Repair water garden liner | How to fix pond liner: Gardening

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Aquatic plants are typically more carefree than their inground counterparts. In a water garden, however, plants are just part of what needs attention. The liner, equipment, infrastructure and finishing materials also require regular attention, maintenance and repair.

A healthy water garden relies on strong liner.

Every 1-3 years, your water feature will need some sort of renovation, including repairing the liner. Liner leaks result from inadvertent punctures, sharp objects falling into the water, roots growing through the underlayment into the liner, animal tunneling and basic wear and tear.

Regular maintenance checks of your water garden should include leak inspection. Look for wear points, unexpected low water, saturated soil outside the liner and soil in the bottom of the feature. Follow these simple steps to repairing a liner leak.

Repairing Pond Liner Leaks

Repairing Liner Leaks - Step 1

Drain the water feature and carefully remove plants and fish. Remove the protective gravel, cobble and boulders from the area suspected of leaks, exposing the liner, tear/puncture and any signs of other damage or wear. (Inspect it carefully.)

Repairing Liner Leaks - Step 2

Thoroughly clean the area around the puncture with clean water, then rinse and dry. Further clean and dry the patch area with denatured alcohol or an adhesive primer, allowing them to evaporate before applying the primer again as a preparation for bonding the liner to the patch with waterproof solvent glue.

Repairing Liner Leaks - Step 3

Choose a suitable repair kit matched to the liner material. Patch the affected area, carefully following package instructions. Extend all patches 2-4 inches beyond the immediate puncture area.

Repairing Liner Leaks - Step 4

Apply a coat of an aquarium-grade silicone sealant over the repaired area to protect the patch and isolate it from the feature’s water. Allow patch and sealant to dry thoroughly before refilling your water feature.

Warnings

Always use caution when removing or setting plants within a water feature or when wading while caring for your garden pond. Wear waders or soft-soled shoes, and cushion the edges of the risers holding the planting containers, always seeking to prevent damage to the liner.

Facts

The best flexible liners are made of EPDM. Choose liners that will span your feature’s length and width, after adding double its maximum depth to each measurement. Avoid joining two liners, if possible – such points are prone to leaks.

Tips

Protect all water feature liners from the sun’s UV rays to keep them from aging. (Water, rock, plants and edging materials help shield the liner.) A liner’s topmost section can become exposed if the water level drops from evaporation. The toughest liner materials – rigid fiberglass and flexible butyl rubber – usually can withstand short-term UV exposure without incurring cracks, leaks or other damage.

Next Steps

Lining up Your Options (How to Select a Pond Liner)
The primary purpose of a waterproof liner is to enclose and retain water in a garden pond or feature. (It also helps maintain the water’s quality.) Learn what different pond liners have to offer, then select the best one for you and your water garden plan.
Testing and Treating Garden Pond Water
Balanced water quality is essential to maintaining a healthy water garden. Don’t let your pond water cloud your plants – or good judgment. Learn the common symptoms of water-quality distress and the simple steps to testing your pond’s water to make sure your ecosystem thrives…without all the algae!
How to Clean a Water Garden
Even water gardens need a good wash. While pond equipment requires routine maintenance to keep it performing well, the entire pond needs to be drained and cleaned on occasion. Learn a few seasonal tips to maintaining a garden pond, as well as the steps to properly cleaning it.

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Repairing Liner Leaks