Hunting for leaks

[Guyonthecanal]

Hi all,
I need some help from the old pond hands around. After about 8 years , my approximately 9'x11' oval pond has finally developed a liner leak. Water level has sunk down and stabilized just above the "deep" part of the pond ( ~4.5 ft) where the fish winter over. Are there any easy ways to find the hole? It must be fairly reasonable hole since I did refill the pond once on a warm day a couple weeks back and it was back down to about the same level within a day or so. I know I can try looking around the waters edge but that's not very efficient , especially since there are regions where the liner is folded over. Any help is appreciated. I'm hoping I don't have to rip out the whole thing and start again. best to all!

[bekko]

The hole may be just below the water level. As the water level falls the pressure drops and a hole can stop leaking.

-steve

[BruceP]

Put a little water in so the level is above where it stops. You can very carefully pour a LITTLE milk around the edge and watch to see if the 'cloud' goes to any one spot. Move slowly.

[Bucks Koi]

Put a little water in so the level is above where it stops. You can very carefully pour a LITTLE milk around the edge and watch to see if the 'cloud' goes to any one spot. Move slowly.

I like this idea but can I use chocolate milk ?
Just kidding .

Sounds odd but I like your way.
Patrick

[Guyonthecanal]

I like this idea but can I use chocolate milk ?
Just kidding .

Sounds odd but I like your way.
Patrick

Good idea.... The milk shows up well against the water.. I have a rough idea about where the hole may be (near the bottom of the waterfall when the pump is running), Hopefully it drains fast enough to create enough of a current to see. Thanks!!!

[Bucks Koi]

It was all BruceP idea not mine but a good one at that.
Thanks BruceP for the Got Milk Idea.
I like it.
Patrick:worship:

[Cincy Ranchu]

I would like some oics to better under stand

[mikroll]

I fond a leak by drainging pond and let area suspect dry out a little. The hole remains black or dark stain as hole is damp and leaks back as other parts of pond wall dry and become white.

[Guyonthecanal]

I fond a leak by drainging pond and let area suspect dry out a little. The hole remains black or dark stain as hole is damp and leaks back as other parts of pond wall dry and become white.

Hmm sounds interesting. Does that work for a rubber liner ( like I have) or only a concrete pond? I'm not sure my liner would dry to white.

[bekko]

There is a film of crud growing on the liner and it will dry to off-white, light green or tan. If the soil under the liner is well-drained and the underlayment does not absorb water then you might not find a wet spot after the liner dries. But, you know the hole is in the deep area and you know the hole is large so it should not be hard to find once the pond is drained.

You say "rubber". If that means EPDM then you can probably patch it. If the liner is eight-year-old vinyl or PVC then the plastic has probably deteriorated and cracked so a patch will be a short-term fix at best.

-steve

[Guyonthecanal]

Just a quick note to thank everyone for there suggestions on finding the leak in my pond. After some searching around I found it in the EPDM liner near the water line where the liner had slumped over after about 8 years of me playing around at the edge of the pond. When I reset the liner ..no leak. Knock wood, it seems ok so far. Also the milk idea, which seemed pretty cool, really wasn't very practical as both wind and curious fish tended to dissipate the whiteness before it could travel in any specific direction. I think it would be ok if it was a very fast leak. So.. onward with another season of pond fun! best to all.