Comments on: Finding a Leak in Your Water Garden – Water Garden & Feature Q & A

By: kathiethueme

kathiethueme — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 15:31:38 +0000

Hi Neil, Thanks for the added tip!

By: Neil

Neil — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 12:17:55 +0000

Well I think you should first confirm that whether there is a leak or water level is decreasing due to the evaporation before hiring any of the leak detection services. For this you may do a bucket test. Place a bucket on the step of pool with water in it up to a certain mark. And also mark the level of your pool. Now observe both marks i.e. pool’s level and bucket level after 24 hrs. If the decrease level is constant in both the case then it is due to the evaporation and if not same then there must be a leakage problem.

By: kathiethueme

kathiethueme — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 19:28:51 +0000

Hi John,

I would follow to suggestions on our last blog for trying to narrow down your leak search. Does your pond have any liner underneath or just the rocks as a base? If it is just the rocks/cement it’s possible that the gaps between or cracks in concrete are releasing the water in which case the water would be coming from several different areas in the pond. You could try using waterfall foam to fill in gaps between the rocks. The foam is not necessarily designed to stop leaks but it does help hold water inside the pond and help to support rocks. We also have a product called pond armor that you could apply to the pond area that holds the water. This is alomst like painting on a liner which would help seal any small cracks.

By: John Brenenstuhl

John Brenenstuhl — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 00:51:42 +0000

I have small 2 tear water fall into a 3′ by 4′ by 16″ pond. I constructed this out of concrete granite rock & flag stone. It held water great for the first year but this year I have a leak that I can not find. HELP PLEASE!!

By: thepondguy

thepondguy — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 13:55:41 +0000

Cathy,

Great idea, thanks for the comment!

By: CATHY CRAWFORD

CATHY CRAWFORD — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 13:34:56 +0000

I live in North Carolina, if your pond is 3 feet or more
at it’s deepest, I put the plants in the bottom near
my water fall after cutting them back. I never turn my water fall off. My plants come back every year, sometimes before I can pull them back up to the top. In extreme winters I also use a Sauser Heater to keep ice from completely forming on the ends farthest from the water fall.

By: thepondguy

thepondguy — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 12:53:37 +0000

Francis,

Any floating plants, such as the water hyacinth are hard to winterize. Usually you have to bring them indoors because they will not survive the harsh winters.

As for any bog plants, what we do in Michigan where it seems like we only have summer for 2 weeks out of the year =), we trim the foliage of the bog/marginals down to about 2″ above the roots. We are in zone 5 as well and we don’t have a problem having them come back year to year.

If you have any bogs/marginal plants that are tropical however, again, they will not survive the winter even if you did trim back the foliage.

Hopefully this helps!

Thanks for the question

By: thepondguy

thepondguy — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 12:49:01 +0000

Paul,

If the stock tank is above ground, try and look around the tank for any leaks. Some times they can be visible, other times it can be a small drip that you may not notice.

If the stock tank is built into the ground, the concepts above should work. By turning off any pumps and letting the water sit will allow you to see where the water level comes down to if there is a leak.

Does it drain to the bottom if you let it sit? If so the leak must be on the bottom. If it stops mid-level, then the leak is around the side. If it leaks only when the pump is on, then water is somehow escaping from the pump tubing, filtration or waterfall area or whichever you have.

Hopefully this helps.
Thanks for the question!

By: FRANCIS E. RIDLEY

FRANCIS E. RIDLEY — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:57:18 +0000

HI MR. POND GUY
THIS YEAR WE REBUILT OR POND AND REPLACED THE LINER AND FILTERING SYSTUM AND NOW ABLE TO PUT MORE PLANTS IN THE POND AND THE 2 BOGS. I KNOW I CAN OVER WINTER THE LILLIES BUT, CAN I AND HOW CAN I WINTER OVER THE WATER HICENTS, CYPERIS, CANNA, WATER IRIS OR DO HAVE TO JUST THROW THEM OUT. OUR POND TOTALY FREEZES, WE LIVE NEAR ROCHESTER NY WITH A HARDI ZONE OF # 4 – 5.

By: Paul McNutt

Paul McNutt — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 18:37:15 +0000

How would you detect a leak in pond without a liner, as in a stock tank?