Indoor enclosure

Anyfoot

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Back ache day today.
Pond is painted.
Started filling in with soil from the back.
I need to do the water features filter system soon, so I can fill in the soil level around the front of pond too. I'll finish the whole enclosure with a layer of topsoil, so I can sow weed and grass seeds in areas.
I've decided to just put 4 to 6" of top soil in the cave areas, hoping they don't lay eggs in there.
Just got my stats today for caves, so I will wire them in soon.
IMG_20160130_160156.jpg IMG_20160130_160136.jpg IMG_20160130_160125.jpg IMG_20160130_160116.jpg IMG_20160130_160226.jpg
 

Lyn W

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Looking great Craig!
So much hard work and love in this project.
Can't wait to see the torts in there.
Does your family remember what you look like?;)
 

kelii

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This project is amazing and very inspirational. Is this in a basement, or it's own building?
 

Anyfoot

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This project is amazing and very inspirational. Is this in a basement, or it's own building?
Its own building, but if you were willing to dedicate the full basement to your torts the same could be accomplished.
 

Anyfoot

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I've now connected all the stats in for the 200watt CHE's in the caves.
I keep gradually hauling the soil in bit by bit.
2 right hand caves now have topsoil in.

I've started on the water feature too.
I decided to use a waterbutt stand upside down for the pump area. I moulded a weir with cement and chicken wire.
Today I connected it all and did my first trial.
There was some water seeping from the sides of the waterfall, only half the weir was lapping water over the edge and right at the front of the pond the water level was to close to the pond edge when I turned the flow up. So I amended all that and will have the 2nd test tomorrow.
The idea is to get enough flow that hopefully the poop will go over the weir into a filter.(filter not yet fitted)
For the waterfall leaks I just moulded cement to create barriers.
For the weir I just sanded it until what I think is correct then repainted it.
For the front of the pond I sanded paint off, applied more cement. When its dried I will sand it again then re-paint.

If you look at the video of 1st trial you can see my errors, this was with the valve open about a 3rd of its capacity.

I will be building some sort of platform or bridge over the pump tank so torts can walk over it, but so I can still get to it for maintenance.

Oh yeah, check the lodger out on back wall. A garden snail name Gary. :D






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fritz269

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Omg, I love this..wish I had the room to do something like this. my only comment is the pond looks a little shallow...depends on the tort i guess.
 

Anyfoot

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Omg, I love this..wish I had the room to do something like this. my only comment is the pond looks a little shallow...depends on the tort i guess.

Good comment too. I've pondered on this for a while. (No pun intended. Lol ).

It's 4" deep at its maximum. I turned my smallest tort over to make sure he could servive upside down in 4" depth. 5" was pushing it.
My worry is how fast it will evaporate when it's hot in there.

Worst case scenario is I have to build the sides up deeper. Hope not though. Time will tell.

Thanks. :D
 

Anyfoot

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Not much new to see with the eye.
Got all soil in.
I seeded almost everything with grass, white clover, red clover, crimson clover(in patches) dandilions,broad plantain,narrow leaf plantain and 5 types of edible wild flowers.
Put a few plalms in. One white and one red grape vine (hoping these grow along the cave fronts). One hibiscus in the middle, and a type of fig tree that should, hopefully grow up the wall.
I'll keep adding plants as we go.
Going to have window boxes on the walls to to grow stuff.

Next I need to finish of waterfall and wier area. Also need to some how put some grip on that ramp.
Still a bit to do yet. But thought I could let it start growing for now.
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hingeback

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Just asking how will you keep the weeds and clover under control? Also the enclosure is looking so beautiful up to now!!!
 

Anyfoot

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Just asking how will you keep the weeds and clover under control? Also the enclosure is looking so beautiful up to now!!!
I'm hoping it gets out of control, my fear is they will eat and trample on everything. We will see. I'd like to get the weeds etc quite high so as they walk through they collect humidity as they brush against the weeds/grass. I will also have areas with just mulch.
If it does get out of control then I will be doing some indoor gardening. :D
 

Lyn W

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Looks fantastic Craig! You have done a superb job and thought of everything!
I can see a new career on the cards for you as international tortoise home designer and landscaper,
and your own TV prog - 'Grand Designs for Torts'
When can Lola and I move in?
 

TechnoCheese

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Whoa... That


Is one cool tortoise enclosure
 

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