Cowboy fitter. Help!!!!!

[Brian147]

Hiya.
I'm very new to this. It's regarding the mother in laws pond really!
Basically the lining of the pond was knackered. She called a local pond man to fit new liner.
4-5 weeks later the lining was floating on the top and all fish where dead.
She called matey boy back and as I've just seen, to keep lining down he's put 4 big rocks in the bottom of the pond!!
He didnt replace fish, just used big rocks to hold lining down and done a piss poor job of it all!
Can anyone tell me the proper method of doing a pond lining please. I might re do it for the mother in law!!!

Thankyou. Brian.

 

[DrDave]

Brian
This is not rocket science. Keep water from going under the liner and the problem goes away.

Don't allow any runnoff, irrigation or leaks get water under it.

Lose the rocks, they are not needed and will cause more grief later on.

 

[Brian147]

Hi. Cheers for advice.
So your saying NO water must get between liner and pond base at all?
The fella who done it is supposed to be a pro but like I said after 4-5 weeks liner was floating at the top of pond!
Brian.

 

[DrDave]

Thats right. This pond guy is only out for the money. Can you deternine how the water got under it?

 

[Brian147]

I know before he done liner the pond was leaking. Maybe lining has to come out, pond re screed / cement, and new liner put in???

 

[DrDave]

I thought this was a dirt hole with a liner. Where is this concrete?

 

[stroppy]

Hi Brian any chance you can take some photos that would help a lot :0)

 

[Brian147]

I remember before the liner was done it looked to be a big screeded bowl in the ground. There was no previous rubber/plastic liner at all!!! I take it this isnt good?
The pond is about 3ftsq and no more then 2ft deep. its been in her garden at least 30 yrs!!!
No pics, wont be there for a week or so again.

 

[DrDave]

What is a "big screeded bowl ". This term to me is gravel that has been leveled for a paver type sidewalk or flat, wet, concrete slabs before the finisher goes to work

 

[Brian147]

its a hole in the ground that has a cement render lining it, I cant make it any clearer then that, sorry.
Brian.

 

[j.w]

Here is a definition of screeding that I found on the web cuz I never heard the term before either:

Screeding is leveling and smoothing the top layer of a material that is poured, such as concrete, so the material is the same height as the forms, or guides, that surround it. While screeding concrete is a common example used in gardening and home improvement, one can also use the concept of screeding in the kitchen. When a person measures a cup of flour, then uses a knife to smooth the top, the flour is compacted and has a smooth top layer. This is screeding in its basic form.

 

[addy1]

Brian,
If you can figure out how the water got between the new liner and the old pond you could just reinstall the new liner. You must have runoff, maybe even a liner leak, that caused the water to get between the new liner and the old pond.

If it is run off, you can
1) raise the ground around the pond
2) install some french drains (pits with rock to direct the water around the pond)

The old pond is still water tight enough not to let any of the water leave after it gets between the new liner and the old pond. Which then raises your new liner.