This article was by Dr. David Pitkethly in Seattle, Washington, USA.
http://www.healthgrades.com/physician/dr-david-pitkethly-222vxResearching leak causes well, I learned: Patching leaks in any cement or lining, regardless if its plastic, polypropylene, EPDM, rubber, cement, gunite, epoxy, wood, etc cannot work! That's because with just one leak it would work. A pond that's noticeably leaky won't be a small leak. "Pond Leaking" is rarely one big hole or crack either; if it was other cracks wouldn't form. Almost impossible; leaks are always from several locations. Leaks are usually caused from more than one reason. A leak always means "leaks", that is plural. This is learned from many hours at IPPCA show & Irrigation Show Long Beach Convention Center, Long Beach, California & 8 varios pond configurations I visited.
my family & friends love our cascade leading into the koi pond. The cascade is very tall so current is very strong as water hits the rocks. This was noisy and sounds with motion from rocks broke through the plastic lining.
Our complaints about the new plastic lining were not fixed by the installer. Did research on plastic vs rubber vs EPDM vs spray-lined polyurea. The polyurea spray-lining coatings reviews better than any other pond liner alternatives. Spray-Lining Coating professionals who spray pond liners are few & far between & reeeeeeal expensive. Still soft, flexible, spray-on lining of polyurea was coating required to seal the koi pond area (over 850 sq ft) and attempt stopping that noise.
Regardless, professional polyurea installers are about $20 per square foot so I located the only true polyurea DIY spray-on lining, coating for ponds & waterscapes at Spray-Lining and Coatings
http://www.spray-lining.com/pond/ ....
Apparently "professionals" include Line-X bedliner dealers or dealers of Rhino Linings. Most are automobile repair shops with line-X or car/truck dealers using Rhino-Lining, with basically truck bed spray-Lining training. Not one bedliner shop made any logical quote to Seal my pond Tight, correctly. Other applicators were a little less expensive, pond coating experienced but all had to travel, that brought up cost & we couldn't get a fair quote. The alternative was an SLC, DIY spray-lining koi pond kit I custom ordered by the sq ft. SLC loaned me the spray equipment & were really available for support. The support guy knew my issues exactly The polyuea is actually called Seal Tite by Spray-Lining & Coatings
www.spray-lining.com.
Seal Tite corrected all leaks. Its permanent for all practical purposes, good for at least 20 years now. The preparation – cleaning the pond and washing rocks, SLC directions were simple & logical. Rocks were coated with SLC-114-AS, this flexible, clear spray-lining; we fully coated each (of 22 rocks). The bottom of the pond is now lined in black and the sides are silver/ gray. the sides and bottom now have soft, flexible texture and are one eighth inch minimum thickness.
SLC recommended 1/8 inch thick online. Kevin Root at an SLC distributer, Vancouver Lining and Coating said thicker will slow cascade's noise from that vibration. Teenage sons prepped- that was that hardest part, wife & me sprayed the Seal Tite. The noise insulation issue aside, if you’re careful with SLC’s tech support, listen to details, sealing various shapes of ponds with this DIY system, your pond should not leak regardless of currents, flow or friction.
