HOW DO I FIND HOLE IN LINER?

[Mill...@webtv.net]

Hi, Im a new ponder with a big problem.Our house goes on the market this
week and we cant find the leak in our pond.The water level seems to stop
about 6 inches from the top.I looked carefully around the water level
for a hole with no luck.Its a small pond (350-400 gals.) with koi and
comets and frogs.Poorly constructed with no padding under swimming pool
liner.Also, if I have to drain the pond what do I do with the fish?Can I
return the fish after filling with city water?I need to act quickly so
any help is needed.Thanx

" I'm Gonna Throw The Piggy Off The Hill "

[Kevin Cutlip]

Scroll up to 3-17-00 "Leak or evaporation?" and see Jan Jordans method....I
go straight to the milk method now for the ponds I repair.....Works
great.....

[cdunk]

What's the milk method?
Carol
in Barrie, ON

[Phyllis and Jim Hurley]

We worked on finding leaks for a while. Here is the method we came up with.

Here is a simple empirical method which will let you know if your pond
itself is leaking.

Milk jug check to see if a pond leaks

1. Get a straight sided container (I used a milk jug with the sloping top
cut off.).
2. Put the container in the pond so that its rim sticks out above the top
of the pond.
3. Fill it with water to just about the level of the pond.
4. Turn OFF your fountains and waterfalls.
5. If your pond has a lot of shade, use two straight-sided containers, one
in the shade and one in the sun.

Now you have two bodies of water which are facing the same evaporation
conditions.

6. Measure water levels daily for a few days. If the pond is leaking, it
will fall more than the jug(s).

Milk test to locate where the leak is

1. Let your pond lose water.
1a. When the loss rate changes, you are at the level of a leak. Record
that level.
1b. When the loss stops, you are at the level of the last leak.
2. Add about 1/4" of water to get the level just above the leak.
3. Put some milk in a spray bottle.
4. Find where you think there is a leak, or systematically work your way
around the pond edge.
5. Squirt a little milk in the water where you think the leak is.
6. If the milk simply dissipates, the leak is not there. If it is drawn
through the side, you have your leak.
7. Remember to do this at each rate-of-loss-change point, as you may have
leaks at each level.

If the pond does not leak, you will want to try out the plumbing for the
fountains.
1. If you can turn them on without spraying into the air, do so one at a
time. If you begin losing water, the plumbing for that fountain leaks.
2. If you cannot turn them on low, but can trun them on singly, try doing
so consecutively. Compare the rate of loss. Your .8 gal/minute should be
very graphic, as long as you are not losing the water by splash or mist
drifting out of the pond.
3. If you have a waterfall, run it alone. It should not be losing at ,8
gal/min.

Good luck.

"cdunk" <cd...@home.com> wrote in message news:38DEA163...@home.com...

[jan jordan]

>What's the milk method?
>Carol

In case you missed PhylissH post, she wrote:
Here is a simple empirical method which will let you know if your pond
itself is leaking.

Milk jug check to see if a pond leaks

1. Get a straight sided container (I used a milk jug with the sloping top
cut off.).
2. Put the container in the pond so that its rim sticks out above the top
of the pond.
3. Fill it with water to just about the level of the pond.
4. Turn OFF your fountains and waterfalls.
5. If your pond has a lot of shade, use two straight-sided containers, one
in the shade and one in the sun.

Now you have two (or three) bodies of water which are facing the same
evaporation conditions.

6. Measure water levels daily for a few days. If the pond is leaking, it
will fall more than the jug(s).

Milk test to locate where the leak is

1. Let your pond lose water.
1a. When the loss rate changes, you are at the level of a leak.
Record
that level.
1b. When the loss stops, you are at the level of the last leak.
2. Add about 1/4" of water to get the level just above the leak.
3. Put some milk in a spray bottle.
4. Find where you think there is a leak, or systematically work your way
around the pond edge.
5. Squirt a little milk in the water where you think the leak is.
6. If the milk simply dissipates, the leak is not there. If it is drawn
through the side, you have your leak.
7. Remember to do this at each rate-of-loss-change point, as you may have
leaks at each level.

Good luck

[cdunk]

Thank you very much for this information!
Carol

Phyllis and Jim Hurley wrote:
>
> We worked on finding leaks for a while. Here is the method we came up with.
>

> Here is a simple empirical method which will let you know if your pond
> itself is leaking.
>
> Milk jug check to see if a pond leaks
>
> 1. Get a straight sided container (I used a milk jug with the sloping top
> cut off.).
> 2. Put the container in the pond so that its rim sticks out above the top
> of the pond.
> 3. Fill it with water to just about the level of the pond.
> 4. Turn OFF your fountains and waterfalls.
> 5. If your pond has a lot of shade, use two straight-sided containers, one
> in the shade and one in the sun.
>

> Now you have two bodies of water which are facing the same evaporation

> conditions.
>
> 6. Measure water levels daily for a few days. If the pond is leaking, it
> will fall more than the jug(s).
>
> Milk test to locate where the leak is
>
> 1. Let your pond lose water.
> 1a. When the loss rate changes, you are at the level of a leak. Record
> that level.
> 1b. When the loss stops, you are at the level of the last leak.
> 2. Add about 1/4" of water to get the level just above the leak.
> 3. Put some milk in a spray bottle.
> 4. Find where you think there is a leak, or systematically work your way
> around the pond edge.
> 5. Squirt a little milk in the water where you think the leak is.
> 6. If the milk simply dissipates, the leak is not there. If it is drawn
> through the side, you have your leak.
> 7. Remember to do this at each rate-of-loss-change point, as you may have
> leaks at each level.
>

> If the pond does not leak, you will want to try out the plumbing for the
> fountains.
> 1. If you can turn them on without spraying into the air, do so one at a
> time. If you begin losing water, the plumbing for that fountain leaks.
> 2. If you cannot turn them on low, but can trun them on singly, try doing
> so consecutively. Compare the rate of loss. Your .8 gal/minute should be
> very graphic, as long as you are not losing the water by splash or mist
> drifting out of the pond.
> 3. If you have a waterfall, run it alone. It should not be losing at ,8
> gal/min.
>
> Good luck.
>
> "cdunk" <cd...@home.com> wrote in message news:38DEA163...@home.com...

> > What's the milk method?
> > Carol

[jo...@bellsouth.net]

Just came across your post on determining a leak in a pond and I have a question. I have a pond that is approximately 2400 gallon that is filtered by a bog. I am losing about 100 gals. of water daily. We just replaced the bog liner to be sure it wasn't the culprit, but it's June, in the south, and I can't turn off all my filtration for several days. I also have a small underwater filter/fountain I run when it gets in the 90's. My bog has a 3' spillway that aerates my pond. Can I still use the milk jug test for a leak? The pond is in sunlight about 2/3 of the day. Thanks for any help you can give jo...@bellsouth.net