patching the liner a lot

[bjt]

Last spring I spent a couple of months finding leaks in my liner and
patching them. Each leak involved raising the water, waiting a few days for
the leak to lower the level, then gentle inspecting the perimeter of the new
water level to find the leak (pond is 8x15 so the perimeter is long),
lowering the water to get some room to work, patch leak, start over.

At what point should I give up and replace the liner?

I'm wondering if starting over again with concrete would be a better long
term solution. How think would I have to make the concrete on a pond this
size?

Can anyone recommend a pond consultant (I live in the Boston area), I could
hire / talk with?

Thanks. I love my pond...during the moments when I'm not fixing it :-)

Brian

[C G]

bjt wrote:
>
> Last spring I spent a couple of months finding leaks in my liner and
> patching them. Each leak involved raising the water, waiting a few days for
> the leak to lower the level, then gentle inspecting the perimeter of the new
> water level to find the leak (pond is 8x15 so the perimeter is long),
> lowering the water to get some room to work, patch leak, start over.

How far down are they? How old is the liner?

>
> At what point should I give up and replace the liner?

What did you put under the liner? Around here we get old carpet from
installers. Works great for protecting the liner from rocks, roots,
etc.

>
> I'm wondering if starting over again with concrete would be a better long
> term solution. How think would I have to make the concrete on a pond this
> size?

I'm not a big fan of concrete, especially in areas that have a deep
frost.

[C G]

bjt wrote:
>
> Last spring I spent a couple of months finding leaks in my liner and
> patching them. Each leak involved raising the water, waiting a few days for
> the leak to lower the level, then gentle inspecting the perimeter of the new
> water level to find the leak (pond is 8x15 so the perimeter is long),
> lowering the water to get some room to work, patch leak, start over.

How far down are they? How old is the liner?

>
> At what point should I give up and replace the liner?

What did you put under the liner? Around here we get old carpet from
installers. Works great for protecting the liner from rocks, roots,
etc.

>
> I'm wondering if starting over again with concrete would be a better long
> term solution. How think would I have to make the concrete on a pond this
> size?

I'm not a big fan of concrete, especially in areas that have a deep
frost.

[bjt]

The leaks seem to be concentrated in the top 18 inches or so of the liner.

The liner is about 4 years old and I had only sand under the liner. In
retrospect I would have put an actual underlayment under the liner but that
was 4 years ago when I was young and foolish :-)

Brian

"C G" > wrote in message
.com...
> bjt wrote:
> >
> > Last spring I spent a couple of months finding leaks in my liner and
> > patching them. Each leak involved raising the water, waiting a few days
for
> > the leak to lower the level, then gentle inspecting the perimeter of the
new
> > water level to find the leak (pond is 8x15 so the perimeter is long),
> > lowering the water to get some room to work, patch leak, start over.
>
> How far down are they? How old is the liner?
>
> >
> > At what point should I give up and replace the liner?
>
> What did you put under the liner? Around here we get old carpet from
> installers. Works great for protecting the liner from rocks, roots,
> etc.
>
> >
> > I'm wondering if starting over again with concrete would be a better
long
> > term solution. How think would I have to make the concrete on a pond
this
> > size?
>
> I'm not a big fan of concrete, especially in areas that have a deep
> frost.

[bjt]

The leaks seem to be concentrated in the top 18 inches or so of the liner.

The liner is about 4 years old and I had only sand under the liner. In
retrospect I would have put an actual underlayment under the liner but that
was 4 years ago when I was young and foolish :-)

Brian

"C G" > wrote in message
.com...
> bjt wrote:
> >
> > Last spring I spent a couple of months finding leaks in my liner and
> > patching them. Each leak involved raising the water, waiting a few days
for
> > the leak to lower the level, then gentle inspecting the perimeter of the
new
> > water level to find the leak (pond is 8x15 so the perimeter is long),
> > lowering the water to get some room to work, patch leak, start over.
>
> How far down are they? How old is the liner?
>
> >
> > At what point should I give up and replace the liner?
>
> What did you put under the liner? Around here we get old carpet from
> installers. Works great for protecting the liner from rocks, roots,
> etc.
>
> >
> > I'm wondering if starting over again with concrete would be a better
long
> > term solution. How think would I have to make the concrete on a pond
this
> > size?
>
> I'm not a big fan of concrete, especially in areas that have a deep
> frost.

