Half an inch a day in a one acre pond is a big leak. It will take about 500 GPH to keep up with it. I have tried and failed to keep my leaking pond full the past two years. It's only 1/4 acre and the leak averages about 5/8 inch a day when near full pool. I have used a HF two inch gasoline pump for a year and a half, now a Honda two inch gasoline pump. I get about 3,800 GPH over a 480 foot run of two inch poly pipe with a lift of about 17 feet. I have filled the pond to within a few inches of full several times over the past two years, but then the creek goes dry and it leaks down, and looks bad because a lot of the fish habitat structure shows. I am either going to fix it, or move the structure toward the middle and treat it as a 0.15 acre pond.

Does your pond stop leaking at some point? Mine does when it goes into the "bowl" below the foot of the dam, about 32 inches below full pool.

I have researched using solar to power a pump, but it's not cost effective and would not keep up with the leak over time. I also researched running underground power cable with an electric pump. Again, not cost effective. The gasoline pump was my best and most useful option. It can be moved around as needed, and can even aerate the pond in an emergency. It saved my fish earlier this year during a low oxygen event. I made a large window screen strainer that goes over the regular strainer, so the mesh is fine enough to stop any unwanted fish or debris.

Last edited by John Fitzgerald; 10/05/17 02:02 PM.