Are skimmers needed in a small pond?

[Katydid]

Hi all,

I have another newbie setup question. I'm trying to figure out equipment needed for a 415 gallon pond with a small waterfall. I already have liner, submersible pump, and waterfall filter recommendations. I'm wondering about skimmers. Are they typically necessary in small ponds? I do have an ash tree that is near the potential location. I'm planning on putting a net over the pond in the fall.

If a skimmer is necessary, I could definitely use some advice on good brands and models.

Thanks for the help!

 

[shakaho]

You can skim just fine with a net. That's what I do and I live where the leaves drop year around.

 

[sissy]

I don't have a skimmer no need for one with the little amount of stuff that gets blown in ,easier to just net it out .

 

[Ruben Miranda]

Hello
I only like a skmmer or pre filter as it helps to keep the big stuff from getting to the filter or clogging the pump.

Other wise a net will do

Ruben

 

[gardengimp]

I've gone two years happily using a net. Now, I have netting stretched over the pond to protect the fish from the visiting heron and netting the leaves out is a rip roaring pain in a certain place. Plus, now that I've added on, the new side gets a lot of leaves, pollen, dust and general crap blowing in on the wind that a net wouldn't necessarily get. Right now I'm wishing I had this floating skimmer. Seems just the ticket for a small pond. Plus, the pump that is included with it can feed my bubble rock and the skimmer itself will be a mechanical pre-filter for the pump. At least that's what I think. I think TurtleMommy - Mmathis has the skimmer, maybe she'll chime in and tell us how she likes it.

 

[crsublette]

My pond is just 435 gallons and I use a skimmer. Skimmers just automates the maintenance so you don't have to be out there with a vacuum or net to scoop up the floating debris. Capturing debris as it floats is much better than when it sinks to the floor.

I use the Savio Compact Skimmer (also called savio mini skimmer) with the biggest face plate the store sold. If you do get this one, then be careful when installing the weir door on the fact plate; the little plastic knobs on the door break very easy and I just drilled a small screw into the door, acting as a knob, whenever the plastic knobs broke off.

 

[mrsclem]

I bought one of the floating skimmers 2 years ago to handle the small stuff that went thru my net. It was a different brand but looks the same. Not happy with it as it clogs fast and I had to weight it down as it kept floating up and pulling air thru the pump. I got 2 new skimmers this year that you hang on the side of your pond that work like a built in skimmer. Will see how they work.

 

[Event Horizon]

I use a Savio Skimmer as well. I don’t remember the door being so flimsy, so that is good to know, and I will be careful around it. Our pond is 5000 gallon with a river. We have spruce and pine trees in the yard that drop a ton of debris in pond. I had to change the design of my river from a babbling brook to a deeper river so the debris would float into the pond from the river and down to the skimmer. Our neighbour has a Tamarack or American Larch tree. This guy has small needles like a spruce tree but they fall off each fall. The prevailing winds send all these needles into our pond making a huge mess. So my opinion is that it’s not just the size of the pond, it’s what will end up in it.

 

[sissy]

I was looking at those skimmers that hang on the side and float up and down .I saw them on you tube working they looked like they worked pretty good except the one guy said he had to fix the bracket to make it work for his pond .

 

[koiguy1969]

just a little info on skimmers and aeration....
The pond skimmer does more than clear the surface of the pond. Pond skimmers increase oxygen levels in ponds helping to further purify the water, and of course provide rich oxygen for your koi and pond fish. Pond skimmers can do as much or more than any sort of submerged aerator, and they do not disturb the surface of the pond, allowing for nice visibility and reflections to be enjoyed from the surface of your pond.
Did you know that most oxygenation for ponds take place by way of the ponds surface area absorbing oxygen directly from the atmosphere. Those air pumps we use that create thousands of little bubbles that rush to the surface of the pond and explode really do very little to oxygenate. For oxygenation to occur those bubble need to have contact time with the pond water so they can give off the oxygen but they move so fast that there is really minor oxygenation that takes place. It is where the bubbles break up the surface of the water that the oxygenation takes place. Well a pond skimmer is constantly and rapidly breaking up the surface of the pond too. Pond skimmers oxygenate at a much greater pace, with more oxygen being absorbed into the water because the skimmer is constantly increasing the ponds surface area.
** the preceeding was a cut and paste from an article by Mike Gannon.
i dont use a skimmer on my outdoor pond. but i do use one on my indoor pond for wintering my fish. i just net by hand outside. but fines and DOCs tend to accumulate in the top layer of water so i built a DIY fines skimmer that does a fantastic job of removing them, any floating solids (fish poo mostly) and aerating too.
thread link showing build. https://www.gardenpondforum.com/top...-my-simple-but-effective-basement-pond-setup/
( this could easily be ran to a bio filter instead of just back into pond).