[Barbara2245]

"bjt" > wrote in message >...
> The leaks seem to be concentrated in the top 18 inches or so of the liner.
>
> The liner is about 4 years old and I had only sand under the liner. In
> retrospect I would have put an actual underlayment under the liner but that
> was 4 years ago when I was young and foolish :-)
>
> Brian
>
> "C G" > wrote in message
> .com...
> > bjt wrote:
> > >
> > > Last spring I spent a couple of months finding leaks in my liner and
> > > patching them. Each leak involved raising the water, waiting a few days
> for
> > > the leak to lower the level, then gentle inspecting the perimeter of the
> new
> > > water level to find the leak (pond is 8x15 so the perimeter is long),
> > > lowering the water to get some room to work, patch leak, start over.
> >
> > How far down are they? How old is the liner?
> >
> > >
> > > At what point should I give up and replace the liner?
> >
> > What did you put under the liner? Around here we get old carpet from
> > installers. Works great for protecting the liner from rocks, roots,
> > etc.
> >
> > >
> > > I'm wondering if starting over again with concrete would be a better
> long
> > > term solution. How think would I have to make the concrete on a pond
> this
> > > size?
> >
> > I'm not a big fan of concrete, especially in areas that have a deep
> > frost.

It sounds like your have a PVC liner like I had at the start. Any
place the sun hit it after four years has grown dry and brittle.
Invest in a pond grade-EPDM
45 ml liner. I purchased mine at Water Garden Creations with no
shipping, at a good price and delivered to the door. Happy water
gardening.

[Barbara2245]

"bjt" > wrote in message >...
> The leaks seem to be concentrated in the top 18 inches or so of the liner.
>
> The liner is about 4 years old and I had only sand under the liner. In
> retrospect I would have put an actual underlayment under the liner but that
> was 4 years ago when I was young and foolish :-)
>
> Brian
>
> "C G" > wrote in message
> .com...
> > bjt wrote:
> > >
> > > Last spring I spent a couple of months finding leaks in my liner and
> > > patching them. Each leak involved raising the water, waiting a few days
> for
> > > the leak to lower the level, then gentle inspecting the perimeter of the
> new
> > > water level to find the leak (pond is 8x15 so the perimeter is long),
> > > lowering the water to get some room to work, patch leak, start over.
> >
> > How far down are they? How old is the liner?
> >
> > >
> > > At what point should I give up and replace the liner?
> >
> > What did you put under the liner? Around here we get old carpet from
> > installers. Works great for protecting the liner from rocks, roots,
> > etc.
> >
> > >
> > > I'm wondering if starting over again with concrete would be a better
> long
> > > term solution. How think would I have to make the concrete on a pond
> this
> > > size?
> >
> > I'm not a big fan of concrete, especially in areas that have a deep
> > frost.

It sounds like your have a PVC liner like I had at the start. Any
place the sun hit it after four years has grown dry and brittle.
Invest in a pond grade-EPDM
45 ml liner. I purchased mine at Water Garden Creations with no
shipping, at a good price and delivered to the door. Happy water
gardening.

[bjt]

You may be right. On the other hand the effort involved in draining and
relining an 8' x 15' x 5' pond is a bit daunting.

