Yeah thanks Bill, I have tried to tell my buddy what I thought about it but his dad has never asked me anything about it so I've not shared what I thought about it. I do know he checked into bentonite and liners after I told my friend that these were a couple of options worth looking into, but he wasn't willing to spend that kind of money. I know that the guy that constructed the pond has not done the basic preparation work that I've read in the USDA Pond Construction Book(tilling the soil, removing all rocks and limbs or branches followed by using a sheepsfoot roller).
