Pond fountain slab

[Lisak1]

Keep asking questions! You'll learn and we'll learn and anyone in the future reading this thread will also learn from your experience!

 

[Steve2324]

Add a T, one leg the check valve, one leg a open pipe with a ball valve that you can open if you want to back flow.

I'll do that thanks.
I filled the pond last night and woke up this morning and I've lost 4 inches of water..

I think the waterfall is splashing out of the pond quite a lot

 

[Steve2324]

If I lift up the lip of the liner sitting on the slab there is water getting back there. The slab is on a decline towards the pond and not level. I thought that made it impossible for water to backflow up and under the liner

 

[Jhn]

Even with the slab declining towards the pond the thin space between liner and slab acts as a wick and will let the water run out the back side of the slab.

Could try adding a large bead of silicone between liner and slab. Then mortar some rock down on top of the liner, not only will this hide the liner, but the idea is the weight of the mortar and rock acts as a clamp on the siliconed liner creating a seal and preventing the liner from separating from the slab.

Another thought, is if you have enough liner in the pool at the waterfall, pull more liner over the slab. Then use mortar to create a berm or raised edge on back edge directly on the slab, drape liner over this then mortar rock down on top of liner against the raised edge or berm.

Both suggestions will raise water level in upper pool, before it spills over, but from your pic it looks like you have room for it.

 

[Steve2324]

Even with the slab declining towards the pond the thin space between liner and slab acts as a wick and will let the water run out the back side of the slab.

Could try adding a large bead of silicone between liner and slab. Then mortar some rock down on top of the liner, not only will this hide the liner, but the idea is the weight of the mortar and rock acts as a clamp on the siliconed liner creating a seal.

Any idea what kind of rock I could use?
There's not much space there for big slabs
Would the rock raise the level of the overflow even more?

 

[Jhn]

Any idea what kind of rock I could use?
There's not much space there for big slabs
Would the rock raise the level of the overflow even more?

Hard to tell how much space you have from pic. You would in all likelihood need to move the statue. I would try some squared off pieces of cobble, kind of like what you already have mortared in there.

Also, edited last post with an added idea.

 

[Steve2324]

Hard to tell how much space you have from pic. You would in all likelihood need to move the statue. I would try some squared off pieces of cobble, kind of like what you already have mortared in there.

Also, edited last post with an added idea.

What you said gave me an idea.

Do you think I could put a bead of silicone all the way around the ridge of the slab that's under the liner, make it a really thick ridge that the water would have to wick over would be ridge not be too high for the water to wick over?

Bad drawing but sort of like that?

Would water still be able to wick over that?

 

[addy1]

I glued thin small rocks to my water fall rock (deck one) to direct the flow the way I wanted it to go.

 

[Steve2324]

I glued thin small rocks to my water fall rock (deck one) to direct the flow the way I wanted it to go.

The liner I have though is polyethylene and no glue will stick to it unfortunately. Can't believe when I bought it something as major as that wasn't on the description.
I have to rely on mechanical holds like wieght holding it down etc.

I'll try and create a large silicone ridge under the liner tonight and see how that goes

 

[Lisak1]

I see where you're going with your silicone ridge idea. It's worth a try... but unless your liner can extend up and over that ridge for a ways down the slab, I think you're still going to lose water under the liner. Do you have more liner? Can you replace the liner in the pooling area so you have more to work with?

And I think you've hit on the reason why @Mmathis was curious about what kind of liner you used.

 

[Steve2324]

I've got a bit more liner but i folded it under the gravel I'll try and pull some out tonight when I get in.

Really lost as to what I can do, really can't be buying more liner and I want this pond finishing this year

 

[Steve2324]

Measured today after refilling and it's dropped by 3cm in 6 hours.

That isn't normal is it? There's definitely a leak?

 

[ShawnInfirmity]

@Steve2324 I had a problem with water wicking back under the liner in my waterfall/spout. The only thing I could do to get it to stop was to spray the rubberized leak seal spray where the liner and the spout meet. I sprayed it fairly thick and let it dry for 24 hours as directed before I turned the pump back on.

 

[Steve2324]

@Steve2324 I had a problem with water wicking back under the liner in my waterfall/spout. The only thing I could do to get it to stop was to spray the rubberized leak seal spray where the liner and the spout meet. I sprayed it fairly thick and let it dry for 24 hours as directed before I turned the pump back on.

I managed to use gold label and then ironed the liner to the slab so it melted to the gold label/ slab and it seems to be holding.

Ive lost around 1cm of water in 24 hours now.

Does that seem about normal?
Due to the size of my pond 4m x 1m approximately curved and irregular shape makes it impossible to work out properly which means I've lost about 40l in a day.

Is that normal evaporation?

 

[addy1]

I can easily lose a inch a day when it is sunny and hot. Sometimes even more.