Looks like the pond has a leak, what to do ?

[Brian Lacey]

The garden pond must be 10 years old at least, we moved here three years ago. It is heart shaped, about 3-4m diameter. The liner is held under granite pavers all around the edge.
It is now dropping the level by 2/3 inches per day and I keep having to top it up as it has goldfish and plants etc in it.
What can I do ?
Is the only option to get someone in to remove all the pavers from the lip and empty the pond, saving as much as possible, and then have a new liner put in ?
Any advice appreciated.
Cheers
Brian.

 

[JP_]

If you can locate the leak you might be able to repair it, but if it is at the bottom under loads of silt and plants, might be tricky.
Plus, whatever caused the leak could happen again - roots etc.

Only option might be to get a lot of buckets, take out as much as possible, and put a new pond liner in over the top. But it's going to be back breqaking and messy - 4m is a huge pond. My 3m swimming pool holds 9000 litres ...

 

[HERTS P&D]

Leave it until it stops leaking, and that is where you will find the leak. Obviously don't let it completely empty or the fish will die.

Andy

 

[Brian Lacey]

Thanks all,
I have turned off the pump/filter etc but all the bits out of the water appear dry so I will see what happens to the still water over the next day or so then take it from there.
Cheers
Brian.

 

[JBR]

Leave it until it stops leaking, and that is where you will find the leak. Obviously don't let it completely empty or the fish will die.

Andy

That's exactly what I did several years ago when I found that our pond was going down quite quickly.
It depends on the material of the liner, of course, but mine is rubber.
I located the hole, about 1/2" diameter hole, though I can't be sure what had caused it. A heron, perhaps.
I obtained the appropriate patching material and adhesive and have had no problems ever since.
As far as I remember, the adhesive was suitable for use in wet conditions, so it wasn't necessary to drain the pond further.

 

[Brian Lacey]

24 hrs later and GOOD NEWS.
The two pumps and filter were all turned off as suggested and pond topped up to a marked level. After 24 hrs there has been no negligible drop in level and a much closer examination of the area around the waterfall points to that being the problem. Too much new plant and moss growth meant that the flow was not going cleanly into the pond but some being directed into the surrounding ground. I didn't realise this until a much closer look and have now cleared away.
I'll give it another 24 hrs just to be sure and then have a staggered restart of the water flow.
I feel much happier !
Many thanks all.
Cheers
Brian.