Pond leak

[debbiem]

Our small wildlife pond has developed a leak, and a fast one at that. Of course it happened just before we were going away for the weekend. OH suggested, as there was no apparent leak in the lining(I'll endeavour to post a pic later) that maybe the pipe from the pump might be leaking. I think he's right - with the pump on which operates the fountain the water goes down very quickly, but with it off it goes down much slower. The pond's built up from the ground so if there was a leak we would see some water coming out somewhere. Oh the joys of pondkeeping! I think it must be something to do with the pump. Has anything similar happened to anyone else?

[debbiem]

Whoops just realized that this might be posted in the wrong place - sorry if it is.

[madonplants]

Sounds like a pipework problem to me, either that or is the fountain spraying outside the pond?

Keith

[seanmckinney]

Probably pipe work or the return water course. They will be dropping in this weather though. I have topped up once already

[debbiem]

We think it's the pipe too, thanks to you both.

[debbiem]

Here's the pond, so as you can see, any seepage would be obvious;

[chickadeedeedee]

Ooooo! How beautiful!

Hmmmm. .... I was going to suggest a drop or three of food colouring (it is non toxic and water soluable) and this may be an indicator of where your leak may be. If it involves your moss covered stones somehow, that may ruin the look of them. But I have to think that mossy wall is getting a water supply from somewhere and your other wall is not hence no moss.

Are your lines running along the mossy wall?

[The witch]

Debbie it might be worth checking the pipe connections aren't loose - I had a similar problem a couple of weeks ago, I had noticed that the flow from my inlet pipe was very slow. OH took the pump out of the pond and discovered that the connection needed tightening up.

[debbiem]

Thanks C3D , and thanks The witch.
The pump's down in the left hand corner of the pond C3D, and the pipe runs along the stones from there to the fountain, so I don't think it can be that, although you would think it would have something to do with it looking at the picture and how mossy the one side is compared to the other. I think the extra mossiness on the far wall's caused by the splashes from the fountain but you know I never noticed how different the two walls were in greenery. I think it's more to do with either OH or me taking the pump out of the pond to clear away the debris, which we have to do several times a week, and maybe one of us(probably me ) inadvertently yanking it and loosening something.
Great idea about the food colouring but I don't think it's necessary, I think t's what you suggested The witch - something becoming that little bit too slack.

[The witch]

Water can evaporate very quickly, probably more so when the fountain is running. Can I see a waterfall in your photo but not your fountain

[debbiem]

Ooooops sorry The witch I meant waterfall - there's no fountain.

[The witch]

Tehe tehe

So I guess the pipe from the pump runs under the rocks to the left or the right of the waterfall then - if so then you may well have a leaking pipe.

[debbiem]

Thanks - that's the first place we'll check.