Hi everyone,
Last year my girl and inherited a +2000g concrete pond full of 10" of much. After much labor and cleaning we then refilled and popped in some koi. We then went thru the green water experience (yay UV!) and building of a S/G filter to boot. Pretty stable now with a weekly blowing of the S/G. There is much still to do though such as a Zakki sieve and improved pump with some TPRs.
Anyway, a 8" red ear slider found our little pond and moved in. He is very skittish, as we approach or move, he drops and covers. He also doesn't seem to eat the floating koi food but has been more active at feeding time. He *did* consume our baby lily pads though.
So the question is should we move this guy out or let him stay? Obviously turtles poop a bit more than other creatures so I'm concerned with increasing the bio load on my current infrastructure. I'm also bothered by the plant eating - kind of want lily pads on *my* pond. But he is kind of cute and easy to see enjoying himself (and isn't that why we do ponds? To watch critters enjoy themselves?)