Habitat - Outdoor :: Pond liner vs preformed (leak concerns)

[FLhaven4strays]

OK...I'm thinking ahead to upgrading my pond area. I have a 130 gal preformed now, but am hoping for about a 300 gal w/in the year. I keep toying w/ the idea of using a pond liner instead of trying to find a preformed that fits my needs & yard space.

I'm concerned about the liner possibly ripping though. One of my turts - Liza - begs everytime she sees me by clawing frantically at the edge of the pond in her feeding area. She's large - 9" and still growing - and I know rips are possible even if they're unlikely. Maybe use a 2nd layer of liner or some plastic fencing (turtle 'ladder') around the water's edge?

Has anyone used pond liner before? Was it hard to set up? Have you ever had any problems with the liner? What kind of layer did you put between the ground & the liner? Could small or med sized plants near the pond cause problems w/ their roots?

Sorry for all the ?'s...I just want to have the pros / cons figured and a plan made up before trying to convince hubby to let me get this done.

[SpotsMama]

We use a pond liner. Underneath the liner is a layer of felt. A pond liner is really really thick. No RES could ever pierce it. A liner is supposed to be more leak-proof than a preformed liner. It's what's usually used for larger ponds.

Ours was no trouble at all to set up.....since we hired a guy to do it for us. He was a professional koi pond builder. There is a lot of do it yourself advice out there for those with more muscles and handy ability than us.

Good luck!

[Terryo]

I have two ponds. One has a liner, and the other one is preformed. Once the turts learn what spot they can get out to bask, they usually use that one all the time and never bother looking for other spots to climb out. (that is if you have a land area for them) I don't have a land area in the little preformed one, and have never noticed any scratch marks on the sides. They just look at me and wait for the food. It is much different than when they are in a tank.

[Terryo]

Here's Abby in the preformed pond waiting for her food.

[SpotsMama]

I hope her patience was rewarded!

[GunnerMan]

We have had concrete made ponds, preformed ponds, and liners. After using a liner we will never go back. The preformes are great for beginners that just want to plop one in and be done but they are usually so small it is hard to get it looking how you want with plants etc. Never had a problem with them leaking but I can see a rock breaking them much easyer than a liner.

A liner offeres so much more flexibility, you can vary depths however you want, add littls islands, shallow spots etc etc. Just need to be careful on planning or you will end up buying a LOT of liner. Make sure you buy the thicker liner not the thin stuff, this thin works for smaller/shallower ponds but extra care is needed.
When we do a pond we dig it out and make sure there are no large rocks, sharp objects, roons in the hole. Then we line all of the flat surfaces with Playsand where a lot of the weight will be. Then the felt liner and finally the rubber liner. Plan ahead on the easyest way of inserting the liner as well, (usally start on a side and roll it out to the other and unfold) that way your not dragging it around to much and destroying your hole. A 300g pond is not to big and shouldnt cause any problems at all with a liner.