Can’t say that I’m any authority on the subject. Feeling just a tad bit discouraged since some racoons came and ate all my northerns and carolinans… I can list what I have set up though: 1) 125gal. above ground pre-formed pond with water course 2) Rio pump with an ESU pond filter 3) large, rounded out river rock with a large surface for basking 4) cork bark for basking to compensate for varying water levels 5) mesh to keep out vile critters. As far as placement of the setup is concerned, it is probably best to keep the pond away from shedding trees. The leaves from trees leave a big mess to clean up and can also acidify the water if in large numbers. Some can also give off toxins, I believe. If using a glass tank instead, caution should be given towards amount of direct sunlight so that water temps do not get too high in the hotter months. Good luck. Chun