How do I fix this liner problem!!

[Priscilla]

UGH!!! So frustrating for you! I know your pain well. I have a similar problem. There is no way for me to hide my liner, other than to take my fish out and re-jig things too. And I just don't think I have it in me.

I had a thought, and I doubt its a good one, but I'll throw it out there anyways, as I doubt you want to buy another liner for $700+

What if you pulled the liner back up, and cemented those existing rocks to another row or two of larger rocks behind those. I'm wondering if the weight of the other rocks would stop the initial row from sliding into the pond? It might buy you a few more years ....... or might cause a bigger problem. I don't know. I've been known to bad ideas when it comes to ponds.

Thoughts anyone?

 

[Lisak1]

I'm just going to put this out there - while it's a pain to do it all over again, you'll never regret doing it the right way. There are no magical fixes to these kinds of issues. Nature tends to follow certain standard rules - gravity being a big one. Trying to suspend a rock in essentially mid-air by gluing it to the liner will only pull the liner down with it. Because that rock is going to keep right on going where nature wants it to go. Down.

I guess one other thing you could do is to back fill behind the existing liner and create shelves that way. But you would reduce the size of your pond significantly in the process. And you'd have to make sure you were freeing up enough liner to actually make a difference in the end product.

Here's a lesson for all future pond builders - always leave WAY MORE LINER than you think you will ever possibly need! It's easy to conceal and you can't put it back once you've cut it off!

Sorry JenH - how about a pond party? Get a bunch of friends who know how to work hard and pay them in beer and pizza! You just need muscle! Like an old fashioned barn raising, except it's a pond!

 

[j.w]

Maybe try looking at roofing companies or irrigation companies near you. That is where I got my liners but it was many years ago. Here is an example from a roofing company I just googled. They say there is a chemical difference between the roof and pond liners but I say poo as I bought mine as roofing material and I just rinsed it off real well and no fish died from that liner.
http://amwsc.com/pond_liners.html
So check around your area for roofing co. cuz it might be a lot to ship them from one far away. We just drove not far to pick mine up. Sometimes they have pieces for cheaper on end of rolls etc.

 

[sissy]

do you have a builders discount center there where you live

 

[Big Lou]

........but I say poo.......

You tell 'em JW

 

[sissy]

I had roofing liner and only difference was that you had to rinse it good because on epdm for ponds they use corn starch or baking soda to keep it from sticking and one the roofing they use some type of spray stuff that can be harmful to fish or animals .The moles chewed through mine

 

[CometKeith]

I run my liner 2 ft out from the edge of the pond and slope it under the dirt and then create a berm over it with mulch and do some small plantings in the bermed area. This way if water ever collects next to my pond the liner is always well below it. The last time I put in a new liner I actually added much more extra liner and folded it over so I had extra liner to dig out the sides of the pond to expand it.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Maybe try looking at roofing companies or irrigation companies near you. That is where I got my liners but it was many years ago. Here is an example from a roofing company I just googled. They say there is a chemical difference between the roof and pond liners but I say poo as I bought mine as roofing material and I just rinsed it off real well and no fish died from that liner.
http://amwsc.com/pond_liners.html
So check around your area for roofing co. cuz it might be a lot to ship them from one far away. We just drove not far to pick mine up. Sometimes they have pieces for cheaper on end of rolls etc.

This is another one of those subjects that has been argued for years. Personally, I agree in essence with what the link that you posted states. There is a difference, most of the time. There are exceptions, but if it is not stamped 'Fish Safe', you have no way of knowing for sure.

 

[sissy]

I asked my roofing guy and he told me it is a new that they are adding special stuff to rubber roofing to ward off things like algae .If the roofing is older it may not have had it added .He thinks it started about 8 to 12 years ago as it is supposed to extend the life of the rubber roof so it does not dry out or grow stuff on it if it stays wet ,Reason for it was because more people these days in cities use there roof for a roof top deck since there is no out side space .The roof that was covered years ago would break down from stuff growing on it .So I guess new is great for a roof but maybe not so great for fish .He even said the glue they put the roof down with was causing problems with older rubber roofing .

 

[j.w]

Mine did have that white powdery stuff on it but like I said I rinsed it off and used it that way. The first one was from the roofing co. and that was put in abt 13yrs ago. The 2nd one I got from an irrigation company close to us and that was prolly about 9 or 10 yrs ago and I rinsed that off too and no problems. Fish are still in that one and doing fine. Now if they have added something else to the making of the liners then that I can't speak of. Wonder if the irrigation place I bought my last liner at would have changed their liners in regards to chemicals used that would kill fish. Since it is used in irrigation maybe it is safer then using the stuff used for roofs? My neighbor bought his liner there also for his koi and his has been fine for many years also.

 

[sissy]

Seems they add an algacide and that may be the chemical they are worried about .

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Seems they add an algacide and that may be the chemical they are worried about .

Can cause problems.

 

[JenH]

I think I'll stick with pond liner. I would just die if I didn't rinse it well enough or something and my fish died!

Thank you guys so much for all your input! I love you guys!

On the bright side some of my bigger koi emerged a tiny bit from the cave today and I've notice some green poking out in my garden!! YAY!

 

[JenH]

So one more question... Why go with EPDM over pvc liner?

 

[JenH]

Ok so I just re measured my pond at water level (which is pretty low) it's 28" deep. Adding about another foot and a half on all 4 sides to accommodate make it bigger it measures 10' x 17'. Because my water level looks about 4" low or so, I add 6' to that for the sides and came up with an actual pond area to cover of 16' x 23'

If I get a 20' x 25' liner do you think that will be good?