A adopted a neglected waterfall.....what have I gotten myself into

[Daddytotwo]

Hi all. A few years ago we moved into a new house. One of the things we loved was the ‘neglected’ yards, with a waterfall built into the retaining wall. Someone had filled it with dirt and who knows how long it has been since it was used.

I finally got around to digging it out and found the pump under all the dirt and debris. I cleaned it up and it still works! The liner is the ridged type and is beyond repair. I tried to seal up the major cracks with foam and smother out all the ruff edges of the hard liner, and replaced all the waterfall supply tubes. I then put a new PVC liner in it. The existing pond has rocks and cement sorrounding it, so I tried to use Flexseal Tape to seal the edge.

I filled it with water and connected the pump. I plugged it in and it looks GREAT! The water flows perfectly, and I have lots of options to play with moving smaller rocks around to modify the falls.

After running for about an hour I noticed the flow slowing rapidly and found that I have water getting between the old liner and the new one, forcing the liner to rise up and starve the pump.

I have decided to completely dig out the old liner and replace it with a new PVC one. This means I will have to remove all the rocks around the pond, so that part of the new liner will be fine.

My problem is; What is the best way to seal the liner to the bottom of the water fall. The waterfall is built into the rock wall, so I can’t modify it or dig under it.

Thanks for your thoughts!

 

[MitchM]

Welcome!
Unfortunately, the liner is the foundation of water retention.
PVC will not last very long compared to a proper EPDM liner.
You could try and use a product like PL Roofing Sealant to seal between the new liner and old, but in the end you might wish you removed what rock was necessary and replaced the whole liner in the first place.

 

[sissy]

welcome and I agree the liner is the most important part of the pond and come winter it will start to break apart and crack again .That is a quick fix but you are going to need to address it .You really need and epdm liner

 

[Lisak1]

I'm going to agree with the others - anything you do will only be temporary unless you strip it down and replace the liner. You need liner under whole of the waterfall into the basin to make this hold water.

UNLESS - do those bowls each hold water and then fall to the next level when full? If so, you may be able to use a basin like you would under a bubbling boulder or fountain, if the only part that needs to hold water is the bottom. I guess I need a little clarification on how this functions.

Very pretty by the way! I love the rocks.

 

[Stephen Noble]

Welcome to the forum Daddytotwo!

 

[GBBUDD]

Welcome , The first issue is regardless what liner you are presently using a leak is a leak, If it's getting to the liner below it doesn't matter what product you use it's going to be an issue . But like mitch said most here use a EPDM rubber liner. If you find you have a high water table and it wasn't a leak then you may need to consider a drain tale under the liner. " basically pipes with some holes to where you can pump or if lucky the pressure will push the water up and out from below.

 

[addy1]

Welcome to our group!

It looks like a pond less water feature. There is a good chance the water fall will not leak. I would dig out the basin and put in a good liner epdm. From the looks of the water fall, via the pictures, you might be just fine.

Where did you find the pump? In a container at the bottom of the water fall?

I would use the pl rooting sealant between the liner and the rock of the water fall. Make sure it is clean and dry, apply a lot, push the liner into it, make sure the edge is also covered, let it dry.

 

[j.w]

@Daddytotwo

 

[Gemma]

Welcome to the forum!
Good luck with your waterfall, it will be amazing when it'll be all restored!

 

[poconojoe]

Please don't use a PVC liner. I can tell you from experience. It will dry out and crack within months. It is very easily punctured by sticks or rocks. I had a leak in the Pennsylvania winter that I could not find. I was adding 300 gallons a week to keep my fish alive until spring when I was able to re-do the whole thing. PVC is not flexible or thick enough so it just rips.
As others have stated, the liner is the very base of your pond and should not be skimped on. The last thing you want to deal with is having to change your liner after all the work you did getting everything settled and looking great.