Leaky pond

foxgloves

After the ice on our pond finally melted after about two weeks of being frozen, we noticed how low the water level had dropped, then realised we had got a leak in the pond liner in the shallow end of the pond. We were gutted as we spent so much time making the pond from scratch ourselves & even after less than 2 years, it's attracted lots of wildlife. We've had a really good look at it today and it's actually 2 holes....both look like deliberate puncture holes in the PVC liner about 5 cms apart......except for the fact that our back garden is not accessible to anybody unless they come through the house, so we just can't think of anything that could have made them as there's just us! We're going to try & do a repair with something waterproof that will mend PVC & is hopefully not too toxic for wildlife. Has anyone managed to do this successfully? Any advice, tips or warnings much appreciated.

kazwookie

I have no useful advise, apart for non toxic glue etc.

I'll wish you good luck, I know how annoying a leak is, my old pond use to have them.

Lotus-eater

Just a wild shot in the dark here, but could a heron have made the holes?

alanobrien

Rapairs are quite easy if you can drain the pond down to the level where the tear is.
Kits are available to make it even easier.
http://www.aquatics-warehouse.co.uk/acatalog/aquarium_supplies_POOL_REPAIR_KITS_238.html

It gets a bit more tricky if the hole is near the bottom but even then you can get leak fix patches that work underwater.

foxgloves

Thanks for that. Partner has tracked down a repair kit this afternoon so we're going to have a go. Yes, Lotus-eater, not such a wild shot in the dark.....the man at the aquatic centre where we finally found a kit you can use with PVC pond liners said it sounded like damage by a heron to him too. We are in a village by the river and although we have no fish in our pond, we have seen a heron land in the garden once to have a look, so you are probably right. They often fly over our street on the way to & from the river. The holes are in the shallow end so hopefully we'll be able to do a good repair. Thanks.

kazwookie

Get a plastic heron, and place it near your pond, this hopefully will scare off the real one.