My summer has been stressful.
About two months ago, my pond developed a slow leak - about 1/2" water loss a day. Decided to let it go down until the water level stabilized. Then, I could feel just above the water line to find the leak.
I suspected either an old patch job from about six years ago failed (6" above the bottom of the deep end) or groundhog punctured the liner.
It has taken over a month for the water level to drop - all those thunderstorms kept refilling! I only have two 100-gallon stock tanks and my pond is 1300 gallons.
OVER THE LAST WEEK:
I was raising goldfish fry in the two stock tanks. Had to catch all of them (some still really tiny) and move them into into buckets/laundry tubs. At least two dozen of them died after the move . . .
I built an above ground 100-gallon pond on my concrete patio. Had to lug 50-lb bags of rock salt from the side of the house, concrete blocks I had stacked at the end of my property and rocks.
Took a few days after work and before teaching lessons.
Laid down a tarp then built the edges from the bags/rocks and some large Tupperware containers (filled them with water to stabilize the pressure). Laid in a piece of liner my former assistant had given to me.
Filled that up (figured about 125 gallons). Had to buy another ($84) 100-gallon stock tank yesterday (7/1).
Took some pond netting and covered the stock tank and the above ground pond, even cable tied the netting to some PVC pipes to pull it tight.
Caught as many fish as I could and put them in the three stock tanks, above ground pond, containers around the above the ground pond. Made sure all the netting was intact and drawn tight.
When I was leaving for a gig, last night (7/1) the 15" golden orfe had jumped from the above ground pond into one of the water-filled side containers. I netted him and put him back in the above ground pond. Put another PVC pipe where he jumped to weigh the net down more.
Played "Hello Dolly" about 15 miles from here. Couldn't stop thinking about that orfe and hoped he was going to behave.
When I got home at midnight after my gig, the golden orfe was dead on the lawn. Must have kept jumping at the netting until he the corner. When I fixed the old leak, three out of the four orfes did the same thing. This one was the only survivor back then. Picked him up, put him in plastic bag and put him in the outside trash.
The leak stabilized yesterday and I could see the old patch hanging down. Still had enough water to keep the pump and waterfall going. About ten fish still in the regular pond.
This morning my wife said there were some dead fish floating in the above ground pond. My two largest (13") midnight shubunkins, of course (had them at least six years). Netted them out and triple plastic bagged them and put them in the outside trash cans. Netted another midnight shubunkin who was gasping for air and put him back in the regular pond. He's OK now.
Added a small pump at the surface of the above ground pond aimed sideways to provide aeration. Its in the high 80's here. Move the air pump and lines outside and have an air line bubbling in all three stock tanks. So, all fish have aeration.
Last time I patched the leak I used "Marine Goop". That obviously didn't last. I went on line and found a glue from "Mr. Sticky" (yeah, that's the name of the company) that is specifically for underwater pond liner patching. Even can use it underwater. Ordered that ($42 bucks with shipping, ouch . . .). Hope that arrives by WED.
Checked all when I got home tonight at midnight after another gig. No floaters. Now I just have to wait for the glue to get here. Probably will take some time off work and pump out more water in the main pond to get the level below the leak (will have to net out most of the remaining fish).
Think I will patch the hole, then glue a larger patch over the first patch. I'm getting too old for this kind of stress!
I think in the meantime I will get in the pond and reshape some of the dirt under the shelves to make them a bit wider.
Hopefully I can get the main pond fixed and filled again by the end of next weekend. The earlier the better - worried that more fish are going to die.