Brian

"Barbara2245" > wrote in message
om...
> "bjt" > wrote in message
>...
> > The leaks seem to be concentrated in the top 18 inches or so of the
liner.
> >
> > The liner is about 4 years old and I had only sand under the liner. In
> > retrospect I would have put an actual underlayment under the liner but
that
> > was 4 years ago when I was young and foolish :-)
> >
> > Brian
> >
> > "C G" > wrote in message
> > .com...
> > > bjt wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Last spring I spent a couple of months finding leaks in my liner and
> > > > patching them. Each leak involved raising the water, waiting a few
days
> > for
> > > > the leak to lower the level, then gentle inspecting the perimeter of
the
> > new
> > > > water level to find the leak (pond is 8x15 so the perimeter is
long),
> > > > lowering the water to get some room to work, patch leak, start over.
> > >
> > > How far down are they? How old is the liner?
> > >
> > > >
> > > > At what point should I give up and replace the liner?
> > >
> > > What did you put under the liner? Around here we get old carpet from
> > > installers. Works great for protecting the liner from rocks, roots,
> > > etc.
> > >
> > > >
> > > > I'm wondering if starting over again with concrete would be a better
> > long
> > > > term solution. How think would I have to make the concrete on a
pond
> > this
> > > > size?
> > >
> > > I'm not a big fan of concrete, especially in areas that have a deep
> > > frost.
>
> It sounds like your have a PVC liner like I had at the start. Any
> place the sun hit it after four years has grown dry and brittle.
> Invest in a pond grade-EPDM
> 45 ml liner. I purchased mine at Water Garden Creations with no
> shipping, at a good price and delivered to the door. Happy water
> gardening.

[bjt]

You may be right. On the other hand the effort involved in draining and
relining an 8' x 15' x 5' pond is a bit daunting.

Brian

"Barbara2245" > wrote in message
om...
> "bjt" > wrote in message
>...
> > The leaks seem to be concentrated in the top 18 inches or so of the
liner.
> >
> > The liner is about 4 years old and I had only sand under the liner. In
> > retrospect I would have put an actual underlayment under the liner but
that
> > was 4 years ago when I was young and foolish :-)
> >
> > Brian
> >
> > "C G" > wrote in message
> > .com...
> > > bjt wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Last spring I spent a couple of months finding leaks in my liner and
> > > > patching them. Each leak involved raising the water, waiting a few
days
> > for
> > > > the leak to lower the level, then gentle inspecting the perimeter of
the
> > new
> > > > water level to find the leak (pond is 8x15 so the perimeter is
long),
> > > > lowering the water to get some room to work, patch leak, start over.
> > >
> > > How far down are they? How old is the liner?
> > >
> > > >
> > > > At what point should I give up and replace the liner?
> > >
> > > What did you put under the liner? Around here we get old carpet from
> > > installers. Works great for protecting the liner from rocks, roots,
> > > etc.
> > >
> > > >
> > > > I'm wondering if starting over again with concrete would be a better
> > long
> > > > term solution. How think would I have to make the concrete on a
pond
> > this
> > > > size?
> > >
> > > I'm not a big fan of concrete, especially in areas that have a deep
> > > frost.
>
> It sounds like your have a PVC liner like I had at the start. Any
> place the sun hit it after four years has grown dry and brittle.
> Invest in a pond grade-EPDM
> 45 ml liner. I purchased mine at Water Garden Creations with no
> shipping, at a good price and delivered to the door. Happy water
> gardening.

[bjt]

Wow, the prices at Water Garden Creations are very low. I'm thinking I got
pretty taken when I bought my original liner. I paid about $700 for a 15 x
20 liner 3 years ago.

At the WGC prices I'm tempted to go for the 60 mil liner and be extra sure
(and to get an underlayment too!).

Thank you.

