Ready to fill in my pond

[ashirley]

I am at my wits end. A few weeks ago, I discovered that my tank that holds my bog filter was cracked and leaking water. So over the weekend, my husband and I emptied all of the plants and rock from the bog, and installed a liner. The one I purchased from Lowes was too large so we folded it in half thinking two layers of protection was better than 1. Got the liner installed and the gravel back into the bog along with the plants which now look terrible. It worked great for about a week. Now, somehow water is getting between the layers of the liner. My husband thinks its probably leaking around the pipes that return the water to the pond as that was the only place the liner was cut.

So I guess this weekend, we will drain the bog again and try to silicone the liner together around the pipes.

Not to mention that of the 3 new fish I purchased, I have only seen 1 of them in two weeks.

 

[poconojoe]

About the fish...my experience is exactly that. When introducing new fish, they have a tendency to evade being seen for a while. Could even be weeks. They are just getting accustomed to their new environment. This is not guaranteed, but it's most likely. Of course there's the possibility that something has snatched them, but probably not.

So, you made a hole in the liner for the return pipe and it's leaking. This is why I never make holes in liners. What's done is done, now you need to fix it. I don't know how you sealed the connection between the pipe, tank and liner, but I suggest you redo the connection with a bulkhead fitting. It's the only way I trust to get a positive seal. They are inexpensive and come in various sizes to fit your existing pipe. They are two pieces that screw together with gaskets in which you sandwich your liner/tank between. No glue or sealer is needed. Take a look on Amazon.

I'm curious, what material is the tank made of? Plastic, metal?

Now my speech on liners...when you stated you bought the liner at Lowe's, that mad me assume it's a PVC liner. PVC liners are terrible, they don't last very long. They get brittle fast and tear very easily. I made that very mistake (twice) with my first pond. It was a horrible experience.
Since you used it to line your tank, maybe you'll have better luck. The preferred liners are EPDM or HDRPE.

 

[IPA]

I am at my wits end. A few weeks ago, I discovered that my tank that holds my bog filter was cracked and leaking water. So over the weekend, my husband and I emptied all of the plants and rock from the bog, and installed a liner. The one I purchased from Lowes was too large so we folded it in half thinking two layers of protection was better than 1. Got the liner installed and the gravel back into the bog along with the plants which now look terrible. It worked great for about a week. Now, somehow water is getting between the layers of the liner. My husband thinks its probably leaking around the pipes that return the water to the pond as that was the only place the liner was cut.

So I guess this weekend, we will drain the bog again and try to silicone the liner together around the pipes.

Not to mention that of the 3 new fish I purchased, I have only seen 1 of them in two weeks.

Can you post some pictures? I am curious about where it is cut around the pipes part. Fish are probably just hiding.

 

[poconojoe]

Example of a bulkhead fitting:

Amazon.com: Lifegard Aquatics 1-1/2-Inch Standard Threaded Bulkhead : Everything Else

Amazon.com: Lifegard Aquatics 1-1/2-Inch Standard Threaded Bulkhead : Everything Else

www.amazon.com

 

[Phaewryn]

Is the gravel rounded/smooth peas gravel or something like crushed stone or construction gravel? Any gravel or stone that has rough edges can puncture liners. Only pea gravel, river rock, or stone which has been tumbled is truly liner safe.

If you used gravel like this, you possibly punctured the liner when you refilled it:

If you used gravel/stone that looked smooth, like shown below, it's probably coming from somewhere else. Fitting a proper bulkhead fitting is the easiest way to stop leaks around where you cut a hole in it.

One last option: there is no leak. Some condensation between layers would be expected. Unless you're seeing dropping water levels, I wouldn't worry about seeing a little water between two layers of liner. If the ground temperature is different from the water temperature, condensation would be totally expected.

 

[ashirley]

About the fish...my experience is exactly that. When introducing new fish, they have a tendency to evade being seen for a while. Could even be weeks. They are just getting accustomed to their new environment. This is not guaranteed, but it's most likely. Of course there's the possibility that something has snatched them, but probably not.

So, you made a hole in the liner for the return pipe and it's leaking. This is why I never make holes in liners. What's done is done, now you need to fix it. I don't know how you sealed the connection between the pipe, tank and liner, but I suggest you redo the connection with a bulkhead fitting. It's the only way I trust to get a positive seal. They are inexpensive and come in various sizes to fit your existing pipe. They are two pieces that screw together with gaskets in which you sandwich your liner/tank between. No glue or sealer is needed. Take a look on Amazon.

I'm curious, what material is the tank made of? Plastic, metal?

Now my speech on liners...when you stated you bought the liner at Lowe's, that mad me assume it's a PVC liner. PVC liners are terrible, they don't last very long. They get brittle fast and tear very easily. I made that very mistake (twice) with my first pond. It was a horrible experience.
Since you used it to line your tank, maybe you'll have better luck. The preferred liners are EPDM or HDRPE.

I agree with you but it was an emergency and EPDM was not available. I live in a very rural area and Lowe's is the only place available. If and when we redo it again I'll order EPDM before we get started.