Concrete and blockwork construction help!

[Matthew Hyde]

Hi,

I'm new and this is my first post!

I've had builders construct a pond in my garden as we've been renovating our house. The pond is blockwork construction sunk into the ground, we've then rendered the blockwork. We've also got blockwork steps over the pond so that you can walk across the top (these aren't rendered).

To seal I've had the builders use Gold Label pond sealant but after filling it then started losing water (fairly rapidly).

I now desperately need some help on how to fix this. I've emptied the pond but don't know where to start really. The steps have loads of white marks down them which leads me to believe there's concrete leaching in (and therefore also water getting out).

Suggestions please!!!????

 

[Matthew Hyde]

Pic attached...

 

[sissy]

Did it cure properly and was the stuff mixed often as applied .Never have seen the stuff but that is all I can come up with .Are you able to see where the water is coming out ,meaning a wet area in the lawn .Do you have a pump with hoses and could it be leaking there some where

 

[Matthew Hyde]

Hi, thank you. Yep pretty sure it cured ok and yep mixed often (I think, problem is builders applied). Something definitely off though as the white marks from all around the steps.

Can't tell where the water is going (and there's a lot of it 9000 litres went somewhere!!).

Yep have pump and hoses and they were leaking a bit so managed to fix those but can't believe it all went there and definitely carried on once those were off.

 

[sissy]

There should be some area in the lawn that feels wetter than others .

 

[Matthew Hyde]

I've checked and if there is I really can't tell. We're higher than gardens on either side so it could be going down, under concrete easily...

 

[sissy]

If the level it drops to is all the way to the bottom then that means it is leaking from the bottom .Where ever it stops at is where there is no leak any more .Do you have a bottom drain .

 

[Matthew Hyde]

No bottom drain. Yep that's what I thought and it drains pretty much to the bottom. It slows towards the bottom though. I think it has to be a combo of the steps not being sealed properly. Is there any product to seal gaps and smooth and then paint over??

 

[sissy]

pond foam is all I know of .Did the company you hired seal it .I would make them come back

 

[Matthew Hyde]

Problem is there jobbing builders so hired them for the labour rather than "construct me a pond" so difficult to get them back...

 

[sissy]

You may have to pay some one to come in then to resolve the problem .If you add a colored dye to the pond then you will see where it may be leaking from

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Your problem, as you probably realize now, is hiring inexperienced labor to seal your pond. I would strongly recommend contacting a professional pond contractor to come and correct this issue. Applying makeshift solutions with less than ideal products will only cost more money and not permanently correct the problem.