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  1. #1
    Senior Member Rank = Yonsai goldengrahams91's Avatar
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    New pond settlement

    Hi guys as some of you know I began filling my pond on Friday.

    After I putting 6000ltr in I left it for the day whilst I was out. When i came back it had dropped about half and inch.

    I thought this was down to settlement and everything falling into final position.

    So I put another couple thousand litres in.
    This morning I came down and it has dropped another half inch.

    Is this still settlement ? How much could I expect to see ?

    Or I have I got a dreaded leak somewhere ?

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  3. #2
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Grand Champion lee63's Avatar
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    New pond settlement

    Settlement with concrete and fiberglass?
    I didnt see an inch loss due to settlement on a liner pond with no concrete base, infact i saw no loss at all and havent in any of my ponds in the past. So If you genuinely suspect youve lost an inch in 24hrs then I hate to say it but i think there could possibly be a leak New pond settlement i do hope not for you though.


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  5. #3
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Rokusai TAC's Avatar
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    Sounds like a leak I wouldn't fill the pond anymore I had a leak on mine it turned out to be around one of the pipes going through the wall easy fix.

    Just double check every think and look for damp/wet patches.

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  7. #4
    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion freddyboy's Avatar
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    I tend to agree with lee on this one. Mine was filled. Brought it up over a week. Reason to see if there was a leak. And where. Had slight leak on window. Repaired. Then brought up to pond hight level. Slowly. And stayed there. With base and fiber glass. Would nt have thought it would settle . Sorry to say sounds like a leak to me. Watch it and see if it drops anymore. If it doesn't. Then top back up. And if it drops again. Leak is above that part of top up.

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  9. #5
    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion freddyboy's Avatar
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    Also agree with tac. Leave and look for damp patches

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  11. #6
    Senior Member Rank = Yonsai goldengrahams91's Avatar
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    It has just got above ground level so won't be able to find damp patches. Also it has only just covered one pipe but it dropped before that so I guess it has to be the bottom drain

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    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Hassai JimHull's Avatar
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    I experienced the same thing, turned out it was a very small leak on the mid water return. If you do have a leak you need to identify where it is. I suspected a BD problem because I couldn't find any physical leaks or damp patches. I left the level to drop and it stopped just past where the return came in. A dab of gold seal and it's been fine since then.

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    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Rokusai TAC's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by goldengrahams91 View Post
    It has just got above ground level so won't be able to find damp patches. Also it has only just covered one pipe but it dropped before that so I guess it has to be the bottom drain

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    Your not having much luck mate bottom drain is the worst place for leak you need to find out if its pipe work or around the bottom drain first I hope it is around the fiberglass to bottom drain as that's a easy fix

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    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Hassai JimHull's Avatar
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    Only solution is to leave it until it stops then check above the water line. I stuck a bit of masking tape on the window and marked it off at 12 hour intervals. When it did eventually stop I only had 1/2 inch of fibreglass to check all around the pond. Fingers crossed that it's an easy fix

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    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Hassai JimHull's Avatar
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    Obviously the tape isn't an option for you as it's below ground :-( you could knock up some kind of a dip stick?

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    Moderator Rank = Supreme Champion Feline's Avatar
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    Can you dig down to where the 90 degree bend is on the BD pipe to see if it's wet round there?
    From what you're saying the leak is below any of the returns, so it limits the location to just a few joints or the fibreglass itself. The 90 would be the best place for the leak to be, assuming you can actually get to it.

    If you do have a leak in the bottom drain to 4" pipe joint (worst case scenario) then I believe there are options to have it lined to save having to dig up the concrete which would be terrible.

    Have you got a 1" air pipe down there too?
    I was thinking if you have, you could seal that with a bung at the bottom drain end and see if that stopped the leak.

  22. #12
    Senior Member Rank = Yonsai goldengrahams91's Avatar
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    I think if it does continue to go down it must be the connection between the fiberglass and the bottom drain. As when I had the build up of water under the fiberglass last time due to ground water I didn't get any coming in through the pipe it just ended up bursting through the fiberglass so I am hopfull that my pipe connections are ok. Will see how it is when I get home tonight. If it has dropped again I will order a big pool and transfer water over seal bottom drain again and the put water back in. I'm on a meter so can't be letting all that water go down the drain

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  24. #13
    Senior Member Rank = Yonsai goldengrahams91's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Feline View Post
    Can you dig down to where the 90 degree bend is on the BD pipe to see if it's wet round there?
    From what you're saying the leak is below any of the returns, so it limits the location to just a few joints or the fibreglass itself. The 90 would be the best place for the leak to be, assuming you can actually get to it.

    If you do have a leak in the bottom drain to 4" pipe joint (worst case scenario) then I believe there are options to have it lined to save having to dig up the concrete which would be terrible.

    Have you got a 1" air pipe down there too?
    I was thinking if you have, you could seal that with a bung at the bottom drain end and see if that stopped the leak.
    I cant easily get access to the 90 as my filter shed is on top of it so I could cut the floor out and did down to get to it as a last resort but wouldn't be an easy job.

    O have a 1inch line on it with the spindrifter direct air kit connected.

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  25. #14
    Moderator Rank = Supreme Champion Feline's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by goldengrahams91 View Post
    I cant easily get access to the 90 as my filter shed is on top of it so I could cut the floor out and did down to get to it as a last resort but wouldn't be an easy job.

    O have a 1inch line on it with the spindrifter direct air kit connected.

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    In that case I think it would be worth trying to rule out the air line as the cause first. Could you turn the air pump to it on and see if any bubbles appear from underneath the BD dome?

    This is a case of rule things out by process of elimination I think.

  26. #15
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Rokusai TAC's Avatar
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    Not sure I would wait to get a pool as you don't want water building up under your pond again wont a pool cost more then the water

    First I would empty the water and just leave the BD full to see if its leaking there second apply sealant around the BD to fiberglass and the fill to 3" of water to test.

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  28. #16
    to help rule things out, you can get a 4" bung and plug the bottom drain (inside the sump), basically isolate the pipework to rule it out.

    like this, but may be even cheaper at a plumbers merchant Bailey Steel Drain Test Plug / Bung 100mm / 4 Inch | eBay

    hopefully, it's the fibreglass...

  29. #17
    Senior Member Rank = Yonsai goldengrahams91's Avatar
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    well i got home and it had dropped again. another 1/2 inch.

    i tested the airline and all the bubbles were coming out the dome as expected so hopefully that eliminates that part.

    the pond is now draining down to inspect the bottom drain tomorrow and slap a truck load of sealant on it.
    i am also going to buy a pipe bung to test the pipe whilst the silicone sets up.

    with the run of luck i have been having i am due a break soon

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  31. #18
    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion freddyboy's Avatar
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    Good luck mate with the test and the rest of it

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  33. #19
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Grand Champion lee63's Avatar
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    As said above gg its now down to a process of elimination New pond settlement hopefully its nothing too drastic and an easy fix mate 🤞🏻


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    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Supreme Champion pondwithnoname's Avatar
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    Something worth checking and sometimes overlooked are any valves that dump waste water, make sure ball valves are completely shut and if you've used a slider valve you'll need to change it because they don't shut 100%.
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