How to find a leak in a liner?

[DrDave]

Based on all the splash I observed in your video on the sides, you don't have a leak. Your water loss is is from all the splatter on the perifery of the pond.

 

[Johnnie]

My liner has no penetrations. I have 4 falls from 2” to 10”, the 2 larger ones produce some splash. I would be very happy with only 3/16” per day

Me Too. I'll be very happy with water dropping of 3/16th of an inch per day. Due to the 30ish-MPH-gusty- wind, I had lost 2 inches within 24 hours. See photos below.

here's a thought. the standard for changing and replacing pond water, this is not evaporation but actual water removal, is a minimum of 10 percent of the total volume per week. the idea, which you probably already know, is to remove dissolved organic compounds (DOCs) which lowers the nitrate level, to dilute toxic compounds, reduce the parasite population, lower nitrites, and generally to approximate a natural open pond in which the fish never swims in the same water twice. as an example, we like to change out water at about a 25 percent rate per week out of personal opinion.

so if your leak doesn't cause landscaping problems and you can't see the water pooling anywhere and if the rate is below 10 percent per week, why worry about it? in that case you really don't have a leak; you have an unplanned but useful automatic drain that helps you with your change out schedule, and the water is probably watering some vegetation in your yard somewhere.

My leak is a blessing in disguise, hmm? Thanks. I will definitely postpone the patching up.

Based on all the splash I observed in your video on the sides, you don't have a leak. Your water loss is from all the splatter on the perifery of the pond.

The water around the pond periphery is credited to the 30ish-MPH-gusty- wind. As I mentioned in the above, I had lost more than the regular 3/8th of an inch of water per day --- I had lost 2 inches of water in one day!

Water dropped from 36 inches down to 34 within 24 hours. No thanks to the gusty wind.

Fishies are still doing OK
​

 

[addy1]

Nice fishes there!

 

[jimbo]

Don't know if you have fish or not, but if there is a leak in the side of the pond,by not refilling, the loss will stop at the level of the leak. If it is in the bottom, obviously it will end up empty.Where do you live? I'm 25 miles south of San Francisco and loose about 1 inch a week to evaporation with two waterfalls in a 5500 gal. pond, 4 feet deep and a surface area of 500 sq. ft. Jimbo

 

[poconojoe]

I would also suggest temporarily turning off your waterfalls and see if that makes a difference. Use a process of elimination. Falls, piping, spitters, pumps etc. A lot of times these features develop problems. There are so many things that can go wrong with all the piping, pumps, rocks, liner, etc. I had a small leak and luckily the first thing I did was shut off the falls. The leak was a small hole in the liner under the falls. A tiny hole probably from all those rocks I made the falls out of. I used a bicycle patch and all was well.
There are many methods of detecting leaks, such as droplets of milk as someone suggested. Just make sure you don't use something harmful to your fish and plants (of course).

 

[sissy]

I the summer I always loose water to evaporation from the heat and waterfall running and the fountain in the middle and have found a great way to shade my pond by using screening for your windows that has a uv inhibitor in it .You have to make sure you face the screen the right way .It is fiberglass so no rust works great as a sunscreen and also protects your pond and I made mine so I can roll it up on each side of my bridge .I used pvc pipe at each end and it makes it so easy to roll it up .I have no shade around my pond yet as things have not grown in .The land I bought was cleared by the original developer .The land did not have 1 tree left I have planted over 30 trees and bushes in 6 years .soon soon my red lawn mower and cart get a work out LOL