Help finding pool leak

[heymikey]

Hi-

I have an above-ground , vinyl lined pool. I'm losing maybe an inch of water every two days. I can see where the water is coming out on the outside base of the pool, but can't find any hole or tear in the liner. Can you give me some suggestions on how to find the leak?

Thanks for your time, heymikey

[m Ransley]

Let it leak till it stops, there is your leak level. Raise the level an inch or so and add food coloring in the water , look for the colored water.

[SQLit]

Depending on Temp, wind and humidity it could be evaporation

[Travis Jordan]

At 1/2 inch per day, probably not.

How to determine if water loss in your pool is due to evaporation or a leak:

1. Bring pool water to normal level.
2. Fill bucket with pool water to about 1 inch from the top.
3. Place bucket on first or second step of the pool.
4. Mark water level on inside of bucket.
5. Shut off pump and mark pool level on outside of bucket.
6. Resume normal pump operation.
7. After 24 hours, compare the two levels. If the pool water (outside mark) goes down more than the inside water level, there is a leak.

[heymikey]

Guys-

Thanks for the help so far, but... I can see the water leaking at the base of the pool (outside), so I'm definitely looking for a leak (as opposed to evaporation). The pool holds

13,000 gallons of water, I'd rather not let it leak until it stops. I tried food coloring in the pool, but found nothing (it looks pretty cool, though). Any other ideas? How do the "Pros" find leaks?

Thanks again, heymikey

[Chip Stein]

get in the pool, walk around and feel for the slightly spongy spot, then put on your goggles and start looking in that area. i've found many a leak this way, you already know where it's coming out so it has to be uphill from there. Chip

[Stormin Mormon]

Add about twenty galons of purple food coloring, and look for the coloration.

[Bill]

you have a pretty good clue if you can see water coming out at the base...at least you can pretty well narrow the leak down to one particular side of the pool...now let it leak until it stops...get some "duct tape" and mark the water level at several points on the wall. Move around the wall at this level examining the liner for holes or tears. You should see it! If not, fill it back several inches higher than your duct tape markers...get in the pool with a face mask and a bottle of the phenol red from your water test kit...move around the wall and squirt a little phenol red every few inches along that line formed by the duct tape. If you squirt it near the leak, you will see the red getting sucked out just like a vacuum cleaner.

If you still can't find it, there are locator services that can pinpoint it for you with underwater sound detection equipment!

Regards, Bill