we tried someting new

Janet wrote:

Ann there has been alot of talk about spray in bed liners on most of the
major koi forums. The spec sheets have been posted and the manufacturers
don't recommend it and explicitly say it's not fish safe. On the other
hand there is now a spray in pond liner that is fish safe. Do a google for
GatorGuard and DragonKote. All the info is there.. )

Note, there is an important difference between "not fish safe" and "unsafe
for fish". The former merely means that the manufacturer has no interest
in testing and certifying that the product is fish safe. Especially since
they can create a "certified" product that they can sell at a premium.

The old-timers here will remember that, at the time I started into ponding,
sometime in the mid-90s, one of the hottest debates was over the use of
pond-safe EPDM and EPDM roofing liner. Firestone, the major manufacturer
of both, insisted that the roofing liner was not fish-safe, but many people
used it without trouble. I know of one DIY study that claimed it killed
test fish, but I also know of dozens of respected ponders who never had a
problem.

What it really comes down to, is if you are starting off with a water garden
with a few cheap fish, don't waste your money. If you're starting a koi
pond, and planning to spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars on fish,
don't _risk_ your money.

otoh, either kind of spray-in bed liner seems like a ridiculously expensive
way to build a pond.
--
derek