Showing posts with label leaking ponds. Show all posts
Showing posts with label leaking ponds. Show all posts

Friday, June 04, 2010

Pond losing water

Question:
My water level dropped really fast in my pond.
My pond is abot 800 gallons and this morning.  I woke up to find that there was a 6 inch loss of water.  (BTW it rained really hard that night) and after I came back from school there was about the same amount, so i know it's not a leak. The day before the water level was stable.  I have never had this happen before, so could you kindly tell my why this happened and if it is normal ?

Thank you for your time.

 Answer:
First turn off your pump, then fill the pond. Watch it for 24 hours. Then turn on your pump and see if you can see where the water is leaking off the back.
If you have a fountain, the water can be blowing out if you had a storm. If you have spitters, the water can be drooling out of that. No water leaks that fast, so it's the pump.
Check all connections, but chances are a rock tipped and water is falling off the back or the side.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Leaky liners

I know we have talked about liner leaks before, but the question keeps getting asked: How do I fix my leaking pond?

First of all, your pond is probably not leaking. I always tell people that when they call to tell me their pond is leaking.

"Hi Jan, my pond is leaking."

"No, it probably isn't."

"But it is losing water every day and anyway how can you know that if you haven't seen it?"

"I have seen thousands of ponds and am all knowing.  Chances are about 99% your liner has no hole in it. Let's troubleshoot.  If I have to come over there, you will need to get out your checkbook, so if we can do this over the phone, my advice is free.  Which do you prefer?"

"Over the phone."

"OK, turn off your pump, fill up your pond and let it sit over night.  If the water stays put, your water is falling behind the waterfall.  If you have a spitter, the water is drooling down the spitter and out of the pond. Check your waterfall rocks. Chances are one of them has tipped and water is not going back in the pond, but falling off the back.  Look at the water level in the morning and call me back."

I usually get no call back.  The pond owner has learned something.  Liners rarely leak. They rarely get holes in them unless raccoons have been marauding through the water in search of tasty morsels.

The pond owner finds the wayward rock, tips it back into place and all is well.