Most pond troubles don’t announce themselves. One morning, the water looks normal, and the next, you are staring at it thinking, has it always looked like that? I remember standing by mine with a mug of tea, damp grass underfoot, and just sensing something felt off. Not dramatic. Just different.
In my late-night reading spree, I learned what a pond fibreglassing specialist actually looks for, and I kept seeing the name That Pond Guy mentioned for this kind of work. The thing that stuck with me was this: fibreglass ponds rarely fail suddenly. They give small, quiet warnings. Easy to ignore. Easier to misread.
The Water Level Keeps Dropping
This was my first clue, though I did not realise it then.
- Topping up more often than usual
- No hot weather to blame
- No splashing or overflow anywhere
You tell yourself it is evaporation. Or imagination. But when you are refilling every few days, it starts to feel suspicious.
Fine Cracks That Appear in Slanted Light
At midday, everything looks fine. Early morning or late evening, though? Different story.
- Thin lines along the pond wall
- Slight rough patches when you touch the surface
- Areas that don’t feel as smooth as before
Fibreglass should feel firm and even. If it starts feeling flaky or uneven, that is not age, that is damage beginning.
Permanently Damp Soil Near the Edges
This one confused me for weeks. The soil around one section never fully dried out.
- No recent rain
- No obvious spills
- Just dampness that would not go away
Specialists, including those experienced with fibreglass, often mention that leaks can travel underground before becoming visible. That detail made everything click.
Algae Getting Worse Despite Cleaning
You clean filters. You remove debris. Still, the water clouds up faster than before.
- Green tint returning quickly
- Debris collecting in odd corners
- Fish behaving slightly restless
Tiny cracks can disrupt water circulation inside the pond, creating areas where dirt and algae settle more easily.
Soft Spots on the Fibreglass Surface
This is something you feel rather than see. Press lightly, and parts of the surface feel less solid than they used to. Not spongy exactly, but not firm either. That subtle softness points to weakening beneath the surface.
Discolouration or Dull Patches
Some areas begin to look faded, chalky, or uneven in tone. It is easy to mistake this for dirt or aging, but it is often a sign that the fibreglass coating is wearing down.
The Gut Feeling Something Is Not Right
This sounds vague, but it matters. You look at the pond and think, “It did not look like this before.” You cannot explain what changed, but you know it has.
If you start spotting a few of these signs at the same time, it is probably a good idea to take a closer look. Fibreglass ponds are durable, but ground movement, weather, and time slowly affect them. The damage shows quietly, long before anything dramatic happens.
Catching these hints early makes repairs simpler. Ignoring them usually turns a small issue into a much bigger one than it needed to be.