Loss of water due to evaporation

[Denise51]

We recently had a new filter system installed on our pond approx. 4 weeks ago (oase Biosmart 30000 and 8500 pump). which runs out onto a watercourse about 6' long to a fall off a slate. Drop to the pond at top water level I would think is 12" - 16". The ponds is about 1100/1200 gals. 4'6" at its deepest to varying levels to the shallowest about 1'. Area is about 14'/15' x 9'/10'. It is in direct sunlight just about all day, until around 7pmish

We noticed last week that overnight the pond may have dropped a good 1" and maybe sometimes less, a night. I know the weather has been hot and sunny and at times humid.

We decided to bypass the fall so we have the 3" hose to fit on the outlet/discharge pipe of the filter, so last Monday we did this. We noticed that the drop now was roughly 1" to 1 1/4" over a 5 day period. This varied each day some days no change and then say the next day maybe 1/4" difference and so on.

We have now topped up the pond a good 3" in total about.

What I am asking is if the fall is running is it normal to expect a drop of 1" a day due to evaporation.

The filter system we had before really did not do the job and the flow of the water onto the watercourse and fall was not as powerfull as to what we have now.

Also I now have sort of dirty water (sort of muddish colour) this is after have a pea green water and the biosmart totally cleared this up and we had beautiful clear water, until we let the water drop last week then it turned dirty. I cleaned the filter out today so I hope this clears the water.

 

[sissy]

yep and even more it takes water to add to the waterfall also .Meaning that the water being pumped up there causes your water to drop .I loose more than that as plants suck up the water .But we have had the wettest summer i have ever seen here .Usually by now my grass is brown and it is green as can be .I have been here for 0ver 9 years now and have never had green grass this time of the year .The plants in the filter and pond do suck up a lot of water though .
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[Denise51]

yep and even more it takes water to add to the waterfall also .Meaning that the water being pumped up there causes your water to drop .I loose more than that as plants suck up the water .But we have had the wettest summer i have ever seen here .Usually by now my grass is brown and it is green as can be .I have been here for 0ver 9 years now and have never had green grass this time of the year .The plants in the filter and pond do suck up a lot of water though .

So loosing 1" a day is normal? As it never dropped that much before on my old filter.

 

[addy1]

I have been dropping almost two inches a day for a week or so, dry windy weather, low humidity, poof pond water gone.

 

[Denise51]

I have been dropping almost two inches a day for a week or so, dry windy weather, low humidity, poof pond water gone.

So am I worrying about nothing then, I'm not too sure if the fall is leaking underneath the fall drop itself, as the water tends fall back and hit the stones at the back, I know there is liner behind it but who knows.

Also does your water turn dirty when the water drops. I've cleaned the bottom out there isn't anything there only some weed which I pull out everyday from the bottom.

 

[addy1]

No it doesn't turn dirty when the water drops, it does get real dirty when I mess with the bog, but within a few hours to a day it cleans up nicely. My bog plants suck up a lot of water, you can really tell when it is hot and or dry weather.

 

[dieselplower]

I am battling with the question of am I leaking or is it evaporating as sell. No idea. One sure way to find out is to turn off the pump or leave it on for circulation but have the water exit right back into the pond.

 

[Denise51]

I am battling with the question of am I leaking or is it evaporating as sell. No idea. One sure way to find out is to turn off the pump or leave it on for circulation but have the water exit right back into the pond.

Yes I have done that the drop was not as much,

 

[addy1]

I am battling with the question of am I leaking or is it evaporating as sell. No idea. One sure way to find out is to turn off the pump or leave it on for circulation but have the water exit right back into the pond.

The first real summer, I was sure I had a leak, drove my self crazy looking for it. But winter came, water never changed level. So now I know what to watch for. If it drops more than 2 inches I worry ow I don't. I just adjust the timer on the sprinkler to more or less depending on the weather. Or hit manual and do a extra top off.

Now when we got back from one trip and the pond was down a foot................I worried! It was a lily bud that blocked a outflow causing the preform to over flow. Unreal how much water can leak out fast.

 

[sissy]

when you turn on the waterfall alone that in itself will take water to run and evaporation is next ,sun hitting rocks will evaporate the water fast .Last summer it was really hot and I would loose 3 or more inches in a day with the wind and sun .

 

[Denise51]

hmm the pond lost about 1/2 " last night but I think the humidity was around 80% is that a high level to loose to evaporation?

 

[sissy]

No matter what you will get dirt from your water fall rocks and loss of water with high humidity does not mean a thing if you have the slightest wind or splashing of water on the rocks as everything factors into water lose .

 

[Denise51]

we don't have the waterfall running we bypassed that with a pipe dropping straight into the pond.

 

[sissy]

have you checked your hoses and your filter all it takes is a tiny leak and it can get bigger with pressure .But still plants will suck up water also even with high humidity they take up water through there roots

 

[Carolyn22]

I know that when we turn on our pumps and/or waterfalls the water levels go down in the pond. This is because the water is in the hoses being circulated. I also know if you have any type of high heat, humidity and/or a breeze - any of these 3 factors will affect the rate of evaporation in your pond.

One trick to help determine whether you have a leak or not, is to stop all of your pumps - keep an eye on your water level - if your water level does not go down, then you can pretty much determine that your hoses are the issue. If the water level continues to go down after you have stopped your pumps, take an eye dropper or something that will allow you to drop small drops of milk all along the edge of the water by the liner. If you do not have any leaks, the milk will pretty much stay put. If you have a leak, the milk will flow to the leak and you will know the general vicinity of the leak in your liner.

Let us know.