Water loss Frustration

[Pond skipper]

Can anybody give me any tips on finding a leak? I’ve narrowed it down to the bog garden portion of my pond. (Not the plumbing which is all internal and can’t take water out of the pond even if a hose were to come off.) I’ve left it for a day (with the pump off) and then looked around the water line. I can’t see any holes or tears or anywhere where it’s wicking out. If I turn the pump on again the bog levels up until the water spills over the berm and it stays like that but then the main pond starts emptying. My question, I think, how do I see the hole or tear is there a good method of finding it once the water level has settled. Magnifying glass perhaps? Lol

Secondly, Is there a clue I might be missing having to do with the way the pond is emptying when the bog pump is on. To me that still implies, if not confirms that it’s the bog where the leak is because while pump is on, bog stays full but pond starts to empty. Anyway any idea are welcomed.. thanks

 

[RMaynard]

It sounds like a leak in the bog. When the pump is off, does the bog lower any further than the overflow? If not, perhaps the leak is above the resting level and only leaks when the pump is on, keeping the level above the overflow, and the leak.

 

[Pond skipper]

Yes, that is exactly what I’m thinking but I just don’t see a hole or rip. Between the water stains and the folds in the liner it’s really difficult. Do you know any tricks for finding the hole once you’ve ascertained the augus approximate level it should be at?

 

[SarahT]

A picture of your set up and the hose/ piping would help me. The first thing I thought of was that the pump filled the bog at the expense of the pond (so add water to the pond), but if the pond level continued to fall ... leak somewhere. Is your bog made with a continuous extension of the pond liner or with a separate, pieced or overlaid liner?

 

[addy1]

If my bog is off , when I turn it back on my pond level lowers. I add water and it stays stable.

 

[Pond skipper]

A picture of your set up and the hose/ piping would help me. The first thing I thought of was that the pump filled the bog at the expense of the pond (so add water to the pond), but if the pond level continued to fall ... leak somewhere. Is your bog made with a continuous extension of the pond liner or with a separate, pieced or overlaid liner?

Hi, thank you, I will add a picture or two . It is one continuous liner no seems or anything. Both the bog and main pond were full already when I turned the bog on. I have an individual pump for each. One pump for the skimmer / waterfall and another for the bog. When only waterfall one is on there is no leak., when bog one is on I lose water. Piping for bog pump is all inside the pond so even if there was a hole in the pipe there should be no water loss. If i don’t find the dang leak soon I think I’m going to throw another piece of liner in the bog to completely cover the original liner…
Obviously the first picture is up and running.. second is the way it looks now after emptying all the gravel from the bog and tearing apart my waterfall that took so long to get right . The pvc pipe lying on its side is new. I didn’t have any under gravel upflow so I’m taking the opportunity while looking for the leak to add one.

 

[cas]

How much water are you losing and how fast?

 

[Pond skipper]

Well, a little over an inch per day. If I’ve done the calculations correctly that works be about 64-65 gallons per day.

 

[SarahT]

Not that this helps the water loss situation, but your pond is gorgeous and will be, again.
I am stumped, but the left side (on the second pic) is where I'd start looking for the leak, as there is a lot of fold (possible wicking up and out?) and it looks low compared to the rest of the bog area. Personally, I don't like corrugated hose, becuase I've found them to get little cracks that leak only a bit, and a little sizzly spray of water out, but cumulatively leak more than one would think.

 

[Souper09]

Can anybody give me any tips on finding a leak? I’ve narrowed it down to the bog garden portion of my pond. (Not the plumbing which is all internal and can’t take water out of the pond even if a hose were to come off.) I’ve left it for a day (with the pump off) and then looked around the water line. I can’t see any holes or tears or anywhere where it’s wicking out. If I turn the pump on again the bog levels up until the water spills over the berm and it stays like that but then the main pond starts emptying. My question, I think, how do I see the hole or tear is there a good method of finding it once the water level has settled. Magnifying glass perhaps? Lol

Secondly, Is there a clue I might be missing having to do with the way the pond is emptying when the bog pump is on. To me that still implies, if not confirms that it’s the bog where the leak is because while pump is on, bog stays full but pond starts to empty. Anyway any idea are welcomed.. thanks

I had a similar issue earlier this spring, my issue was the pump’s coupling, that feeds the water back to the waterfall, was “ slightly” loose. I tightened it up and all is good. I thought the liner had an issue but that wasn’t the case. It sounds easy enough but I was going crazy with the process of elimination of other possibilities.

 

[Pond skipper]

Not that this helps the water loss situation, but your pond is gorgeous and will be, again.
I am stumped, but the left side (on the second pic) is where I'd start looking for the leak, as there is a lot of fold (possible wicking up and out?) and it looks low compared to the rest of the bog area. Personally, I don't like corrugated hose, becuase I've found them to get little cracks that leak only a bit, and a little sizzly spray of water out, but cumulatively leak more than one would think.

Thank you, yes I am thinking about changing to solid pipe. But I have checked all the hoses on the bog line and even dug up the waterfall line and I can’t dubs any leaks there. I’m inclined to agree that the left side might be the problem. When I fill the bog again and rebuild the waterfall I’m planning on having the waterfall flow in an added down the left side so I will be tackling that side antsy. Thanks for your input.

 

[Pond skipper]

I had a similar issue earlier this spring, my issue was the pump’s coupling, that feeds the water back to the waterfall, was “ slightly” loose. I tightened it up and all is good. I thought the liner had an issue but that wasn’t the case. It sounds easy enough but I was going crazy with the process of elimination of other possibilities.

Ya actually the plumbing was the first thing I suspected but after much isolating and searching it definitely isn’t there in my case. I think I’m going to just throw another oversized piece of liner into the bog and see what happens

 

[Stephen Noble]

I had the same problem with our courtyard pond. It was driving me nuts. Checked the hoses and connections and no leaks. My wife kept telling me it's the plants. I said, "Naw, I've been doing this for years and years and never had plants cause significant water loss." So today, after reading @Pond skippers post, I went out to tackle the problem once again. It was the plants. How is it that wives know the obvious?
The main culprit was Java Moss. I had some Java Moss in the pond and over time, it started covering the pond's rim and growing out of the pond into the garden area. There was a steady water trickle as the moss wicked water from the pond. And a garden plant about two feet away from the pond called a Shrimp Plant Justicia brandegeana red had also sent a runner into the pond where I could not see it. The Shrimp Plant was growing like cazy and drinking the 'bar' dry! I am attaching an older image showing the edge before it was completely Java Moss covered. Java Moss is to the left of the image. Shown is the upper pond (bog) section.

 

[Pond skipper]

Thanks for the idea. I don’t even have any plants in the pond yet this year and nothing around the edges is getting into it. As a matter of fact I’m very interested in the Java moss you mentioned.. I’m looking for something to grow over the edges to soften them. What hardiness zone are you in, or where do you live.