Water Loss or Wind?

Have you noticed the water level going down in your feature recently? Remember if you have a long stream, a high waterfall, or a bubbling rock, it could be the wind!

Splashing water can be blown out of the system in these high winds. Give it a few days for the wind to die down, and then see if you are still losing water. If you are, here is a handy guide on how to diagnose a leak.

Diagnosing your water feature—does it have a leak?

Backyard Pond Installation Service Landscaping Picture

Turn off the waterfall for the day or 24 hours (Healthy fish will be okay for this short period of time).
Fill the pond to its normal, full level.
Measure the level of the water in the pond. Measuring is very important! And make sure to measure it from a point that is easy to reach.
Check the water level roughly 24 hours later. Re-measure so you know exactly how many inches of water has been lost overnight.

If the water level didn’t go down at all, the pond is holding water. Now, test the waterfall/stream. Read “Leak Test on The Waterfall Or Stream” below.

If the water did go down, the pond is losing water. Leave the pump off and let it continue to recede until it stops. If you have fish, make sure there is an aerator running. Don’t leave the pump off for more than a few days as the water may start to green up.

Leak test on the waterfall or stream

Do this test if you have first ruled out that the pond losing water.

Leave the pump on.
Measure the level of the water in the pond.
Measure it again in 24 hours.
If the water level in the pond has gone down 1/2″ or more, there is a leak in the waterfall or stream.

What do once water loss has been established

Over 90% of all leaks are from a low liner or folds in the liner allowing water to escape.

Exposing all the liner along the edge of the stream (or pond if the pond was losing water) is a good first step. Pull back the rocks and pull the liner up so that it is obvious water is not getting out.

Do the same leak test again to confirm it is no longer losing water. Once that is confirmed, it can be re-edged.

Re-edging

Re-edging can be difficult. Hiding the liner without causing folds that allow water loss, and making it look good can take some talent!

What if the rocks have concrete between them or there is concrete over the liner?

The freeze and thaw cycle here in Colorado almost ensures that concrete or mortar will eventually crack. If your system is experiencing water loss and there is mortar between the rocks or even concrete over the liner within the pond, it may have to be completely removed to locate the leak.

How do I know it’s not just evaporation?

Evaporation happens all year, and during the hot summer, it may take a little more water out of your system than normal. Are you wondering what is normal?

In Colorado 1 to 3 inches of evaporation within a week is normal. It doesn’t matter how large or small the pond is, 1 to 3 inches of water loss in a week is evaporation.

Leaks can be difficult to diagnose and fix. If you need help contact us and we will send an expert out!

How else can Colorado Pond Pros help you?

We love our jobs and are excited to help you with your backyard pond installation, pond service, and repair! And as the pond experts, we have plenty of advice and info on landscaping as well. Contact us today for help tending to your pond or installing a new one!

Whether we’re talking about outdoor gold fish ponds, pondless waterfalls, cleanouts, renovations, leaks, or aquatic plants, we’ve got oodles of experience and enthusiasm to share! Just take a look at our blogs Topping Off the Pond: What to Keep In Mind, How Does Colorado Pond Pros Handle Bottom Drains? and High Winds and Your Backyard Water Feature.

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10 Tasks to Get Your Pond Ready for Fall

Did you know that September 22nd was the first day of fall? It was! The temperatures have gotten colder at night, but it’s still nice and warm in the daytime. The leaves have begun to change and the morning dew has returned. The days have gotten shorter and the nights are darker. All the signs that fall is upon us are appearing! It’s the time of year to take care of your pond so it stays healthy for the winter and gets a leg up come springtime.

If you don’t properly prepare your pond now, organic material left in the pond over the cold season can cause winter algae blooms, which can throw the ecosystem off balance and negatively affect the fish. As the plants go dormant for the winter, they cease to process nutrients in the water. While the fish produce less ammonia, leaves and other debris slowly break down over the winter without the plants helping to break them down.

Here are 10 things you can do to get your pond ready for fall:

1. Trim the plants

Remove all floating plants
Clip plants down to 4 inches above the base of the plant
Make sure all water lily pots are at least 24 inches down. They can be moved to the lowest part of the pond for the winter, but make sure the fish are not being crowded out.
Cut back lilies once the leaves have turned brown.
Prune plants that may be growing outside of the pond but are hanging over it.

2. Net the pond!

There are a couple different ways to put up a net over the pond. Here are some things to know:

A small pond can be netted using a dome made of PVC. The PVC will hold up through the weather best if it is put onto rebar that is stuck in the ground just outside the liner. While sticking it between rocks works for a bit, if it snows the weight will easily pop it back out.
A larger pond can be netted using stakes and rope. Make sure to secure the sides with large rocks. Small ones will be pulled in by the weight of snow.
Make sure to net BEFORE the leaves start falling and don’t leave it on all winter.

