Fixing a leak + adding more depth?

[Jezmund]

It looks like you have steppers (small flagstone) for your edging rock, which is great - very easy to stabilize. HOWEVER stacked steppers are not easy to stabilize... so it's a two edged sword there. You want the edge rock to be resting on the ground - not on top of another rock. You need to start with your edge (the ground level) to be relatively flat. Your liner comes up and over that flat edge and extends behind your edging rock. Place the rock on top of the liner, making sure the rock is level and stable and then pull the liner up behind the rock, folding the edge flat against the back of the rock and then bring your dirt or mulch up against the back of the rock to conceal the liner. It's much easier to see than to explain. Here's a link to the Ponddigger demonstrating various edging approaches:

He's a great teacher and loves to share his knowledge. The whole series on How to Build a Fish Pond is great. This one deal specifically with edging.

Thanks! I'll check it out!

 

[Spartamets]

Awesome video, Lisak1!

 

[Lisak1]

Awesome video, Lisak1!

He's great! The whole series is so useful, as are all his other videos. He's a real force in the pond world.

 

[Jezmund]

Bump. Do my added pictures give any clarity? I just went out with my headlamp and a brush and scrubbed along the side where I see the water has leaked and I don't see a darn thing. The grand plan is to dig out to make it deeper and to expand further to the right of the pond (and add a little bridge that crosses) but we don't have the money to spend on it (roof, floors, and driveway are our priority right now). Any more advice would be much appreciated!

 

[Lisak1]

You're assuming the liner has a leak. It's more likely you are wicking water out of the pond. Pick up the edge rocks and check the liner - especially the folds. You may find the water has found a way to follow those folds right over the edge of the pond.

 

[Jezmund]

You're assuming the liner has a leak. It's more likely you are wicking water out of the pond. Pick up the edge rocks and check the liner - especially the folds. You may find the water has found a way to follow those folds right over the edge of the pond.

Interesting. I do see folds along the side. How can I remove those without taking up the whole liner?

 

[mgmine]

If this was my pond I would drain it, remove the rocks and put a second liner in on top of the original one. If you cant find the leak after all you have done so far then you need to do something else.

 

[Lisak1]

You can't really get rid of the folds, but you can try to refold to stop the wicking, if that's what is indeed happening. I would also suggest you bring the liner out behind your rock edge and backfill behind it. (Like I explained in my previous post.) That raises the liner above the water level, so even if the water finds it's way into the folds, it will stay in the pond - water can't run uphill.

 

[Jezmund]

You can't really get rid of the folds, but you can try to refold to stop the wicking, if that's what is indeed happening. I would also suggest you bring the liner out behind your rock edge and backfill behind it. (Like I explained in my previous post.) That raises the liner above the water level, so even if the water finds it's way into the folds, it will stay in the pond - water can't run uphill.

Currently the liner is above the water level? Here's some pics of the liner where it is leaking. Thanks for all the advice Lisa!! Sorry for the newb questions.

 

[Lisak1]

Right. But those folds can wick water up and over the edge. If the liner behind the rock is raised, the water will run back down into the pond. I'm not saying for sure that's your issue, but it's much more likely than a hole in the liner.

 

[mgmine]

So I found the spot where the water was coming out. Still can't find the leak in the area. Here are a couple pics if it helps at all?

Is that a water line in the picture on the right?