Help: waterloss from DIY bio filter

11 years ago

6 years ago, I build a stock tank DIY bio filter using the stainless steel weir purchased from the pond guy. I put a pond liner skirt behind the weir which came down over the pond liner "apron" which came up from the pond but wasn't high enough to reach the whole top. I put stone up the face, and put a longer stone underneath the weir opening as I wanted it to make more of a water sound.

Two years ago, I changed the stone layout and have had leaks ever since...and I can't locate WHERE the problem is, only that I lose water. If I bypass the biofilter, no water loss.

I sealed the edge of the weir/stone with silicone. I tried to make a raised edge which directed the water to flow out the longest and surest part of the falls....nothing seems to work, and I am loathe to take the rocks all down (again) and start over.

Has anyone else had this problem? Any suggestions?

I'm tempted to buy a real filter/falls from Danner or Savio or something, but I'm not sure if the weir depth from the body to the edge would be anymore than the 3" that the stainless steel thing is... Thanks in advance...

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Comments (4)

annedickinson
11 years ago
If the edges are all sealed then two things come to mind:

1. Is there a wrinkle in the skirt where the water is wicking out? I found one once where the water was wicking UP and over the edge of the liner.

2. Do you have a bottom drain? If so, is it possible the water is leaking out there or any spots other than the spillway?

Is there any damp soil where there shouldn't be? That is how I found the wicking wrinkle.

Good luck. It is irritating to have a leak you can't find.
michigoose
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks for your response Pashta. I don't think there's a wrinkle in the skirt...but I guess I'm going to have to pull all the rocks down once again and rebuild....but I'm not sure if part of the problem might not be the length of the spillway (distance from lip to box)...but since I didn't have the problem back when I built it originally, I don't think so...although I did change the rock.

2. I do have a bottom drain, but it isn't losing water there as when I bypass the filter and just use the external filter my husband put in without asking me this spring, and run a hose for the return skipping the waterfall, there is no problem.

There is enough damp soil around the whole biofilter, that I can't tell where there is water coming out. I do know that it isn't any of the piping as that's what we checked first...it has to be in the skirt/weir/waterfall area....

Considering I'm on my second year of chemo for stage IV cancer (I was stage IV 15 years ago and didn't have any evidence of the disease until 2010) this is maddening as my hands no longer work well for this kind of work. A stone mason I am not!
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sleeplessinftwayne
11 years ago
It sounds like there is some sort of capillary action going on. It can be hard to find. All it takes is two layers against each other with part of one submerged in the water. It can happen even with a fold in a single piece of liner, just so it goes from wet to dry... The water will climb... and drip...or evaporate.
mike_il
11 years ago
Michigoose,

From what you wrote it sounds like the weir is attached to the stock tank. If this is the case how is the weir liner sealed to the stock tank?
Mike