am I ready to give up pond

[Meyer Jordan]

Has anyone heard from Sissy?

 

[bettasngoldfish]

No but I have been thinking about her.....looks like she was last seen on the forum on Friday

 

[Mmathis]

I was thinging the same thing....... There was something going on about possibly adoping a dog that had to be surrendered due to the owner's going into a nursing home -- have been hoping to hear about that.

 

[sissy]

last night again I lost 2 inch's of water and I am getting more disgusted .Why am I only loosing water at night .I thought I found the problem and didn't loose any water for 2 days and one night .But this morning the pond was down 2 inch's .Seems like everything is going wrong lately .2 dead lawnmower batteries and 1 kitchen range that I cannot use at all unless I plug it in and listen to it beep for hours and that means pulling the range out to plug it in and unplug it .Can't turn the breaker off because my dryer is on the same breaker and now this again with the pond .The liner tape I had put between the waterfall liners did not hold .It stuck to the epdm but not to the pvc liner that i have my tank filter in and both sides I found water going between them (I put seaming tape there just to be safe ).I think frogs or toads must have pulled it apart .I put dirt back there and lifted the sides up and it is temporary until i can take every thing apart come fall .I put large rocks against it also .These 2 liners overlap the whole length of the waterfall pond by 5 feet and actually are on an up slope to the filter .I have been up since 6 AM and looked at both edges I fixed and can't see any water there .It was bone dry .I also looked at the whole liner again with a flashlight .Oh by the way my friends took the chihuahua since they wanted a dog so bad because just before they moved here from NJ there baby (dog ) passed away and they were lost with out her .I have 3 and know how they are so wanted them to feel love again .Only thing that has gone right .

 

[Tula]

Sissy, I'm sorry for your continued frustration. I've noted increased pond evaporation, with the cooler nights and added water last evening.

 

[MitchM]

Sissy, are you having large temperature swings between the day and nightime where you could have a piece of plastic or rubber that is shrinking and allowing water to leak out?

 

[sissy]

We are having day temps in 80' and 90's and nights 50's .I pulled part of the liner that is in the water fall pond and it is dry under it .Only place it could leak as it is a liner that goes from filter to filter and only reason I use the pvc liner is for under the filters .I stayed up until after 1 AM last night and did not loose 1 drop of water .I fell asleep and woke up before 6 AM and found I had lost over 2 inch's of water .second pic waterfall spitter .Temporary filter tank in second filter stock tank in other filter 5th pic and 6th pic and 7th pic 8th pic other filter .The liner under both filters is the 45 mil epdm liner that is the whole pond a pvc liners are just on top of it to protect it some what from the sun .I am lost at this point The sides of the pond where water fall pond and second filter go into the pond are 6 inch's higher than the where the water goes over and into the pond

 

[sissy]

2:14 AM and looked and lost half inch of water so turned off the pump to the waterfall pond to see what will happen .I have an airstone in the filter so figure it should be OK .Problem is they are calling for over 2 inch's of rain starting friday and until sunday .It has not started to rain yet and I will try to see if more water is lost before it starts to rain .

 

[peter hillman]

I know I'm late for this party but... Is it possible your plant's are drinking up the water? Your hyacinths are huge and the roots on those banana plants look like they could hold a couple gallons in them. Does it eventually stop loosing water at some point? Or would it go dry if left un-cheched?

 

[sissy]

Bananas are not in the filters any more and I cannot let the pond go to low since we have not gotten enough rain as neighbors well went dry last week .He was up here and asked me who did my well .He is deceased now and this guy Tom has a Haymore built house and was using 1 of the worst well drillers and my well is 400+ ft deep and his is around 200 ft deep .Told him to call the guy in NC .Well just after 3 AM it started to rain a light to medium rain and steady rain .So looked just now and the half inch I lost is back because of the rain .Looked at the water fall pond and measured amount of water still in it and it was the same as when I turned the pump off .9 inch's of water in it and measured it in the same exact spot because I left the plastic measuring stick there so I just had to look at it .It is raining so hard to take pics .I wondered about plants but wouldn't I have lost water before this as they were just as big and I actually took a lot of them out since noticing the water lose .Both bananas gone and the strawberries and cream plant gone and a lot of the hyacinth are in the lily pond .First 4 pics are of before I took plants out and 5th pic is a bunch of the hyacinth from the waterfall pond that are now in the lily pond .6th pic is the temporary filter so I could see if it was leaking by the second filter I had and 7th pic is my stock tank full of water hyacinth and pic was taken yesterday .I had a bumper crop this year 8th pic is the stock tank filter and 9th pic is of the waterfall pond filter .I am really stumped because I set my pond up the way I had the old pond set up it is just bigger and deeper .Last 2 pics are showing how the pond has a double wall ,1 holds the liner and the other 1 is the retaining wall outside that wall . No leaks there I looked

 

[Tula]

I too am curious how low the pond would go, but understand you can't let it. I also wonder about your plants, as they're lush and gorgeous!! I think the temperature swings from day to night, could be a factor, especially as you lose water at night, as opposed to day.

Off subject, do you run pumps during the winter. I agree that aeration helps with so many things in a a pond.

 

[peter hillman]

You got me stumped too. All I can suggest is let it drain till it hits the level of the leak. Maybe over winter? Just think of the fun you could have in the spring! We all know you aren't giving up ponding...

 

[sissy]

I have a 1000 gph laguna pump that I use in the winter and it is put under the pond heater .But usually I do not have to do that until January .I live only 15 minutes from the NC border .Actually that is what I am leaning towards because the temp. swings are really big .I don't want to mess to much by that filter because it could muck up my water .I try to only let it loose 3 inch's of water before I add water because we have not had much rain in the last 3 months and don't want to run my well for long periods of time .Plus since the well is 400 ft deep it puts a strain on the well pump .It is a 1 hp pump and replacing it is not an easy task .Did that once already and not fun .I am at a real lose as to what is going on and guessing i am going to have to wait until late November or December to figure it out .I read lots on over aerating a pond and how it helps keep algae from growing and I really think it is all true over the years because all I ever get is a little green water come spring and 1 or 2 weeks of the uv running and that is gone .Never really had string algae but I don't over feed or over populate my pond with fish .I actually have a list of people wanting my fish babies .

 

[sissy]

I really can't do that come winter as 2 of the koi are over 2 ft. long and would worry about them as I never know from one day to the next what the temps .outside will be and if power will go out during a storm .I would have to call a water truck to deliver and you never know what kind of water you will get and if they can even deliver .Plus in the winter I cannot use the hydrant connected to my well because of freezing and I would have to use my water from the house that is going through a whole house filter in the house .There are to many if's with a well and if I burn the pump out in the winter for the well that could be a major problem .To get water delivered the company is over a hour and a half away and they charge you also for there travel expenses plus miles and that could be expensive .Neighbor paid over 2000 dollars to fill his new swimming pool last year .

You got me stumped too. All I can suggest is let it drain till it hits the level of the leak. Maybe over winter? Just think of the fun you could have in the spring! We all know you aren't giving up ponding...

 

[sissy]

I have already checked about moving the fish