Concrete pond leaking

[Giovanni]

It would have been better if you had put a plastic liner under your project but your fail will always be at a straight walls base, lots of movement right there. What will work is elastomeric coatings and I suggest 10 layers at least. I used Bluemax with good results. I built a 24,000 gallon pond with concrete and it has cracked in several places but with the liner underneath no leaks.

Movement due to the weight of the water? May explain my fast water loss when full, but as level goes down it seems to slow until it seems to stop at about 1 foot.

 

[Bluerooster]

Concrete blocks are ok to give the shape, and hold a liner. That is all. Had you done a monolithic pour of concrete bottom to top, you would have been better off. But still, it is porous and will lose water at a very slow rate, so it must be sealed.

But, as you've already used blocks, this product will be the best to use: https://www.merlex.com/super-blockade.php

 

[zeuspaul]

I built a 9 ft deep x 12 ft diameter reservoir with concrete block and some rebar. I sealed it with a couple of troweled coats of Rapid Set mortar available at Home Depot and Lowes. It is not portland cement based and does not shrink. That was about ten years ago and it is still holding water.

 

[GBBUDD]

If I was building a raised pond with windows. I had the shape established with block. I would think about fiberglass. Colors durability and the concrete is only a backer once the fiberglass is set it doesn't even need to stuck to the block .

 

[GBBUDD]

I built a 9 ft deep x 12 ft diameter reservoir with concrete block and some rebar. I sealed it with a couple of troweled coats of Rapid Set mortar available at Home Depot and Lowes. It is not portland cement based and does not shrink. That was about ten years ago and it is still holding water.

That's like 9000 gallons why did you build such a large reservoir

 

[zeuspaul]

It is part of my fire protection system. We can get severe desert winds in wildfire season. I have a pump and a bunch of misters around the house. Also several fire hydrants. When the winds pick up and there are fires all over the place the fire service becomes overwhelmed.

That's like 9000 gallons why did you build such a large reservoir

 

[GBBUDD]

Sounds as you have prepared pretty well. I take it you gravity fed or a reliable generator

 

[mgmine]

Once you put any type of material over the block you pretty much limited your options. A simple solution would be to line it with a Schluter membrane. Simply coat the inside with thinset and cover it with the membrane. Then to double the protection cover that with a rubber coating available from Home Depot or Lowes sold in the tile department. However, now that the block has already been coated you are only left with installing a liner. That's not a bad thing since a liner looks good after it ages.

 

[Giovanni]

Movement due to the weight of the water? May explain my fast water loss when full, but as level goes down it seems to slow until it seems to stop at about 1 foot.

Have recently poured another 5" of concrete and wire fencing on floor of my 'big dig' to go with the 4" i started with, been about a week. Going to seal it and then fill it up. Hopefully no water loss this time.

 

[pebbleoz]

Concrete takes 7 days to cure to about 90% strength. It takes 28 days to reach full cure. If I were you I’d wait to the concrete to fully cure before coating it. Then a further few days for the sealant to cure.

 

[uniquely.intriguing]

Hello friends, I have recently dug a new pond. My pond is 4' in the ground (concrete totally) then an additionally 3' cinder block up above ground. I finished the entire wall with mortar. Then sealed the entire interior with a product called POND SEAL. Filled pond up. ALL WATER LEAKED OUT except about 5" in the bottom. Next I consulted a local Pond expert. He said use Herculiner truck bed liner(same product as a pond SEAL sold by that company but marketed much cheaper) Coated the interior with one(1) coat, and filled pond up. I did see improvement. But after 5 days I am at about 3' left in pond. I did notice that I had seepage at the mortar joint connection between the in-ground concrete and the above ground cider block structure. But I can't figure out the issue with the below ground water loss. Should I apply a second coat of the Herculiner? Or is there any thing I can add to the water that will find the seep points a fill them? Or just drain the whole thing and buy a plastic liner to fit into the structure? Any answers?

 

[uniquely.intriguing]

Hello friends, I have recently dug a new pond. My pond is 4' in the ground (concrete totally) then an additionally 3' cinder block up above ground. I finished the entire wall with mortar. Then sealed the entire interior with a product called POND SEAL. Filled pond up. ALL WATER LEAKED OUT except about 5" in the bottom. Next I consulted a local Pond expert. He said use Herculiner truck bed liner(same product as a pond SEAL sold by that company but marketed much cheaper) Coated the interior with one(1) coat, and filled pond up. I did see improvement. But after 5 days I am at about 3' left in pond. I did notice that I had seepage at the mortar joint connection between the in-ground concrete and the above ground cider block structure. But I can't figure out the issue with the below ground water loss. Should I apply a second coat of the Herculiner? Or is there any thing I can add to the water that will find the seep points a fill them? Or just drain the whole thing and buy a plastic liner to fit into the structure? Any answers?

Have you tried using bentonite clay as a sealant. I know it’s used on large ponds as the pond water leaks out the clay finds the leaks and seals them. It’s like $10. It’s worth a try. Hope it helps

 

[j.w]

@uniquely.intriguing

 

[uniquely.intriguing]

Thank you!!

 

[uniquely.intriguing]

View attachment 161950 @uniquely.intriguing

Thank you!!