There's a leak in the liner dear Liyza

[texmaster]

Hi Folks,

Yes I've got a leak and its pretty bad. Bad enough in 3-4 hours I'm loosing about an inch. I've already tested running without the pumps on and its steady so I know its in the liner. The only thing I know for sure is that its below the skimmer and stops just after the skimmer water level is too low to run the pump inside the skimmer.

Anyone got tips for a pesky leak like this? I've tried floating debris and food and while it gravitates toward the skimmer once it gets there is doesn't favor a certain corner or area that I can see.

its a 7x10x3 pond. The only thing I can think of is to smear some pond armor over the connections where the liner meets the skimmer.

 

[Angel]

fill the skimmer with a bucket or hose see if the leak is the skimmer pump hose.

after that fill pond back up a bit and use a little bit of skim milk here and there to see where it goes

 

[texmaster]

fill the skimmer with a bucket or hose see if the leak is the skimmer pump hose.

after that fill pond back up a bit and use a little bit of skim milk here and there to see where it goes

Thanks! I'll give it a try

 

[Lisak1]

Yeah, my money would be on a loose connection or plumbing failure. Or like you said - the seal where the liner meets the skimmer may have failed. Without an obvious cause of a tear (i.e., something sharp was dropped or an animal clawed it's way out) a liner failure would be unlikely. I would start with the skimmer plate first if it were me!

 

[texmaster]

Ok I tried the milk trick after filling it up but despite multiple efforts I couldn't track it going anywhere. Even around the skimmer.

I left it alone, everything off for 3 hours and it dropped 1/2 inch.

Overnight it dropped another 2 inches.

Here's a shot around the skimmer. Note the water in the skimmer is full and to the brim. I dont know if this means anything or not but I was curious if it meant that the leak isn't in the skimmer considering how much lower it is past the seal of the skimmer..

 

[Angel]

Ok I tried the milk trick after filling it up but despite multiple efforts I couldn't track it going anywhere. Even around the skimmer.

I left it alone, everything off for 3 hours and it dropped 1/2 inch.

Overnight it dropped another 2 inches.

Here's a shot around the skimmer. Note the water in the skimmer is full and to the brim. I dont know if this means anything or not but I was curious if it meant that the leak isn't in the skimmer considering how much lower it is past the seal of the skimmer..

Let the pond "go" till it stops losing water then you will have an ideal where to look for the leak. at this rate we can pretty much safely say the skimmer is not the problem.

 

[Angel]

Also i am sorry i was not clear enough. i meant dropping some skim milk in the pond near edges in spots to see. skim milk will act like a dye but not harm the fish.

 

[texmaster]

Let the pond "go" till it stops losing water then you will have an ideal where to look for the leak. at this rate we can pretty much safely say the skimmer is not the problem.

Roger that!

The fish dont seem to care.

 

[Angel]

Roger that!

The fish dont seem to care.

I had to do the "let it go" when i was losing water to find my source.

 

[texmaster]

I appreciate it. How long should I let it go? ie how many days in a row when its relatively the same level?

 

[Angel]

I appreciate it. How long should I let it go? ie how many days in a row when its relatively the same level?

when its idle in drop then you can start looking around.

start looking at the "obvious" spots, ie: liner joints. possible sharp rocks connections to pumps water falls skimmer etc

you may have to pull back any rocks or plants and get in to the pond and inspect.


if you find a hole in the liner if you patch it make sure to use round patches ( take your patch and cut/trim to make round) less likely to get caught on things and do a better seal

 

[Angel]

Ok I tried the milk trick after filling it up but despite multiple efforts I couldn't track it going anywhere. Even around the skimmer.

I left it alone, everything off for 3 hours and it dropped 1/2 inch.

Overnight it dropped another 2 inches.

Here's a shot around the skimmer. Note the water in the skimmer is full and to the brim. I dont know if this means anything or not but I was curious if it meant that the leak isn't in the skimmer considering how much lower it is past the seal of the skimmer..

re looking yes you are correct the the skimmer it's self is the not the issue skimmer side (plastic skimmer bucket (vortex it looks like) ) I am not sure the pump volume for the skimmer or if you can just fill the skimmer with a hose and have the hose keep up with the pump but thats something we can look at latter.


I live by the "K.I.S.S" method on trouble shooting everything including my line of work ( IT field)

Keep
It
Simple
Stupide


more or less typically the most complex the problem often has the most simplest solution.

 

[addy1]

I appreciate it. How long should I let it go? ie how many days in a row when its relatively the same level?

Hope you find it easily. I would say a 24 hour period without a water drop would mean you are now at the leak level.
I have found leaks by looking for wet ground, pull the liner forward look for wet. Hard to do right now, all our ground is wet.

 

[texmaster]

I'm watching it. It seems to have settled about 2 inches down from the skimmer but I'll know for sure Saturday.

 

[Angel]

I'm watching it. It seems to have settled about 2 inches down from the skimmer but I'll know for sure Saturday.

When it settles you will have a better ideal.

I had a leak before and had to wait for it to level out before i could find it. once it leveled out i had a good ideal where it was and found it pretty quick and patched it.

In my case it was where i was draggin up up my pump vie the power cord and the broken plastic caused it and that was the first area i looked.

kiss