Help with strange pond thing

Anyone know much about ponds and water levels?

Basically, I have two ponds. One upper larger pond that contains the fish, and a small stream and a lower pond (where water is pumped back up into top pond). Over the last few months, I’ve had a very random different water level each day. I generally have to fill it up for 10 minutes before running the pump, its been like this since I moved in 5 years ago.

Just recently though, im coming home from work and finding the water level has dropped by a good 2-4” per day. I understand when waters colder it condenses, and I understand also that there could be a leak somewhere. But why im so confused is that some days, the water level doesn’t drop at all. It can be 2-3 days and its all fine. Then maybe the next day, its dropped 4”. I then fill it up again say at 7pm, but by 11pm, its dropped an inch or two again. So the next day, I’ll fill it up, and its fine again.

I know pond algie and weeds and such drink a lot of water, but this (from experience) is more of a summer thing and we’re not there yet. Its been like this since we had all the snow.

Now I’ve tried leaving the pond for nearly a week, and the water level dropped by a good foot or so. I couldn’t leave it much longer as the fish were running out of room, but despite looking for hours, I can’t see any splits in the sheet. It then takes a good ¾ hour of filling up again, which ruins the pond/fresh water mix and temperature around.

It “could” be a small tear somewhere, but then there’s never any “clear” areas in the pond as its always covered in general pond niceness (mud, plants etc). I cannot see at all where water would be seeping though. And the fact that some days it looses a lot of water, and other days it looses none at all, it very confusing.

Meanwhile, the lower pond hardly drops in level at all, no matter what the temperature is.

Anyone got any ideas? Or is it a possible leak that re-seals itself, then when everythings flowing again (pump etc) it slightly moves the mud, and re-opens the split?

anyone got any ideas? I really don’t fancy pulling out the whole pond sheet, disturbing the growing plants and eco system in the pond. Also its coming to spring, so I’ve got frogs that wont separate, and also a fair few newts. I love the nature, so really don’t want to disturb any possible newt eggs (Frogs generally is quite noticeable with its spawn). Fish are easy to move, and it’s a fair bit of work to pull out the sheet and re-lay (its all held down with bricks, which are cemented to the outer wall), but I really don’t want to go down this road unless really really have to.

Anyone got any ideas?

taaaa

If its a plastic liner, you've had a heron attack and he's puncured the lining.

Our pond is like a collander from the buggers but luckily its on Clay, so runs away very slowly.

C

reckon the only way to find out what's wrong is to drain and clear the pond, not on a water meter are you?

[tigersaw]

my house used to have a 2 pond and trickling stream arrangement until I filled it all in. Thats when I discovered the 500 litre ballast tank buried near the pump and filters - you havn't got something like that have you?

Right, check list; If your lower pond maintains it level your leaks not there. If you leave the pump off does the water level in the top pond still drop? if it does your leaks there. If however it drops when the pumps running it points to a leak in either the stream bit or a leak in the pipe system back to the top.

Teejayexc, i take you meant when the pump is off does either pond drop, if so obviously that's where the leak is, if neither drops then the leak would be in the stream, or the pipe to the top, just for clarification

Originally Posted by bluefishman

Teejayexc, i take you meant when the pump is off does either pond drop, if so obviously that's where the leak is, if neither drops then the leak would be in the stream, or the pipe to the top, just for clarification

I meant what I posted, op said the water level stays constant in the bottom pond.

my dads pond kept loseing water.

traced it to one of the conectors in the pipe from the pump to the filter was slightly loose.