emails -- ready to get this rolling
My choices were:
1 -- make a bog filter -- that's what I'll eventually convert the "turtle" section to, as I 100% like the idea. But being a pond newb, I'm finding that just doing the basic pond stuff is a little intimidating & overwhelming for now. Gotta get my feet wet, first (pun intended
).2 -- possible materials for false bottom.
egg crate -- isn't UV resistant, so not usable
grass pavers -- a product that you put on the ground in high-use areas -- the grass can grow through it, cars can drive over it, it comes as snap-together 24" x 24" sections, AND is UV resistant, made of EPDM rubber like the pond liners -- cool stuff -- but not too cost effective (maybe later, but not right now), and just came up with....
vinyl garden trellis panels! These are made for outdoor use, are pretty rigid (which I want), and are affordable. They make one designed for privacy that has smaller holes. I will be fitting sheets of craft mesh on top of it so the poop can still sink to the bottom, but will be a better surface for little turtle feet
Easy to cut-to-size (to fit the enclosure space), but think this style only avail. in white (was hoping for a dark color so it would blend in) and isn't paintable. Oh well....
Then, was going to have flat rocks in place on top of the false bottom. I wanted to make my own. Found some of the little plastic flower pot saucers that you put under you planters to catch the water runoff. They come in 4" up to whatever size you need. The pattern on the bottom, if cast in cement/mortar would actually be little channels -- the channels would keep poop from collecting on top of them.
I could keep searching, but getting tired of internet searches, phone calls, & emails -- ready to get this rolling
