How to Repair Preformed Molded Ponds

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Things You'll Need

  • Aquarium

  • Pond repair kit

  • Two-part epoxy or expandable foam

  • Paint

  • Pond sealant

  • Brushes

No matter how sturdy your outdoor pond, weather takes its toll, particularly in climates where there is a lot of seasonal temperature fluctuation. Ponds often form cracks and leaks, allowing the water to drain away into the ground. Preformed molded ponds also have artificial decor that can break down. The paint may fade, cracks can form in the fiberglass, or parts could stop working. There are simple solutions you can use to repair problems caused by common wear and tear.

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Step 1

Drain your pond. If you keep fish in the pond, this can be tricky. Keep the fish in a backup aquarium filled with some of the water from the pond while you make the repairs.

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Step 2

Patch up leaks in your pond's basin using a pond repair kit. These kits include patches specifically designed for such repairs. They resemble a kind of tape that simply can be slapped on over the leak.

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Step 3

Find any leaking pipes by examining the soil around the pond's plumbing for moisture. You can replace leaking pipes with a spare from the hardware store. The same goes for damaged waterfalls and pumps. Most hardware stores sell the parts necessary for ponds. Just be sure you choose a compatible replacement of the proper size.

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Step 4

Repair cracks in the fiberglass surface of your prefab pond with either two-part epoxy or expandable foam. These options are better than a repair-kit patch for decorative, visible parts of your pond as they will not stand out as much. Spraying expandable foam in the crack is a quick fix, but two-part epoxy is less noticeable. Simply tear off two chunks of the epoxy, mix them together for three minutes, and apply it to the crack. Most epoxy is nontoxic once it cures, but you should double check this if your pond contains fish.

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Step 5

Touch up faded or peeling paint with a brush. If you do keep fish in the pond, you need to be sure the paint you use won't hurt the fish. Almost all paint, aside from pool epoxy, contain toxins. To protect your fish, add a waterproof pond sealant over the paint. Let both the paint and sealant dry thoroughly before refilling the pond and putting the fish back in.

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