Why is my Pond losing water?
Pond water levels dropping is a common issue; most pond owners will come across this and it may induce a panic attack. What about the fish? Will the plants be ok? Is the liner leaking? How will it get resolved? However, don’t panic! This may not be the cause of the leak; it could be caused by evaporation, faulty equipment, or other things.
The first thing you should do is to investigate the cause. Below, we have shared several reasons your pond may be losing water and how to resolve them.
The first thing you should do when you see your pond losing water is turn off your equipment and watch the levels of your pond over 24 hours. If the water levels remain constant, then you are likely losing water through your equipment and fitting. If the water levels continue to fall, your equipment is not the cause.
Make sure to check all the connections on your equipment; this means paying close attention to the condition of your hose, clips, filter, joiners etc. You should also check your filter; is your filter overflowing or can you see a dribble of water?
Faulty Liner (Useful Blog: Pond Liner Guarantees and Repairs, Can a new liner be laid over an old, faulty liner?)
If your equipment is not faulty or leaky, the second thing you should check is your pond liner. Try to check for any obvious signs of damage, such as splits, leaks, or cracks. If you cannot see anything, there are two ways in which you can proceed:
• Allow the pond to be drained; when the water stops leaking, the leak will be just above the surface of the pond. Please check the liner above the surface of the water to locate the fault.
• You can pour a glass of milk into the pond and, as the water is drained, the milk will be drawn to the hole in the liner. The milk is fish friendly and will not harm your pond.
Once located, the leak can be returned using our range of repair kits.
Evaporation (Useful Blogs: Why Temperature plays a big role in Pond Development)
Evaporation is a common cause of pond water loss and is perfectly normal. It is likely that evaporation will be at its worst in the summertime when the weather is warmest. But other factors can also affect the levels of evaporation; like how long the pond is exposed to sunlight and even how windy the local area is.
You should try to cover your pond in some way to provide shade (plants, floating planters and lilies are great for this, along with providing a whole host of other benefits!). However, if you are unable to provide enough shade for the pond, the water should be replenished naturally by rainwater.
If you do top up your pond through tap water; try to minimise this and spray the water across the surface of the pond to remove as much chlorine as possible. If not, you can use the PondXpert Tap Tonic to remove the chlorine very quickly. Further to this, you can use a pond thermometer to monitor the temperature of the pond.
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The plants you put into, and around, the pond will consume water throughout their lifetime; the amount of water depends on the type of plants you have. Aquatic plants will suck up the water around them, whereas land-based plants may suck up the water if leaves or branches are dipping into the pond. For instance, a Weeping Willow may hang its leaves into the water and remove water from your pond. To avoid instances like this, simply trim the nearby plants or trees.
As above, plants and trees can provide a lot of shade to the pond to avoid evaporation; we always advise placing your pond away from trees as the tree roots can damage your liner.
The benefits of plants in your pond far outweigh the small amount of water they will consume when compared with other reasons for water loss on this list.
Waterfalls, Fountains, and Features (Useful Blogs: Water Features)
If you have any water features, these could be contributing to your water loss. If the features are not positioned correctly, the water can splash around, and a small amount of water can be lost. While it would be a small amount, over time it could lead to a noticeable amount of water that has been lost. Further to the above, splashes can increase evaporation; this is because the splashed water has a higher surface area that is exposed to sunlight, heat, and wind. Leading to greater evaporation and water loss. To prevent this, carefully watch your feature after installation to check the direction of the water.
Similar to plants, the benefits of a water feature (aeration, relaxation, visual aesthetic) far outweigh the small amount of water loss; especially when this can be avoided.
Pond Edges
Except evaporation, low edges are a common cause of water loss. Water could potentially escape from the edge of the pond (normally the lowest pond) and could be a sign that the pond’s edges are not level.
Similarly, you should ensure that pond liners are in a good position to contain water. If a liner becomes detached from the side of your pond, it may cause the water to escape; simply readjust the liner and resecure it.
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You may also experience wildlife visiting your pond. This will not result in a significant loss of water, but over time birds may bath and drink from your pond, as will other wildlife. This can contribute to a small amount of water loss; but like before, this can be noticeable after a while.
All the above can contribute to water loss; unfortunately, it is something you will have to contend with at some point. In most cases, you just need to refill the pond and keep a careful eye on the water levels. But don’t forget to remove the chlorine from any water; use a product like the PondXpert Tap Tonic. If you do have to refill your pond, rainwater is exceptionally good!
If you have any queries, please email us on info@pondkeeper.co.uk.