Putting a filtered pond inside of your herp enclosure:

Whether for decorative purposes only, or to feed small fish eaters like Garter and Ribbon snakes, building a small pond inside an enclosure is easy. They can also be used as a way to keep the humidity up in a tree frog enclosure or any type of vivarium you may want to create.

Supplies needed                                                       Tools needed

Tank with lid (any size)                                        Tape measure

¼" clear acrylic (height to choice)                  Saw (I use a compound miter saw)

Aquarium silicon

Filter of choice

Step 1: Select the placement of the pond wall and measure the inside width. Cut the acrylic piece to length needed. (See figure 1.)  Dry fit the pond wall,  you may have to trim the bottom to clear the silicon holding the tank together. (See figure 2.)  Make sure the acrylic piece is sitting just against the glass to insure a good seal.

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Fig. 1                                                                                         Fig. 2

Step 2: Make sure all surfaces are clean. (See figure 3.) Using the aquarium sealer, put a bead on both sides of the acrylic wall and smooth out with your finger. This insures that the silicone seals all the way around. (See figure 4.)

Fig. 3                                                                                        Fig. 4

Step 3: Wait 24-48 hours for silicone to set. Fill with water and check for leaks.  If leakage occurs, let dry and seal problem areas.

Step 4: Once you are sure there are no leaks, choose a filter and set in place. Add substrate if desired. (See figure 5.)  If the enclosure has a locking lid you may need to take off a small part of the lid to allow for the cord. (See figure 6.)

Fig. 5 (this is my White’s tree frog set up)             Fig. 6

Step 5: Add water and test filter, let run for 24 hours to ensure there are no leaks or other issues.

You are now ready to add animals and live plants.            

© Jay W. DeMore, 2004

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