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14-06-2019, 10:45 PM #1
Water seeping through concrete block
Hi everyone,
I'm new to the forum and I'm in the process of building my first Koi pond.
The concrete base as been laid with a sheet of visqueen underneath to prevent dampness rising, and the base slopes to a central bottom drain. The block work is being laid out of solid concrete block on there widest side 8-9" for strengh and I've noticed that water from the outside of the block wall is starting to penetrate through the block, this can only be because of the underground water table. When I dig the pond out it is a good solid clay substrate 3 ft down so after the concrete has been laid it will be 2ft underground level and then 3 ft above ground.
Has anyone come across this issue before and have a good way to solve it. I have noticed on YouTube about using a product called sika 4a which sets very quickly and can only be mixed in small amounts at a time otherwise you don't have time to lay it on the block surface. I plan on having the internal block walls insulated and then fibre glassed.
Many thanks,
Andy
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14-06-2019, 10:49 PM #2
Hello mate I had massive problems with this as I am also below sea level where I live so on high tide the empty pond would fill up
Had to plan to have glassing done on a low tide and when we had not had any rain for at least a week
As soon as the glassing was done and cured I had to fill pond with enough water to hold back water table
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14-06-2019, 10:52 PM #3
Thanks for that reply glen. I think a lot if this issue has been caused with the constant down pour we've had this week so if that's the case once the glassing has been done it will hopefully hold back the moister etc.
Thanks Andy
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14-06-2019, 10:53 PM #4
Yep basically I can never drain my pond dry or I risk the water getting under the glass and lifting it
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15-06-2019, 03:08 AM #5
Hi/ I'm planning to build a pond next year, hollow block and fibreglass. And this has been a worry for me! Think i'm going to plan and build a concrete collar around the outside of the blocks to keep the water out!
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15-06-2019, 07:06 AM #6
A bit late for you now, but a way around a low water table would be to lay the visqueen underneath and return it up the 4 sides and over lap the corners.
You should allow it to be at least 18 inches above water table.
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15-06-2019, 07:40 AM #7
Hello Andy
I had this problem as well but on the week running up to my pond being glassed. Luckily a few days before the weather changed to blazing sun so I pumped out the water and threw the insulation in then the guys glassed it. A few days later it rained again and it started pushing he glass up so I dumped loads of water in the pond to hold it down. Unless you change your plans and build above the ground water as already said you will need to wait for a dry spell to lay your base, build up the blocks and then wait for a dry spell to glass it
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15-06-2019, 12:19 PM #8
That's very sound advice I didn't see any problem with the water table before hand only after we've had this prolonged down pour. The brick layers are looking at it to see if we can can a layer of visqueen underneath an extra course of block laid verical side around the existing course so hopefully that will help. Thanks for the info Andy
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15-06-2019, 12:22 PM #9
Thanks Tac that's what I wished I had done in the first place and the rain or water table wouldn't have affected anything. I'm sure I can sort something out with it, & hopefully I get a good dry spell before the glass is done in July then get the pond filled with water a day or so later.
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15-06-2019, 01:50 PM #10
Can you possibly create a sump just outside pond. Dig down to below lowest part of the pond, drop a sump pump into the hole with a float switch and forget about it. Hopefully water will find a route around the blockwork to the sump and stop the water pressure pushing it through the blocks.
As others have said, you will never be able to drain the pond if the water table is high, but if you created a permanent sump (don't need to have a pump in it all the time) at least you have a way to look down and see if its wet around the pond, and if it was and you ever needed to pump out fully, you could drop in your sump pump.
This is basically something I have done when I did some basement tanking.Last edited by Dudley; 15-06-2019 at 01:52 PM.
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15-06-2019, 01:55 PM #11
That's sounds like another great idea thanks at least I have a few good options now. It wouldn't be that much of a problem to dig a sump out either as I'm probably going to have to have one to clean the Nexus filter and purge the bottom drain. Thanks Andy
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15-06-2019, 02:06 PM #12
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15-06-2019, 02:08 PM #13
I will do thank you really appreciate your advice..... Andy
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15-06-2019, 06:52 PM #14
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16-06-2019, 06:42 AM #15
I had the same problem, and it was compounded by the fact that whenever we had a stretch of good weather my neighbour would switch her sprinkler on during the day, the result of which was worse than a downpour!
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16-06-2019, 02:49 PM #16
That would be really annoying for you I bet just when you thought the waterways drying out
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Running heater at low temp?
Covering the pond with polycarb should be enough to stop water temps dipping below 6C for the most...