Do You Know What Is Going on with Your Pond Water?

In case the level of the water in your pond continues to reduce, you may easily get confused about whether this is the process of normal evaporation or a more severe problem. Learning what the difference is will save you greater problems in the future. 

To ensure the pump is working well and is not causing you to lose unnecessary water in your pond, That Pond Guy, a well-known name when it comes to taking care of a pond, recommends using quality equipment such as Evolution Aqua Pond pumps to ensure that there is proper circulation of water in the pond.

How Much Water Should Your Pond Lose?

Natural evaporation causes natural loss of water in the ponds; normally, 0.5 to 1 per cent of the total water circulates in an hour. As an example, a 3,000 gallons per hour pond may be losing 15 to 30 gallons per day. This results in 1 to 3 inches in a week, depending on the weather conditions.

Factors that increase evaporation:

• Hot, dry weather – Loss of water accelerates when it is summer.

• Low humidity – The dry air pulls out the movement of the moisture.
• Wind exposure – Constant surface movement increases evaporation.
• Direct sunlight – Shallow areas lose water quicker.
• Large surface area – More water exposed means more evaporation.

Is It Evaporation or a Leak?

It is possible that you have a leak, especially on the cool, calm days when your pond loses greater than 3 inches of water per week. The difference comes out like this:

Signs of a leak:

• Water drops faster when the pump is running.
• Muddy or soggy patches around the pond edges.
• Constant refilling needed, even in mild weather.

Common leak sources:

• A low liner edge letting water escape.
• Tears or punctures from rocks or roots.
• Broken pipes in waterfalls or filters.

How to Test for a Leak

The easiest thing that can be done is to conduct a simple static water test to help identify whether or not evaporation is the actual cause:

• Shut down the pump and fill the pond back to a normal level.

• Keep it off 24-48 hrs.

• In case the water level remains constant, then to problem is the evaporation.

• When it continues to decrease, then you most probably have leak.

Preventing Excessive Water Loss

• You cannot prevent evaporation, but can cut it down:

• Introduce shade by planting such floating plants as water lilies.

• Screw with fences or plants exposed to wind.

• Test the flow rate of your pump-poor circulation aggravates water loss.

• Check for leakages frequently, particularly in liners as well as plumbing.

When to Call the Experts

When you are sure that a leak has a problem but have been unsuccessful in detecting it, That Pond Guy suggests that you contact a professional over the leaks. Constant loss of water can make fish and plants die; hence, repairs are necessary before it gets too late.

Final Thoughts

Monitoring the level of water in your pond keeps a healthy environment. It could be a correction of evaporation or repair of a concealed leak, but regular maintenance will keep your pond beautiful all year.

Mary Willoughby