3. Bring in equipment like the Autodose and IonGen

They don’t hold up well if left out all winter. See our blog on Should Your Pond Equipment Be Out In the Weather? No! for more info on how to protect your electrical equipment.

4. Make sure all electrical equipment is covered

Another reason to check out our blog on Should Your Pond Equipment Be Out In the Weather? No! is for the links to our friends at The Pond Guy and True Pump. They can help you find some artificial landscape rocks and stumps to cover and protect your electrical equipment.

5. Switch from regular to cold water bacteria

When the temperature drops below 50 degrees, you’re going to need to switch from regular to cold water bacteria. Try The Pond Guy or True Pump.

6. Bring liquid bacteria into the house or a garage where it won’t freeze

7. Remove debris from the pond

Try to net out any debris you can see. If leaves manage to get through the net, make sure to remove them.

8. Check your skimmer basket often!

The more trees you have nearby, the more likely it is that leaves will clog up the skimmer basket or net. Clean it out as often as you can. (And did we mention putting up that net?!)

9. Remember to slow down feeding the fish as we go into the fall

Starting now, give those fish a little bit less. Pay attention to how much they are eating and only give enough so they finish it within a few minutes. Switching to fall food helps, too. It has a lower protein content and is easier to digest. Once the water temperatures reach 50 degrees you need to stop feeding them for the winter.

10. Watch the water level

Remember that if you have an Autofill, it will no longer be filling up the pond when water gets low. Perhaps there has been water loss that has gone unnoticed. It will be noticed now. If the water level in the pond is going down more than two to three inches in one week, there could be a lower liner somewhere. Fix this before winter hits!

Pro Tips:

If there are smaller leaves that get through the net, double the net over to create smaller spaces for them to get through.
Keep an eye on the net. Sometimes small birds will get caught in them. Set them free!
Keep a hose somewhere in the house so that if the pond needs more water when it is really cold, you won’t have to deal with a frozen hose!
If you are putting in stakes for a net, never put them inside the liner!
Take care when trimming plants. Causing a leak by nicking the liner would be no fun!

Most importantly, if you have any questions about your backyard pond or water feature, contact us at Colorado Pond Pros today! Pond installation and pump repair are our business and we’d be happy to help!

And be sure to check out this helpful info on-

How to Clean Out Your Pond Pump

How to Do a Leak Test

10 Things You Need to Know if You Just Got a Pond

Pond Liner Hole – Could it be chewed through?

Have you found a pond liner hole? Pond liners may last for decades if they are properly put in with good underlayment. If it isn’t exposed to the harsh rays of the sun and weather and isn’t allowed to get dry for extended periods of time, the pond liner should last a very long time.

If you’ve done some investigating you might have found a hole. When the hole is more than a puncture, and is a roundish hole, take a closer look. A hole 1 to 12 inches from the edge of the pond may be from a rodent. Check for chew marks. When there is a round piece missing from about the size of a quarter to a bit bigger, the evidence suggests you may have a vole or other rodent chewing on the liner!

Next Steps When you Believe you have a rodent chewing the pond liner.

Identify all holes present
Patch the holes you’ve found
Fill the pond back up without running the waterfall and see if it holds water over 24 hours

If the problem persists you may have to call an exterminator. Another option is to reline your pond completely and use extra tough geo-fencing that rodents can’t chew through.

Pond Leak

What should you do if you think your pond or water feature is leaking?pond or waterfeature is leaking

There are a variety of reasons a pond or waterfall might be leaking. It could be something simple like liner that has been pushed down or a plant that in just the right spot to cause water to flow out of the system. Or, it could be something more serious like a hole in the liner or a cracked pipe. To figure it out, you’ll need to start by taking the steps listed below:

Turn off your pump (you may just have to unplug it).
Measure the level of the water. We find the easiest way to do that is to measure from the top of the skimmer opening to the water.
Leave the pump off overnight. (Your fish should be fine for 12 to 24 hours, and if you have an aerator you could run, even better!)
Measure the level of the water again.

Have you lost water? If so, you may have a leak in your pond. If not….do a waterfall leak test.

Turn the pump back on.
Measure the level of the water. We find the easiest way to do that is to measure from the top of the skimmer opening to the water.
Measure the level of the water in the morning.

Have you lost water? If so, you have a leak in the waterfall portion of your system.

Need help repairing locating and fixing the leak? Call or Contact us!
303-775-0224

303-775-0224