Duck pond liner repair

[DuckJam]

Hello all,

I can't seem to quite find an existing thread which addresses this issue specifically, so sorry for any repeat. We have an in-ground pond. We used one of those heavy duty black liners for it (not the rigid plastic, but the rubbery "cloth" kind that has thread fibers in the inner layer). Somehow it is tearing - whether from duck claws or just old age (it's only 4 years old) and now we have a leak. To complicate just replacing it, we installed a drain at the bottom of the pond for ease of water changes/cleaning. We came across two products that are paint-on pond sealants, one of which specifically mentions "soft pond liners". They both claim to be non-toxic and safe for plants and fish (marketed towards people with Koi ponds). We would like to assume it's safe for the ducks, too, but have some slight concern of any breakdown/flaking being consumed and being harmful. Has anyone used a paint-on sealant like these and if so, how did it work out? Or any other suggestions for repair? Thank you kindly!

 

[aart]

Need to know exactly what the liner product is in order to patch it effectively.
Do you know where the tear is?
Pics?

 

[KWilson]

I don't have ducks, but I have a Koi pond for 5 years and can give some advice. The first step is to determine exactly where the pond leak is located, and the extent of the damage. The best way to find a pond liner leak is to simply let your water level drop until it reaches the point of escape, which is will stop reducing. This is the most common and easiest way to find a liner leak. If the tear is right at the bottom of your liner, too much water will drain, making it insufficient to safely hold pond fish. Once you have found the location of the leak, the next thing to determine is how you are going to fix it. Small breaks in a pond liner are very easy to fix by yourself, and there're several ways to patch them up. If the hole is much larger, or there is severe damage to the liner, it may be better to just replace the entire liner itself (not the cheapest option, but it is the only way to solve the problem). Finally, after all these actions, you will understand how to fix the leak. Small leaks can be fixed with insulating foam sealant, liner seam tape or you can buy a pond liner repair kit. My first leak was too small and I decided to buy a special tape. I bought it in Bend, and don't know you can find it in your town, but you can find it on Amazon as well https://www.amazon.com/Aquascape-22017-Contractor-Liner-Double-Sided/dp/B00069UDKW. After all the manipulations don't forget to check first is everything ok. And one more thing. Don't buy cheap ponds like this one, they always leak after 2-3 months...

 

[DuckJam]

Thank you for that. I have attached a picture (as best I could get) of the tear. It partly looks like the effects of them clawing at it as they exit and/or the liner failing (dry and cracked).

As far a patch materials, we definitely don't want anything toxic to the ducks, or that could be scratched off as they get in and out so they are not ingesting the particles (the tear is near the exit point and those claws of theirs is why we are in this position to begin with) We have flagstone "steps", a couple of which are submerged into the water to help remove that issue, but now we have this new tear on a vertical portion. The double-sided tape (as recommended above) probably won't work on this tear since we don't have the benefit of a flap, and we have considered a rubber paint sealant, but that seems to be made for hard surfaces (concrete, stone, etc). Outside of a repair/solution, our main concern is about the health and safety of our ducks with something leeching, flaking, etc. We did try FlaxTape and it has done okay on another area with a tear, but it's curling up at the edges, so it's not lasting long.

Since we have a drain built in the bottom, which is attached to the liner, we are hoping to avoid a replacement. Should that be our best solution, any recommendations on materials/options? Thank you all for your input and tips!

The red arrow is pointing roughly to where the tear is located. It runs vertically just on the other side of that stone. The water level now sits a good 8-10 inches lower than in that photo, too.

 

[Dees ducks]

Hi,
I had a similar liner for my duck pond and experienced the same thing. Multiple holes/tears where they were scrambling to get out of the pond.
Anyhow, I bit the bullet and bought 0.75mm thick pvc liner mainly because it was more affordable than butyl or rubber (which is the best if you have the funds) and secondly because this liner is more flexible with less noticeable creases. I found that the fibrous, heavy duty liner formed really big creases so therefore more areas in which the ducks could catch their nails.
Also incorporated swimming pool type steps so than they had very, very easy access. Will post pics shortly to give you an idea.

 

[Dees ducks]

pictures of almost completed new pond as promised showing steps for easy access for duckies!