Added a skimmer to existing pond and need help please!

[Burgmetz]

I'm a newbie to this forum and should have probably looked here before diving head first into adding a Aquascape MicroSkim to our existing pond.

So the pond is around 400 gallons I think. It uses a Pondmaster 950 GPH pump, runs through an in ground filter and the inlet to the pond is a couple of ornamental features.

My problem is the skimmer doesn't seem to skim very well. The weir door is pretty much in the vertical position, large floating stuff doesn't seem to get pulled in, but small stuff (pollen, dirt) can enter around the sides of the door. The skimmer is level side to side and front to back, water level is about 3/4" from the top of the opening. I took out about half of the foam on the backside of the weir door and the door still doesn't lower. If I take out all the foam, the door just lays down flat and I still don't get any good skimming action.

My concern is the pump isn't large enough to create the pulling action for the skimmer. However if I put a larger pump in then I'm not sure the two water features allow for enough output to allow the pump to run at it's rated capacity. I haven't checked that the flow currently is, so maybe I should get that data if someone on the forum raises that issue.

Thanks for any ideas you all can provide!

 

[Big Lou]

Welcome

 

[Meyer Jordan]

You are absolutely correct. The pump is not large enough to initiate any skimming action.

 

[Burgmetz]

I have a little addtional information since I posted the original question.

There is about 300 GPH into the pond through the water features, which obviously isn't high enough. Coming straight out of the pump output is about 720 GPH and at that flow rate the wier door seems to function correctly and stuff is pulled in pretty good.
BUT at that flow rate into the one spot in the pond, it really creates a current and stirs everything up.

Is there anyway to get this higher flow rate and not completly muck up the water?
Thanks for the help!

 

[michey1st]

Is there anyway to get this higher flow rate and not completly muck up the water?

You could split the line coming out of the skimmer into 2 lines, then just get something like a spitter to dump the second line into the pond somewhere else. Also, if your existing return is a waterfall, you can play with adjusting the rocks to reduce the amount of splash/current coming in to the pond.

I think you can also get some sort of floating ball to place under your return so the water runs over it and dissipates the current. I remember @callingcolleen1 did something like this recently.

 

[Skydog]

I also have an Aquascape micro skimmer with a 3500 gph (adjustable) pump. The adjustability is via a remote which allows me to dial it in a little. I wish there was a wider range though. I actually have a second pump in the skimmer, a carry-over from my preformed pond. It exits via a bubble rock. That weir door is horizontal!

 

[Skydog]

I'd like to add though, my next skimmer will have vertical media pads, not horizontal, like the aquascape.

 

[Skydog]

Isn't 3/4" from the top rather a high water level? Mine is around 2" or so.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Isn't 3/4" from the top rather a high water level? Mine is around 2" or so.

The Aquascape skimmers are engineered to provide maximum skimming action with the water level a 3/4" below the top of the faceplate opening.

 

[Skydog]

Mine must be too high, i can't run the water that high

 

[Theman772]

You can run a bypass valve it's a tee with a valve you can return you extra in the skimmer sounds like your pump choked down That will make the pumps life span shorter