Brian

"Barbara2245" > wrote in message
om...
> "bjt" > wrote in message
>...
> > The leaks seem to be concentrated in the top 18 inches or so of the
liner.
> >
> > The liner is about 4 years old and I had only sand under the liner. In
> > retrospect I would have put an actual underlayment under the liner but
that
> > was 4 years ago when I was young and foolish :-)
> >
> > Brian
> >
> > "C G" > wrote in message
> > .com...
> > > bjt wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Last spring I spent a couple of months finding leaks in my liner and
> > > > patching them. Each leak involved raising the water, waiting a few
days
> > for
> > > > the leak to lower the level, then gentle inspecting the perimeter of
the
> > new
> > > > water level to find the leak (pond is 8x15 so the perimeter is
long),
> > > > lowering the water to get some room to work, patch leak, start over.
> > >
> > > How far down are they? How old is the liner?
> > >
> > > >
> > > > At what point should I give up and replace the liner?
> > >
> > > What did you put under the liner? Around here we get old carpet from
> > > installers. Works great for protecting the liner from rocks, roots,
> > > etc.
> > >
> > > >
> > > > I'm wondering if starting over again with concrete would be a better
> > long
> > > > term solution. How think would I have to make the concrete on a
pond
> > this
> > > > size?
> > >
> > > I'm not a big fan of concrete, especially in areas that have a deep
> > > frost.
>
> It sounds like your have a PVC liner like I had at the start. Any
> place the sun hit it after four years has grown dry and brittle.
> Invest in a pond grade-EPDM
> 45 ml liner. I purchased mine at Water Garden Creations with no
> shipping, at a good price and delivered to the door. Happy water
> gardening.

[bjt]

Wow, the prices at Water Garden Creations are very low. I'm thinking I got
pretty taken when I bought my original liner. I paid about $700 for a 15 x
20 liner 3 years ago.

At the WGC prices I'm tempted to go for the 60 mil liner and be extra sure
(and to get an underlayment too!).

Thank you.

Brian

"Barbara2245" > wrote in message
om...
> "bjt" > wrote in message
>...
> > The leaks seem to be concentrated in the top 18 inches or so of the
liner.
> >
> > The liner is about 4 years old and I had only sand under the liner. In
> > retrospect I would have put an actual underlayment under the liner but
that
> > was 4 years ago when I was young and foolish :-)
> >
> > Brian
> >
> > "C G" > wrote in message
> > .com...
> > > bjt wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Last spring I spent a couple of months finding leaks in my liner and
> > > > patching them. Each leak involved raising the water, waiting a few
days
> > for
> > > > the leak to lower the level, then gentle inspecting the perimeter of
the
> > new
> > > > water level to find the leak (pond is 8x15 so the perimeter is
long),
> > > > lowering the water to get some room to work, patch leak, start over.
> > >
> > > How far down are they? How old is the liner?
> > >
> > > >
> > > > At what point should I give up and replace the liner?
> > >
> > > What did you put under the liner? Around here we get old carpet from
> > > installers. Works great for protecting the liner from rocks, roots,
> > > etc.
> > >
> > > >
> > > > I'm wondering if starting over again with concrete would be a better
> > long
> > > > term solution. How think would I have to make the concrete on a
pond
> > this
> > > > size?
> > >
> > > I'm not a big fan of concrete, especially in areas that have a deep
> > > frost.
>
> It sounds like your have a PVC liner like I had at the start. Any
> place the sun hit it after four years has grown dry and brittle.
> Invest in a pond grade-EPDM
> 45 ml liner. I purchased mine at Water Garden Creations with no
> shipping, at a good price and delivered to the door. Happy water
> gardening.

[Cichlidiot]

bjt > wrote:
> You may be right. On the other hand the effort involved in draining and
> relining an 8' x 15' x 5' pond is a bit daunting.

Yeah, but compare that to the effort of continually draining, searching
for leaks, patching the leaks, refilling... A little preventative effort
relining the pond may be well worth it in the long run compared to
patching over and over.

[Cichlidiot]

bjt > wrote:
> You may be right. On the other hand the effort involved in draining and
> relining an 8' x 15' x 5' pond is a bit daunting.

Yeah, but compare that to the effort of continually draining, searching
for leaks, patching the leaks, refilling... A little preventative effort
relining the pond may be well worth it in the long run compared to
patching over and over.