How would I add a skimmer to my pond?

[dieselplower]

Hi. So I purchased a 950 gph pump with UV bulb on clearance at Home Depot for 75% off. Was basically the cost of a UV bulb so why not right...? Anyway I think I would like to add a skimmer to my pond. Any tips on how I would do this since I dont have any spare liner? If I understand correctly, the pump goes in the skimmer. A prefilter pad could go in the skimmer before the pump. Then the pump pumps the water out to a filter that should be located on the opposite side of the pond. So what do I have to do to keep the water from all leaking out where the water is sucked into the skimmer? Get some new liner and tape/seal it to the existing liner? Thanks for any ideas.

 

[Tula]

I did not install my skimmer, but did observe it being done. The pond water was lowered, the area were the skimmer was to go, excavated and the existing liner was not disturbed. If I was home, I'd post some pictures for you.

I have two sets of filter mats in my skimmer and both my pumps in there.

I probably would not recommend a Savio for a retro fit, it was a tough install on my pond. I think a rectangular shape would install more easily. JMOH.

 

[Big Lou]

Can't help with the skimmer yet wated to tell you I like your pond.

 

[DrCase]

I put one in one of my ponds this spring
I have a few pics
I put my skimmer on the low end of my pond that was built up with bricks and had to break out the bricks and mortar to fit it in
You wont need any extra liner just dig out were you want it, and stick the top of the weir 1 to 2" above you water



http://s732.photobucket.com/user/DELCASE/media/20140322_092539_zpsaqbvw1iq.jpg.html

 

[Tula]

I put one in one of my ponds this spring
I have a few pics
I put my skimmer on the low end of my pond that was built up with bricks and had to break out the bricks and mortar to fit it in
You wont need any extra liner just dig out were you want it, and stick the top of the weir 1 to 2" above you water

You obviously got a Savio nicely installed. I guess I should amend my comments to say we originally had a poor install of our Savio last fall and had it redone this Spring. If it had been done properly to begin with, I"m sure it wouldn't have been such a big deal. It is a good skimmer.

 

[dieselplower]

Thanks for the comments and pictures. I found there are also floating skimmers with built in pumps I might go that route.

 

[Lardeelion]

I have the Tetra In-Pond skimmer. It's designed to sit on a rock or ledge but you can stick a few pool noodles in the sides and make it float. I haven't had a single problem with it. The pump on this particular model was separate.

 

[DrCase]

Got a pic lion

 

[herzausstahl]

http://www.amazon.com/Tetra-Pond-26562-TetraPond-Skimmer/dp/B002RBCT0O

Here is what lion has I believe. I've considered adding one on a shelf I have in fall to handle the few leaves I get flying by. This one you connect a hose to the skimmer from your pumps intake. Not sure how well it works tho.

 

[ZenZilla]

How about no-niche skimmers?

 

[dieselplower]

The no niche looks good as well. I think I'm going with a floating in pond unit with built in pump. Need to read some more reviews on it.

 

[dieselplower]

http://www.amazon.com/Floating-Pond...3616587&sr=8-1&keywords=floating+pond+skimmer

Not sure thus has enough pull with 660 gph

 

[HARO]

http://www.amazon.com/Tetra-Pond-26562-TetraPond-Skimmer/dp/B002RBCT0O

Here is what lion has I believe. I've considered adding one on a shelf I have in fall to handle the few leaves I get flying by. This one you connect a hose to the skimmer from your pumps intake. Not sure how well it works tho.

If your pond is bigger than a bathtub, make sure you have a comfortable chair out there. You'll be spending a LOT of time cleaning that sucker!! (Been there--done that.)
John

 

[herzausstahl]

If your pond is bigger than a bathtub, make sure you have a comfortable chair out there. You'll be spending a LOT of time cleaning that sucker!! (Been there--done that.)
John

Pond is bigger, but luckily a newer lot without mature trees. Have three 16-20' tall city trees on my lot that provide a few wayward leaves, but those are close to 100' away. Otherwise, I think I know what you mean! Lol also why I haven't gotten one yet, not worth the effort to set it up when I can fish em out by hand.

 

[DrCase]

The skimmer not only collects leaves, it will skim the top of the water and make dull water look so much better

 

[HARO]

A much-overlooked point, Dr. Case! Dust can also accumulate on the water's surface, making it look less than appealing. Even an undersized skimmer will make a big improvement there.
John

 

[dieselplower]

OK I watched a video on installing a pond skimmer and see I was worried about nothing. The tarp gets sandwiched between the skimmer and the face plate with a layer of silicone in beween the skimmer and the liner to keep it from leaking. I think I can do that. ...

Thanks again everyone.

 

[Lardeelion]

Sorry, I got sucked into life. I thought my post with the attached photo went through 2 weeks ago. Anyway, it handles the small leaves that come down off my honey locust, as well as the most obnoxious seed pods in May. Handled my dogwood blossoms too. I really don't have to clean it out that often. Really pleased, although my pond is wee.

 

[bettasngoldfish]

Hi. So I purchased a 950 gph pump with UV bulb on clearance at Home Depot for 75% off. Was basically the cost of a UV bulb so why not right...? Anyway I think I would like to add a skimmer to my pond. Any tips on how I would do this since I dont have any spare liner? If I understand correctly, the pump goes in the skimmer. A prefilter pad could go in the skimmer before the pump. Then the pump pumps the water out to a filter that should be located on the opposite side of the pond. So what do I have to do to keep the water from all leaking out where the water is sucked into the skimmer? Get some new liner and tape/seal it to the existing liner? Thanks for any ideas.

@dieselplower I really like your half barrel bog/filter and am thinking of doing something like this in the future for my pond. Can you help explain to me how to set this up?

thanks!

 

[dieselplower]

@dieselplower I really like your half barrel bog/filter and am thinking of doing something like this in the future for my pond. Can you help explain to me how to set this up?

thanks!

Sure I can... it's just like a mini bog. The water is pumped from the bottom of the pond. The hose goes up and over the top of the half barrel and back down into the bottom of the barrel. I drilled a bunch of holes in it so the water could disperse throughout the bottom of the barrel. By the way, I bought the liner for the barrel at a place called Wadels near my house. It has a lip so the water can "waterfall" out. Had I been more motivated at the time, or, willing to drill a hole in my halfbarrel, I could have sent the hose though the bottom of the barrel and then used a bulkhead to pass it into the liner tub. However, i was lazy, and, did not want to drill a hold in the half barrel. The barrel itself is actually waterproof, it just wouldnt flow water out of it nicely so that's what the liner helps do. one other thing I would recommend is that rather than just drilling holes in the tube and plunking it in the bottom and covering it with rocks, you could take PVC pipe and make a frame that would sit in the bottom of the tub and drill holes in that, so it disburses water evenly throughout the tub. It would also be nice to be able to backflush this thing, since it does collect a lot of poop. After several months, the rocks got plugged up with algae and poop, and the water blasted a channel up through the center, so most of the water was not being filtered anymore at that point. I ended up shoveling all of the rocks out into buckets and a wheelbarrow to clean it. Of course I had to uproot and then replant the plants to do so. So yeah, it looks cool and the plant roots grew like crazy, but it's a pain to maintain.