A couple months ago, we acquired a new 200 gallon tank from our program manager, Katie Woodhams. We had a vision for the tank to resemble a natural environment as closely as possible. We placed the tank in the library/gift shop and filled it up about 1/3 with dirt from the nature center on one half, allowing visitors to observe worms, beetles, and any other burrowing insects that may have traveled in with the dirt. On the other half, we sealed off the dirt and added water and rocks to make a natural pond for the box turtles and American toad that were being kept in it.
However, a few weeks after sealing off the pond portion, we
realized that something was wrong. The seal for the pond broke and water was
leaking into the soil and saturating it to the point at which the insects and
plants in the soil might drown and die. We needed to do something, and fast.
The pond portion of the tank was soon drained, the water that
was infiltrating the soil was drained, and the acrylic and silicone seal for
the pond was re-made, this time using reinforcements underneath the glass to
ensure it could withstand the pressure of the water and keep its seal from
breaking!
That was not our luck, however. Once again, the pond water
began to leak into the soil. This prompted us to give the turtles and toad a
temporary home (which you can view in the Visitor Center) while we cracked
down on this problem and fixed it once and for all.
We are now collaborating on using a glass support to hold the
water in the pond, sealed with silicone on all sides, and covered up with a
natural looking substrate that will withstand the turtle’s claws and the water
in the pond! It is an ongoing project that we expect to be finished with soon.
Come to Fenner soon to check out the new and improved box
turtle and toad tank!
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