Pond's losing water -- again!

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Last fall, I found that the big waterfall was leaking and did my best to stop it. Husband, for some reason, won't agree to using stuff you all have recommended...that sealant product. OK, whatever. The pond guy, for whatever reason, did not put a liner from the spill box and rocks into the pond. So I managed to get husband to agree to shut down the big waterfall for the winter after the pond guy said the same thing. Through the winter we had one good pump running and the blubbers.

EDIT - I thought the smaller waterfall was not leaking but it looks like it is. Hard to tell without moving very heavy rocks. I have called another couple of pond guys. Maybe one of them can move that rock and say for sure.

If I am wrong, tho, and it is not leaking from that spot, I see no other solution but for someone to drain the pond and see what the heck is going on. I am not thrilled putting more money into this pond. It's one thing after another. It's been a money pit, truly. An obscene amount of money has been spent.

One good thing, though, a little frog was hanging out in the pond yesterday as I prepared to scrub algae off some rocks. I did not, though. I did not want to disturb the little guy.

P.S. Does anyone have or recommend any good Youtube videos to watch on pond making? I know there is a wealth of experienced ponders here. Thanks. I'm in northern Delaware.
 
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There are TONS of great pond building videos out there - the Ponddigger has a slew of them that cover the basics in a step by step fashion. Extremely useful to understanding how things SHOULD work. There is nothing worse than trying to fix a job that was done wrong. No liner under the waterfall rocks? That's a non-negotiable point. You need to pull it out (or have it pulled out) and do it correctly or all the waterfall foam in the world won't help you. (Waterfall foam will only redirect water flow - it's by no means waterPROOF.)

I'm sorry that you are dealing with this mess. But I think anyone here will tell you - if you are losing water you check 1. waterfalls and streams 2. edges 3. plumbing and FINALLY you suspect a leak in the pond itself. Ponds that are losing water are rarely leaking. The first three are way more common issues. In fact, I would put evaporation ahead of an actual liner leak. Unless he didn't put liner under your pond either... haha?

And by the way - I would get the "pond guy" who built this pond back out and INSIST he do it right. That's pond building 101 right there. My gosh - these are the guys who give the pros a bad name.
 
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I have to agree here, if the waterfalls are leaking and you paid for the install then they should make good on it. That's the whole point of paying someone to do it for you. From what you are describing then I would not drain the entire pond, that will not fix the waterfall issues.
 

morewater

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That's why all waterfalls should be incorporated into the excavation, like the built-in staircase that most pools have. If the waterfall is part of the excavation, any leaks between stones leak into the pond, not out of the pond. It also makes for a much more natural edge and look.

Doesn't sound like the original guy knew what he was doing, and is now waffling to avoid having to fix his own mistake.
 
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There are TONS of great pond building videos out there - the Ponddigger has a slew of them that cover the basics in a step by step fashion. Extremely useful to understanding how things SHOULD work. There is nothing worse than trying to fix a job that was done wrong. No liner under the waterfall rocks? That's a non-negotiable point. You need to pull it out (or have it pulled out) and do it correctly or all the waterfall foam in the world won't help you. (Waterfall foam will only redirect water flow - it's by no means waterPROOF.)

I'm sorry that you are dealing with this mess. But I think anyone here will tell you - if you are losing water you check 1. waterfalls and streams 2. edges 3. plumbing and FINALLY you suspect a leak in the pond itself. Ponds that are losing water are rarely leaking. The first three are way more common issues. In fact, I would put evaporation ahead of an actual liner leak. Unless he didn't put liner under your pond either... haha?

And by the way - I would get the "pond guy" who built this pond back out and INSIST he do it right. That's pond building 101 right there. My gosh - these are the guys who give the pros a bad name.

Thanks for the input, everybody. Looks like it's the other waterfall. I tried to take a peak but I could not really tell -- but I bet it is leaking.
My mistake in thinking that this Great Stuff brand of insulating foam and sealant was waterproof. Well, I am just a pond beginner, but it seems only common sense there be a liner under the waterfalls. Last fall, he asked me if there was! I thought, well, you built it, what do you think?
Anyway, I have left messages with two other people who do pond work, and one is a personal recommendation. I just want it to work! There is definitely a liner. I saw it go in. I have photos. I thought maybe that by walking around in the pond last fall, I may have damaged something.
I did see a leak in the black PVC (I guess it's that) pipe, so I taped it up best as I could, then husband put electrical tape on it. It appears to be OK.

I wish the pond had never been there to begin with. It's been trouble the day after we moved in the darn house. I really hate dishonest people.
 

morewater

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A competent pond guy will be able to find your problem relatively quickly and should be able to remedy it in quick order.

Have you posted photos of your pond before? I don't recall having seen them if you have.
 
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Thanks very much for your opinions, everyone. I am lucky to have found knowledgeable people.
I have posted photos long time ago, my fellow Ontarian and hater of racoons. Did they dine on your fish? :mad:

I have recent photos I took with the iphone, so not top quality and the area is not pretty, since little green is around it and those round rocks have got to go! I tipped on them last week and ended on the ground. But better there than in the pond. I'll post them when I can.
 
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IMG_4050.jpg

A recent photo of the pond. Barren at the moment. The large waterfall that I know for sure is leaking has been turned off for the winter, until someone can get here to fix it. Now the smaller one is leaking, too. I can't get a good look into the tiny opening where I suspect the leak is. There is no liner under either one. Why do builders do that? Isn't that negligent?

I wonder if that black pipe can be re-routed so it isn't so prominent.

IMG_2966.JPG



This is the leak from the large waterfall - the one that is shut down.

I'll have to add water again soon to the pond. There are no words to express how frustrating this is and how annoyed I am.
 
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Last fall, I found that the big waterfall was leaking and did my best to stop it. Husband, for some reason, won't agree to using stuff you all have recommended...that sealant product. OK, whatever. The pond guy, for whatever reason, did not put a liner from the spill box and rocks into the pond. So I managed to get husband to agree to shut down the big waterfall for the winter after the pond guy said the same thing. Through the winter we had one good pump running and the blubbers.

EDIT - I thought the smaller waterfall was not leaking but it looks like it is. Hard to tell without moving very heavy rocks. I have called another couple of pond guys. Maybe one of them can move that rock and say for sure.

If I am wrong, tho, and it is not leaking from that spot, I see no other solution but for someone to drain the pond and see what the heck is going on. I am not thrilled putting more money into this pond. It's one thing after another. It's been a money pit, truly. An obscene amount of money has been spent.

One good thing, though, a little frog was hanging out in the pond yesterday as I prepared to scrub algae off some rocks. I did not, though. I did not want to disturb the little guy.

P.S. Does anyone have or recommend any good Youtube videos to watch on pond making? I know there is a wealth of experienced ponders here. Thanks. I'm in northern Delaware.


Just an idea have you tryed turning the output down on you pump,sometimes if you have the output to high to much water goes through and the waterfall can't get rid of it quick enough therefore you have a backfill or disperses over ect
 

Meyer Jordan

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In all fairness, most waterfall filters or spillways do not require that liner be placed under them. If the liner is properly attached to the waterfall module there should not be any leaks. This is not to say that leaks can't exist along the edges of the liner between the waterfall and the pond. This is commonly where leaks occur.
 

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