What a day!

[Bluerooster]

Well now for the bad news. I've got a leak in the bog, and can't get it sussed. I can only assume that it's in the area of the falls. I shut it down and let it sit for a day or so, and found that it held water up to the bottom of the stones on the falls. removed the stones and found a cut in the liner. I'd somehow managed to cut it when I was installing it, but for the life of me don't know how. Got that repaired, and stones back in place. Fired it up, and topped up the water to a known level. Over night it dropped over 2 inches. So I still have a leak somewhere. Shut it down again, and let it sit for about 6 hours. Water level is holding just below the rocks at the falls.
I've already stressed the plants to the point that I doubt they will bloom this year. So, I may well just order up a new liner, and redo the whole thing.

 

[TheFishGuy]

Well now for the bad news. I've got a leak in the bog, and can't get it sussed. I can only assume that it's in the area of the falls. I shut it down and let it sit for a day or so, and found that it held water up to the bottom of the stones on the falls. removed the stones and found a cut in the liner. I'd somehow managed to cut it when I was installing it, but for the life of me don't know how. Got that repaired, and stones back in place. Fired it up, and topped up the water to a known level. Over night it dropped over 2 inches. So I still have a leak somewhere. Shut it down again, and let it sit for about 6 hours. Water level is holding just below the rocks at the falls.
I've already stressed the plants to the point that I doubt they will bloom this year. So, I may well just order up a new liner, and redo the whole thing.

That’s unfortunate…. What type of liner did you use?

 

[Bluerooster]

A left over piece of 45 mil EPDM. Which is pretty tough material. So I'm surprised that I managed to cut it. But now I'm at a loss as to the leak location.

 

[GBBUDD]

One Step that's often forgotten and i have rarely seen mentioned is to leave extra material between horizontal to vertical surfaces in particular where water falls New weight to an area will be . and often is set on disturbed soil son if the ground compacts and settles you left extra material to the settling instead of being tight and possibly tearing. That looks like it was cut

 

[Bluerooster]

It was cut. Found the leak, (again) after removing most of the stones and letting it run. I found a spot where water was running where it shouldn't. I figured that it was not a problem, as it's at a lap joint above water level. IOW, water would have to run uphill for a foot or more in order to get out. I peeled back the lap, and found a patch that I had installed years ago. ( I wish I had my camera with me so I could get a picture of the reason for the patch in the first place). Anyway, what had happened is; an edge had come loose, allowing water to get out at that point. Patch repaired, and everything running. I'll check it about dusky/dark, and see if the water level has gone down. Also, in the stream bed, I found a spot where the roots from some plants had made their way into a seam where the liner was spliced. I didn't notice any sign of water loss in that spot, but decided to fix that as well.

 

[Cichlidboy]

When I first done my pond I tried to save money with a cheaper liner lol never again will that happen it leaked about 6in over night so I drained it and tried to use water proof gorilla tape to fix all of the tiny pin holes it took 2 roles of tape mind you I had already put my stones in pond after tape I filled back up and next morning same thing so I finally said the crap on it and got a good Firestone 45 mil liner and what do you know no leaks but I did learn a very valuable lesson and that was some things you just don't go cheap on

 

[GBBUDD]

I have never seen any of the pro's double or triple there seems . All i know is this is a pond we encourage wild life plants into our ponds . its a living breathing body of water . After i install the standard seam, i'll seam over those edges to protect them and for added insurance if it's in a plant area i may even place a four foot wide strip of rubber over the seam centered that way if any roots want to get to the seam they have to travel 2 feet under another layer hopefully keeping it safe and if it should get to it then it has two more seems to get through before water starts leaking . is it a bit much yup but i used hardly a boulder in the pond under 500 pounds now i ask you whats more work a day seaming two or three times the first time or moving boulders and cleaning and seaming again after the pond is mature. There's more details in pond equipment and construction forum in the sticky seaming

 

[Bluerooster]

I prefer not to have any seams at all. But sometimes it's unavoidable. I lap my seams in such a manner as to have the water travel uphill to get out, then lap more than recommended, not less than a foot. and also double seam, with a layer on top. Much the same as GBBUDD does.
That said, I got a call at work Thursday evening, telling me that the pond was near empty. :yikes: She told me that she filled it back up, and would keep an eye on it. I told her to shut off the pump to the falls, and i would look into it this weekend. Today, after removing rocks from the falls, I found a cut in the liner. Not a rock, or anything, but a razor cut. (there's a difference) Not far from the previous cut. Not sure how but I'm sure it was me, when installing it, and cutting to size. I'll be inspecting that area at the falls thoroughly and prior to putting the stones back, I'll let it run a day or two.

 

[GBBUDD]

Sorry for the on going issue but that's why i recommend patching over a patch so for one if a plant gets to the seam it has another seam to compromise . or if you didn't stir the primer well for what ever reason no one wants to pull back hard work to do things over so the extra minute to double seem makes sense in my book.

But i too had a hell of a day rebuilding the main bog we installed the fabric some more fabric and even more fabric as the bog was being built ontop of a lot of the old bags stone. INSTALED THE 35 X40 LINER more fabric all 8 oz . then we installed the snorkel , centipede and 30,000 pounds plus of stone by weigh of 15 super sacs. my helpers all saying are you nuts you'll never get all the stone in there . well all but one compound bucket is in the bog. And we are all feeling it. so i hear yeah loud and clear on WHAT A DAY@!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!