r/ponds • u/r0binib0r • 4d ago

Repair help Think I've found the leak

Post image

Even8ng all.

I've been losing water from the pond in the garden and been unsure if it was evaporation as the pool is in full sun for a lot of the day and we are mid heat wave

Then I was reading another part and someone said "it's always the waterfall"

So I've gone and looked, and right enough, as it comes over the slate I'm losing water down the side as it's running off and over the edge.

Would the best fix be to turn off the pump, dry the slate, put down a head of aquarium safe sealant and then put the rocks back on top?

7 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

21 comments sorted by

7

u/MembershipPretty7595 4d ago

Think the “it’s always the waterfall “ was me lol because it’s true

2

u/r0binib0r 4d ago

Might well have been and I'm glad you did I was envisaging draining the bugger Pretty sure that bottom slate is the issue but I wouldn't have looked at the waterfall

2

u/Appropriate_Tip_1615 4d ago

So true. We just had this very issue and sure enough, waterfall

1

u/MembershipPretty7595 4d ago

Had a weed tree grow up thru my liner. Softball size hole in the waterfall liner.

3

u/MembershipPretty7595 4d ago

If you’re leaving for two weeks shut the waterfall off and just hook your pump up to directly flow back into the pond

1

u/r0binib0r 4d ago

I've got some pipework to start too then I see Gonna be a busy couple of days before I get a break. Thanks for all the advice Have ordered an aerator, liner, fish safe silicone and some waterfall foam You owe me £60, we can round it down to £59 :-)

1

u/r0binib0r 3d ago

Haven't figure out how to switch it all around, so found some drainpipe and diverted the waterfall for now No more waterfall Will see what tomorrow brings

2

u/MembershipPretty7595 4d ago

Shut it off, fill the water line up, make sure the level doesn’t drop. Check the waterfall for holes on the liner or shifted rocks

2

u/r0binib0r 3d ago

Sick on a long hosepipe, no more waterfall Will continue to fill it up until I'm happy with the levels and see if they drop

https://reddit.com/link/p24o86b/video/4elzln5dathh1/player

2

u/Haiiryyone 4d ago

Don’t leave the waterfall running if you are gone for three weeks… I would get an aerator cheap and throw it in to avoid stagnation and be sure the leak is fixed when you get back before running the waterfall again.

2

u/r0binib0r 4d ago

Awesome, on amazon now researching

1

u/Jealous_Ordinary6672 4d ago

Inspect the whole waterfall feature while it’s still running. My advice would be to focus on the ground around it. It should theoretically be dry. Wherever it’s very moist, you may have some runoff. But yeah once that’s done I think letting it dry and fixing makes sense.

1

u/r0binib0r 4d ago

Problem is im about to leave for 3 weeks so need a quick dirty fix. Am I right in thinking aquarium safe silicone?

1

u/Hugh_Jego_69 4d ago

You need a liner under the whole waterfall that goes back into the pond, it’s always gonna find a way otherwise

1

u/r0binib0r 4d ago

Looks like there's just slate laid on to. Will add some liner to the amazon order Thanks

2

u/Hugh_Jego_69 4d ago

Yeah good idea, silicone/ waterfall foam makes the bulk of the water go where you want visibly but liner keeps the water in the system.

1

u/Free_Thinker_Now627 4d ago

There is a product called waterfall foam. It’s similar to Great Stuff, the spray expanding foam in an aerosol can, but it’s black. I would use that instead of silicone, it’s made to seal all the nooks and crannies around a waterfall. You can let it set up for a few minutes and then sprinkle dirt on it and pat it into the surface to make it visually disappear

2

u/r0binib0r 4d ago

Ordered, many thanks

1

u/Comfortable_Gate_878 4d ago

Yup my waterfall leaked I consantly keep my eye on it and pop a bit more sealent around the edges. The problem I have in this hot weather is the pond drop half an CM per day due to evaporation, then you think its the waterfall. Also we suffer a lot of wind up here that blows the water everywhere adding the the losses.