Can I use cat litter to plug an undetectable leak?

[poconojoe]

Winter here in northeastern PA. Tough to do anything outside, especially water related.
All my exterior water features were removed for the winter and I've determined that the leak is in the liner. The water is getting dangerously low for the resident koi, shubunkin, comets, and goldfish.
I've done everything but climb in there. I been feeling around with my hands in that very cold water to no avail. I pulled the liner away from the walls in some places too.
I read on the internet that you can use clay cat litter to "plug" holes of this sort. Similar to bentonite but far less expensive and easier to find.
Any thoughts on this?
If so, how exactly do I apply this? Just sprinkle it?
Is it safe for the fish?
Will it actually work?
Very frustrating...
Thanks,
Joe

 

[sissy]

You can use a sealer that can be used in water if you can find the leak .If you can get a stock tank and possible move them to a garage area or basement ,that would be better .Cat little is used for plants in ponds but i don't it will find the leak and seal it .But I am no expert in that area

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Cat litter IS Bentonite. It will effectively seal an earth bottom pond. It is very doubtful that it will have any effect in repairing a leak in a liner pond, especially if the location of the leak is on any but a horizontal surface.

 

[Big Lou]

The person who invents a liquid that when poured into a pond permanently seals a leaking EDPM liner would surely become very rich.

 

[sissy]

LOL I said little instead of litter .This house hunting is getting to me .I had to take my liner out in March because i think moles chewed through the liner looking for grubs .This time i took as many precautions that i could to keep it from happening again .I hope you find your leak and resolve it all and it is an easy fix

 

[sissy]

oh how true how very true lou .We can only hope and dream of that day

 

[Meyer Jordan]

The person who invents a liquid that when poured into a pond permanently seals a leaking EDPM liner would surely become very rich.

That would be a boon that will likely never be seen.

 

[poconojoe]

The person who invents a liquid that when poured into a pond permanently seals a leaking EDPM liner would surely become very rich.

Ha! that's what I need! LOL!

You can use a sealer that can be used in water if you can find the leak .If you can get a stock tank and possible move them to a garage area or basement ,that would be better .Cat little is used for plants in ponds but i don't it will find the leak and seal it .But I am no expert in that area

I would rather not disturb the fish. especially since they are basically in hibernation. They don't take kindly to being scooped up. When I changed the liner last spring, I lost one of my favorite koi.

 

[sissy]

This is supposed to be the best time since they are in rest mode .I did mine in march in VA and 2 of my koi are 2 ft long and they made it .I did not loose a fish because i was very careful .I even treated the water with the water treatment that had aloe in it

 

[poconojoe]

This is supposed to be the best time since they are in rest mode .I did mine in march in VA and 2 of my koi are 2 ft long and they made it .I did not loose a fish because i was very careful .I even treated the water with the water treatment that had aloe in it

Scoop them out while they are in rest mode. That kinda makes sense. I wasn't' looking at it that way. I was more worried I would startle them while they were resting.

 

[sissy]

Nope it is why most people who take there fish indoors for the winter wait for them to slow down a little .I wish that I could have done mine in the fall but leaks did not start showing up until the end of Feb. If you wait and water freezes also the little hole may get bigger because water will get behind the liner and bubble the liner out and it will then freeze and could crack more .Does not get that cold here and it happened to me .The slit went from not even an inch to over 2 inches long .I kept putting water in the pond and thought I could wait it out .And then I found the holes after and found something had chewed through the liner also .Makes me wonder if that 1 slit could have caused the animal to chew through the liner .Will never know know, liner was garbage and could only save pieces for my waterfalls .I was mad liner was only 3 years old 45 mil epdm

 

[sissy]

They may love you for a nice warm winter vacation they are going to get .Don't tell them it is only 1 time .I know koi guy takes his fish in every winter .

 

[poconojoe]

Sissy, very interesting story how the hole got bigger from the ice.
When I replaced the liner this past spring, I left the old liner under there. I read that I should puncture the old liner for drainage, and I did.
I lifted some of the liner away from the walls searching for the problem and there was plenty of water under there. It was basically at the same level as the pond. It was warm that day and now it's getting quite cold.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Nope it is why most people who take there fish indoors for the winter wait for them to slow down a little .I wish that I could have done mine in the fall but leaks did not start showing up until the end of Feb. If you wait and water freezes also the little hole may get bigger because water will get behind the liner and bubble the liner out and it will then freeze and could crack more .Does not get that cold here and it happened to me .The slit went from not even an inch to over 2 inches long .I kept putting water in the pond and thought I could wait it out .And then I found the holes after and found something had chewed through the liner also .Makes me wonder if that 1 slit could have caused the animal to chew through the liner .Will never know know, liner was garbage and could only save pieces for my waterfalls .I was mad liner was only 3 years old 45 mil epdm

There are many documented cases of liner damage caused by various animals gnawing holes. Moles, rats, mice, termites and even ants, yep, ants (Seen 2 instances of this personally) can and will gnaw through even 60 mil EPDM.

 

[poconojoe]

Yeah, those little critters are all over the place. You don't even know they are there. The only evidence is the tiny tunnels they make under the snow. We had a small snow cover then freezing rain, then rain. In the morning you could see all the tunnels they made last night. Like veins in the thin snow cover.