- Joined
- Jun 5, 2015
- Messages
- 677
- Reaction score
- 572
- Location
- Chicago (W suburbs)
- Showcase(s):
- 3
- Hardiness Zone
- 5b
- Country
I figured I would share an experience from this winter others might find helpful or amusing.
Background: two winters ago (my first winter) I did develop a leak around the skimmer inlet. I didn't get enough silicone between the liner and the skimmer intake. It was fine in the summer, but I assume in the winter a leak developed from freeze/thaw cycles. I had to drop the level of the pond, open it up, LOAD IT UP with new silicone and put it back on.
This year I thought the same thing had happened. I had a hole in the ice from a sub-surface pump and at one point the water level really started to drop in the hole. It was down 3-4". But a quick run of the hose brought the level all the way up again in just a few minutes. It would have taken an hour to bring the whole pond up those 3-4".
Then I realized what happened. The only liquid water in those top 4" was the water in that hole, so as it evaporated, it dropped very quickly. The rest was a thick layer of ice. Now that the pond is thawing, it's staying filled nicely.
Background: two winters ago (my first winter) I did develop a leak around the skimmer inlet. I didn't get enough silicone between the liner and the skimmer intake. It was fine in the summer, but I assume in the winter a leak developed from freeze/thaw cycles. I had to drop the level of the pond, open it up, LOAD IT UP with new silicone and put it back on.
This year I thought the same thing had happened. I had a hole in the ice from a sub-surface pump and at one point the water level really started to drop in the hole. It was down 3-4". But a quick run of the hose brought the level all the way up again in just a few minutes. It would have taken an hour to bring the whole pond up those 3-4".
Then I realized what happened. The only liquid water in those top 4" was the water in that hole, so as it evaporated, it dropped very quickly. The rest was a thick layer of ice. Now that the pond is thawing, it's staying filled nicely.