DIY Skimmer, will it work?

[TheFishGuy]

Hello all, so I decided that I would like to add a skimmer to my pond along with the other work I am doing, and went looking. Obviously I love aquascape quality, and use many of their products, so I found a skimmer from them for $350. I thought that was a bit expensive, but when I found out that it didn’t even include the pump I was absolutely turned away. I looked around for other options, but they were still all so expensive ( even withought pumps )

I did some looking and found some diy skimmers, so here is my idea loosely based off those.

This tub for the main basin:

MUSTEE Utilatub 20 Gallon 23 in. x 25 in. Freestanding Laundry/Utility Sink in white 14 - The Home Depot

To make the most of your laundry room needs consider installing the E L MUSTEE Utilatub 23 in. x 25 in. Polypropylene Laundry Tub. This 1-piece, molded tub is designed to accommodate a dual-handle faucet

www.homedepot.com

I would simply make a cutout where I want the water level to be and then sink it into the ground.

To connect it the the pond I was thinking of using an aquascape faceplate such as this:

FacePlate Skimmer Classic 8

29255 - FacePlate Skimmer Classic 8 for Classic Skimmer by Aquascape

www.thepondoutlet.com

And then using a similar method that aquascape does to make the watertight seal.

I am aware that the basin is very large, but my thinking is that this will allow for both a leaf basket of some sort and my current pump ( aquaforce 1800 ) along with any auxiliary pumps I want to add in the future.

I would probably just put the skimmer a bit below ground level and cover it with a sodded piece of ply so it would blend in with the lawn.

Do you guys think this would work? Or would you have any other suggestions? ( cheaper skimmer, better diy skimmer etc )

 

[bagsmom]

Hey Fish Guy! I do not have an engineering brain, so I can't help. But have you considered an intake bay?

 

[TheFishGuy]

Hey Fish Guy! I do not have an engineering brain, so I can't help. But have you considered an intake bay?

I have thought of it, I don’t really understand how to access the pump for cleaning and stuff, but I will look into it more!

 

[bagsmom]

I like seeing the Aquascape videos on YouTube, as well as those from The Pond Advisor. Also, Oz Ponds! Between the three of them, you can get a good idea of how they work on different scales and for different budgets.

 

[combatwombat]

Remind me how big your pond is? You can make a pretty effective in-pond skimmer from a 5 gallon bucket.

As for intake bay, you access the pump for cleaning by placing it in a pump vault. Not a lot different from a skimmer except that the pump draws from the bottom of the vault instead of the top.

 

[YShahar]

This is the approach I'm taking on my pond as well. I'm thinking the intake bay will be a lot less high maintenance than a mechanical skimmer would be. It looks like I'll be buying milkcrates or similar to serve as the matrix. Not sure what I'll use for a pump vault, though @brokensword's idea of using a plastic garbage bin, with lid may be the way to go.

@TheFishGuy , Ozponds has a really good video or two on intake bays (including using a bucket with the pump inside). There's also a really good explanation of the pros and cons of intake bays vs skimmer here:

 

[Lisak1]

We would have totally gone the route of the intake bay vs negative edge for one simple reason - much easier to scoop floating leaves than it is to clean wet leaves off of rocks. Anytime our pond floods and the water level in the rain exchange gets above the level of the gravel we can see how much better it would have been.

I'm a little confused though @TheFishGuy - that tub you posted that you're thinking about as to be more than $50. If you were saving money I could see trying to DIY it - but if you're spending more (or even anywhere CLOSE to the same) as you would for the product built for the job I'd use what you know will work. I know some of us just like to go the DIY route no matter what, but I'm not one of us. Haha! I love things that work, and work the first time. No desire to tinker just to keep things working.

 

[GBBUDD]

If i was going to do a dyi i would look at using just a pipe on a fixed base that held the pipe a 1/4" or less to the surface. As

The Pond Advisor.

sing a plastic garbage bin, with lid may be the way to go

I am not a fan of that method if the plastic trash can is just in the water water on both sides sure no worries water inside the can sure the can can support that but the can burred i feel it's only a matter of time until the soils collapse it

 

[TheFishGuy]

I like seeing the Aquascape videos on YouTube, as well as those from The Pond Advisor. Also, Oz Ponds! Between the three of them, you can get a good idea of how they work on different scales and for different budgets.

Found them all on my research last night, very helpful!

 

[TheFishGuy]

Remind me how big your pond is? You can make a pretty effective in-pond skimmer from a 5 gallon bucket.

As for intake bay, you access the pump for cleaning by placing it in a pump vault. Not a lot different from a skimmer except that the pump draws from the bottom of the vault instead of the top.

View attachment 148019

I like to think my pond is 1800 gallons but being realistic it is probably in the 1000-1500 gallon range.

I like the intake bay Idea, but the pump vault seems to be no cheaper than a skimmer! I hadn't thought about a simple 5 gallon bucket, will have to see if my pump fits.

 

[TheFishGuy]

This is the approach I'm taking on my pond as well. I'm thinking the intake bay will be a lot less high maintenance than a mechanical skimmer would be. It looks like I'll be buying milkcrates or similar to serve as the matrix. Not sure what I'll use for a pump vault, though @brokensword's idea of using a plastic garbage bin, with lid may be the way to go.

@TheFishGuy , Ozponds has a really good video or two on intake bays (including using a bucket with the pump inside). There's also a really good explanation of the pros and cons of intake bays vs skimmer here:

Let me know what you decide on for the pump vault, cause there is no dang way I am paying $350 for one of those, but I like the intake bay idea.

 

[TheFishGuy]

We would have totally gone the route of the intake bay vs negative edge for one simple reason - much easier to scoop floating leaves than it is to clean wet leaves off of rocks. Anytime our pond floods and the water level in the rain exchange gets above the level of the gravel we can see how much better it would have been.

I'm a little confused though @TheFishGuy - that tub you posted that you're thinking about as to be more than $50. If you were saving money I could see trying to DIY it - but if you're spending more (or even anywhere CLOSE to the same) as you would for the product built for the job I'd use what you know will work. I know some of us just like to go the DIY route no matter what, but I'm not one of us. Haha! I love things that work, and work the first time. No desire to tinker just to keep things working.

The total cost for this would be around $100, vs $350 for prebuilt, so still a third of the cost. The skimmers used to be around $170, and in that case I would definitely go for that, but not $350.

 

[GBBUDD]

I used an aquablock cut out for the pipe to go through the block . There is no pump as it's an external but i know my 4,000 submersible would fit. i then buried under rock

 

[GBBUDD]

you could use milk crates cut them apart and zip tie them in the shape you need

 

[TheFishGuy]

So I did some more looking to see what other pump vaults for an intake bay were and found this one:

Medium Retail Pump Vault

Can be used in small Just-A-Falls or custom built fountain basins. Larger diameter vault can be used with multiple mag drive pumps. Retail friendly pump vault with flow capacity up to 10000 gph. Roto-molded for excellent strength Ideal for use with mag drive pumps Includes vault and lid JAFL can...

www.livingwateraeration.com

it will fit my pump along with the leaf cage and leave some extra space. My only concern is that I would need to seam the liner to allow for the space for an intake bay. Is there any way around this?

Also, are aqua blocks really needed or is that just like aquascape says that you need to dose your pond with all sorts of shtuff?