Finally time to rebuild the pond

[Ronfire]

Started to finish the rocks today and look for the water loss. Shut off the water to the top pond and drained it down just a little so I would not leak past the waterfall. Then went to work on the rocks and noticed the pond is still dropping, searched the edge of the bog with no results. I then shut off the pump to isolate the main pond and then the scare came.
My main shut off for the bottom drain is in the bottom of a 55 gallon barrel pit and then a drain for the lines after that. When I shut the pump down I had water flowing into the barrel from beside the bottom drain pipe but it never ran water in when the pump was running. Now I am trying to remember if I tighten the clamps well on the line before encasing it in concrete. Started the pump back up and the flow stopped, now I am really worried thinking that the slight draw on the line keeps it sealed until I shut id down. Thinking I now might have to catch the fish and drain the pond to crawl in under the liner. I pump out the barrel and try it again, shut down the pump but now no water flows in, really confused now. I then noticed a wet spot under the rock beside the 2' raised side of the pond but can't see where it is coming from, could be the water from the bottom drain be coming out there. So I start pulling all the edge stones from the side of the pond and find a wet area but not right beside the area that shows on the ground beside the pond. Sure hope this is where the water is going and then seeping around the metal ring and coming into the barrel pit. I now have the liner pulled back along the edge of the pond and not folded back to hide with the rocks. A couple of hours and I should know that it is not the bottom drain....sure hope so.

 

[addy1]

Good luck on your water loss!

 

[Ronfire]

I think I found the water loss. Pulled the top stones off 1/2 the pond and found a couple of wet spots from the folds in the liner. I left the liner pulled up for a few hours and did not see any drop in the water level. Sure was stressful thinking I might have to get to the connection on the bottom drain.
Now I just need the new Koi to have an appetite. They do pick at the food but don't seem to eat much. I think they might still be trying to adjust to the new environment but the good thing is they seamed interested in me redoing the rocks on the border.

 

[addy1]

Fish love it when you move things around. They come running if I am in the pond stirring up the bottom.

So happy you found the leak and is a simple fix. I had deer/ground hog push down my liner on one of my small ponds, which equaled a drop of almost 18 inches of water from the big pond. I check off and on all day, that day we were not home. Was I shocked. It took just about a minute to find the problem the dirt below the small pond was a huge puddle.

The critter knocked down a huge rock and doing that pulled down the liner. It was running out

 

[Ronfire]

My wife was skeptical at first about the pond, now she loves it and is talking about another one for the back yard. She also wants a water feature for our Mountain trail course for the horses to walk in, the challenge there is to protect the liner. I think maybe underlay, liner,underlay,stall mats then crusher dust ( fine crush with the fines). She would like water falls and a stream when the horses are on course. I am thinking a gas pump to run it as it is a long way from power. Looks like that will be another thread when I build it.

 

[j.w]

Whoa @Ronfire you got your work cut out for you now!
You've created a pond monster for sure

 

[cas]

Another one! Ha! Keep us posted.
Sure glad your leak was easy to fix.

 

[addy1]

Wow you have a hand full of building coming up...............a horse pond! Keep us updated!

 

[Ronfire]

Well the pond is finished. Just worked the last rocks,set in an overflow spot, auto water fill installed and a barrel to cover the skimmer.
The auto fill will get turned on when I run water out to the lawn or if it gets low.
Picked up 2-12" and 4-6" Koi today for $120. Nice variety of solid orange, yellow with black scale edges and multi color ones.
The plumbing was a simple layout under the deck with valves to select inflow source and outflow. The top pond get a little air in the line and bubbles up at times, I think it gets it from the check valve to stop siphoning. Looks intresting to have the bubbles come up every few minutes from below the gravel in the top pond. The algea is starting to grow like crazy in the top pond so I hope the 4 new Koi in there will eat it up as the goldfish cant keep up.

 

[Ronfire]

I had one hard spot of liner to cover by the deck

So I joined some rocks with PL Premium and angled metal


And then installed it on the pond edge

 

[cas]

I like your ideas of covering the skimmer with the barrel and the way you got the rocks to cover the liner under your deck . Looks great.

 

[Lisak1]

The barrel does look very cool! I love creative solutions!

 

[Ronfire]

The barrel sure beat buying those $$$$ fake rock that wont match. Saved a lot buy building a Helx style skimmer. Works great and will do the same when I build another pond.

 

[j.w]

Neat ideas w/the barrel and the rocks! You are a genius!
When I first saw those birds for a second I thought, oh no look at those darn birds getting his fish,lol!
The one on the left looks like he has something in his mouth.
Maybe they will keep other varmints away!

CA CAWWWWWWWWWWW!

 

[addy1]

Great job, love your rock job!