Water Dish Ideas/Safe Glue

[erdavis]

I am in the process of fixing up a new enclosure for Turbo, my sulcata. He's about 4 pounds. I am wondering something good to use for a water dish. I want it to be deep enough for him to sit in if he wants. I dont want to make it myself out of concrete because I will be putting it on a buried 5 gallon bucket with drain holes on the sides to try to help with the flooding season. I can't find a cheap used bird bath or anything that will work on Craigslist or anywear. I'm thinking about using some sort of bowl but I will have to glue some rocks on the bottom to make it so it's not too deep for him and to make the side slopes gradual enough/not so slick so he can get in/out easily. Years ago I once killed a lot of fish before I realized it was probably due to toxic glue I used I felt awful and I'm terrified to do the same to turbo. Any ideas for either a good bowl to use or some safe glues that would hold good in water that may possibly be at walmart or a local home improvement store?

 

[Maro2Bear]

Anything against using a large terracotta plant saucer, easily available at large home improvement and gardening centers. You can large ones to accomodate a big tort, and they arent deep, so no mods required.

 

[lismar79]

My 7lb sulcata uses a 14" terracotta saucer with no issues.

 

[TigsMom]

Like you, I want to build a tortoise pond/shallow bath. I found this instructional page for creating a sandcast Leaf Bird Bath. I found other instructionals as well, but I like that this is really big and reinforced with chicken wire for strength. I would also like a drain I can plug or unplug so that it makes for easier cleaning and not require me to pick it up to dump it, I can easily adapt that idea into their instructions. See what you think. It may work for your needs too. http://www.gardenstew.com/threads/easy-concrete-birdbath.22738/

 

[TigsMom]

Oops just re-read your post, Sorry I now see you DON'T want to build a concrete one yourself. Silicone glues that are safe for Aquariums should work to glue stones to the inside and be safe (after they have cured) to hold drinking water, but you may have big problems getting it clean if algae or hard water deposits build up.

 

[TigsMom]

I use a round Trash Can Lid (from 30 Gallon Round Trash Cans), cheap quick and easy to clean. I'm still going to make those concrete ones someday (hopefully soon).

 

[tortdad]

I was going to say terra cotta saucer or trash can lid but you've got those already

 

[Jacqui]

Do you care if it is not round? In addition to the two above items which are my favorites. Some folks use the drip pans you put under water heaters and washing machines.

 

[erdavis]

I thought about using a tera cotta saucer, that's what I use now, but I don't think the sides are tall enough to drill drain holes in. I also thought about using a drip pan but my bucket is round and I figured it would be easier to use something round.
I ended up getting a very large rubber dog bowl that fit perfectly in a big bucket I have. I went to lowes and got the only glue that said it was aquarium safe (DAP All Purpose Sealant). I glued a bunch of rocks together to make a slope for Turbo to get in and out of. I'm not sure if its going to work though. The glue packaging says its tack free in 10-15 minutes and completely cured in 24 hours however it took like 3-4 days to be tack free and its still not cured. I'm still waiting for it to dry all the way. I didn't see until after I glued everything that the packaging says "optimum strength after 7 days", so hopefully it'll dry soon. It seems like the majority of the rocks will stick, but there are quite a few that aren't stuck at all.
@TigsMom I absolutely love that leaf bird bath! I didn't want to use concrete because I wasn't thinking and for some reason thought if I made it out of concrete it would have to stay on the ground and I wouldn't be able to put it on a buried bucket. I wish I would've seen your post before I started making something out of rocks. I am determined now to make something like that one day though!! If my rocks don't stick I might try it!

 

[ZEROPILOT]

If it's silicone it is technically "safe" once fully cured. Make sure that none squirted out the sides. One on my earliest pools had stuff silicone glued to it and my tortoises would stop and try to eat the silicone rubber.
Heat will help it set up faster. Sit it in the sun or even better, put it in a parked car. (Your car will however smell strongly of silicone.)
For smaller ones I've used paint drip trays. They shape is perfect.

 

[erdavis]

@ZEROPILOT Do you mean that basically any silicone is technically safe once cured? If so I may just go get a different kind that will dry faster to glue on the pieces that didn't stick. Also, I started out by putting it outside to dry faster but I was worried that the humidity made it stay tacky for so much longer than what the tube said. Do you think humidity could have anything to do with it?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

@ZEROPILOT Do you mean that basically any silicone is technically safe once cured? If so I may just go get a different kind that will dry faster to glue on the pieces that didn't stick. Also, I started out by putting it outside to dry faster but I was worried that the humidity made it stay tacky for so much longer than what the tube said. Do you think humidity could have anything to do with it?

The silicone that states that it is aquarium grade. Yes. Safe.
Read the labels and see if it says anything about it not being used for food preperation areas, etc.