Bouncing skimmer

[bagsmom]

It's me again!

Does anyone else have a Helix skimmer? Mine has been bouncing up and down in the water like crazy. I am a little scared that my incident with the water getting so low hurt the pump.

For those who did not see, I was losing a lot of water from the waterfall and water level into the skimmer got very low. Waterfall continued to trickle, so it never went totally dry. I'm pretty sure that I caught it shortly after it happened.

Anyway, with the pond back up and running, the waterfall flows great and with gusto. No strange noises from the pump. But the skimmer basket, rather than floating serenely at the surface of the water, keeps bouncing up and down. It is a "fish safe" skimmer, because the debris gets sucked in on the surface and the fish can swim freely around the basket. With this bouncing thing happening, I'm sure fish could get pulled into the basket. (No fish yet. The pond is very new.)

Any thoughts? I've emailed the pond contractor I got the stuff from. He is great, so I'm sure he will have some good info for me. But I thought I'd check with you guys to see if this has happened to anyone else.

Thanks!

 

[MitchM]

I'm wondering if your pump is underpowered for your skimmer requirements.

 

[Lisak1]

Check out this video -

Does it bounce more than that?

 

[bagsmom]

Check out this video -

Does it bounce more than that?

It does. It's a very bouncy bounce!

 

[bagsmom]

I went back in some emails with my supplier, discussing waterfall flow and such. He mentioned that he doubted I would want to decrease the flow, since the helix needs a strong pump. He suggested an easy adaptation that might become necessary -- so I wonder if Mitch is right and that it's slightly underpowered. But I don't recall noticing this prior to the running almost dry incident. That's what makes me nervous. I hope the pump isn't down there dying. But -- I'll wait to see what he says. On the plus side, waterfall is flowing powerfully and skimmer is pulling in all the floating debris.

Tweaking a new pond is certainly interesting! Never dull...

 

[Lisak1]

I'm trying to think what would make it bounce - to me, it seems like the water flow being too strong would create the turbulence. I mean, it is supposed to create a cyclone effect with the water, so if that's too fast, then maybe that would make it bounce? Just thinking out loud here.

I'm guessing you pulled it out and make sure there was nothing under it or keeping it from settling in?

 

[Lisak1]

I do like the way that Helix works, though... if I had a skimmer, this is the one I would want!

 

[bagsmom]

I'm trying to think what would make it bounce - to me, it seems like the water flow being too strong would create the turbulence. I mean, it is supposed to create a cyclone effect with the water, so if that's too fast, then maybe that would make it bounce? Just thinking out loud here.

I'm guessing you pulled it out and make sure there was nothing under it or keeping it from settling in?

I did empty the few leaves that were in there. I have it turned off because I want to stick another couple of rocks in the waterfall area.
I am just hoping the bounce, bounce, bounce thing isn't because the pump is down there struggling to stay alive and going "wah... wah... wah..." You know -- causing the bounce because the pump isn't pulling consistently anymore.

 

[MitchM]

We can probably do a few calculations before you hear back from your supplier, bagsmom.

Can you tell us:

-Make and model of pump
-head height (distance in height that pump has to pump from inlet to outlet)
-length and size of piping attached to pump
-model # of Helix skimmer

 

[bagsmom]

Oh geez, Mitch. You are asking the most non-technical person in the world some very technical questions!!!! LOL

Bear with me. Some of my answers will make no sense.

Pump -- Anjon Big Frog Eco-Drive BFED3000

The Helix is just Helix. I think the skimmer itself is standard. I know there were two different plate hole openings and basket sizes. Mine is just "regular." Not the larger one. My receipt says 15" weir skimmer.

Head height. That is the height of the waterfall, right? I believe it is 3 feet. (From top to surface of water.)

From skimmer to waterfall is 11 1/2 feet.

Piping 2" x 25' flexible PVC -- the big black heavy hose.

 

[MitchM]

Ok, if I understand correctly,

The Helix is designed to operate properly at water flow rates of between 1500 and 8000 gph.
Your pump is rated to pump 3000 gph with 5 feet of head. (with a submersible pump, the head height is calculated from the top of the pond water level.)

Run of 2" pipe from pump to skimmer is 11-1/2 feet
Your head height is 3 feet
You have no other elbows "y"'s or tees off the water pump outlet. (if you do let us know)

Using this calculator, you should have a sufficient flow rate for the skimmer:
http://www.your-garden-ponds-center.com/head-pressure-calculator.html

The calculator I posted showed that you have the equivalent of 4 feet of head height, as long as you have a pipe run with no elbows or other outlets.

Let us know if you have any other questions, otherwise your skimmer may settle down after a few hours of running.

.

 

[bagsmom]

The only "elbows" are the PVC attachments into the waterfall filter and into the skimmer. They are both 45 degree bends, so a pretty easy flow. We used almost all of the long black flexible PVC to make a nice, smooth, easy curve, with no hard turns.

 

[MitchM]

Ok, it sounds like you should be good.
Even with a 25' run of pipe, you will lose little flow.
It does say on the Helix site that it should settle down after a few hours.
As long as your pump is running submerged in water, there is little chance of any damage to the pump.
With your pond being new, I doubt that the pump intake is clogged.

Wish I could be of more help.

.

 

[bagsmom]

Ok, it sounds like you should be good.
Even with a 25' run of pipe, you will lose little flow.
It does say on the Helix site that it should settle down after a few hours.
As long as your pump is running submerged in water, there is little chance of any damage to the pump.
With your pond being new, I doubt that the pump intake is clogged.

Wish I could be of more help.

.

This is all helpful!!!!
When the water level got really low, down to a trickle, is there a chance that the pump pumped most all of the water out of the body of the skimmer chamber? Could it have been running nearly dry? (All that physics of water stuff and mechanical operations don't really compute in my brain.) It didn't run totally dry, I know, since there was still a wee bit of water going into the skimmer weir when I caught it -- and a trickle of water coming over the waterfall.
I wonder if the skimmer chamber did get nearly dry for a while.

 

[bagsmom]

Thanks to all!