 

[Event Horizon]

Interesting, I did not know that koiguy.

 

[crsublette]

Yeah, I can see where Mr. Gannon is going there by increasing the ponds surface area, but it's not the water at the surface that needs to be oxygenated.

From what I've read, koi generally don't need much oxygen, only around 3~4 mg/L (ideal is around 5~6mg/L), but, when water temperature gets really hot in the 80*F and higher range, then the max O2 saturation reduces down to around 8mg/L and lower. So, there needs to be good water circulation when the water temps increase.

For aerators, the water movement and agitation reducing relatively still water by bringing this circulated water to the surface to help convert and release CO2 to precipitating calcium carbonate. In big ponds, outside of QT, this is the role of aerators. More important to release the CO2 and other gases, that are electrochemically bound to water, so that it does not suffocate nor poison the fish. In smaller tanks such as QT, the surface area exchange on the bubble is much higher than the small tanks water surface area; so, in smaller tanks, aerators role are more for oxygenation. It is the atmospheric pressure exchange across the surface area is what helps oxygen to penetrate water.

Aerators can also interfere with skimmers by breaking up the surface area and moving the floating debris away from the skimmer. I have often read about aerators only being turned on, in the evening, with a scheduler so their skimmers would work more efficiently.

 

[koiguy1969]

http://www.pondcrisis.com/step_eight.ht

People argue ferociously about pond Oxygen levels. Some say oxygen levels are "always safe"
in ponds with waterfalls and fountains, while others don't regard fountains or
waterfalls as effective aerators. Either way, oxygen levels are very important.
If the oxygen level is chronically low (for example, 5.0 ppm), the fish will
grow much more slowly, they'll get sick easier, and they may even die. If the
oxygen levels are much too low on the short term (for example 3.0-4.0 ppm), the
fish will gasp or pipe at the water's surface and they will die.


Large fish die
first when oxygen levels are too low because large fish demand more oxygen to
live. When the first fish dies, it's body begins to break down and the decay
process increases the oxygen demand of the pond even more, causing a rapid
avalanche of fish losses. Always bear in mind that warmer water (78+) carries
MUCH LESS oxygen than cold water (< 68). Oxygen problems are VERY common in
summertime while the water is warm. To make it worse, submerged plants and algae
consume oxygen at night or in the dark. Submerged plants produce oxygen in
light, or in the daytime.


Pond depth
influences oxygen levels as much as temperature does. Oxygen-penetration down to
five feet of water is difficult. If your pond is more than four feet deep, you
will need to put a pump on the pond bottom in summer, to push the deepwater to
the surface for oxygenation. Waterfalls and fountains will not aerate "deep"
water unless the water is physically drawn from the bottom for these features.
Oxygen levels at five to six feet may still sag, despite this. Oxygen levels are
testable, with commercial kits, or have someone test the oxygen levels for you.
Assess a warmer, deeper pond much more scrupulously for oxygen problems.
Note, in warmer water the metabolism of your
fish and all the bacteria (good & bad) is at it's peak using much more
oxygen.

 

[crsublette]

Yep, I mostly agree with it.

I would do my best to keep oxygen levels always at maximum saturation, well above 5mg/L. I was just pointing out on how little oxygen koi can survive on.

I have not read of any breeders that would recommend not reducing the feeding schedule when the temperature becomes quite warm in the mid to upper 80*F range.

Increased fish metabolism also indicates an increase ammonia expelled from the fish's digestion and osmoregulatory system. Also, the increased temps reduce ammonia's ionization causing ammonia to become NH3, which is more toxic, and feeding increases ammonia production.

 

[koiguy1969]

optimally you want to keep it above 8...some more advanced koi keepers even use coolers to keep the water at maximum O2 saturation. koi thrive in levels over 10.