Skimmers

[Timothy]

We don't have a skimmer per se, but we do have a negative edge that flows into an underground water storage. That acts as a skimmer in our pond and we are happy with our design.

Sounds great! Do you recycle the water or is this like a dry well?

 

[mgmine]

I agree with getting one. There is no downside that I know of and all the reasons mentioned to get one. Mine was not cheap but it works great. It provides water circulation, a pre filter, a place for the pump and sometimes keeps stuff out of the pond.

 

[Rach]

I'm still not clear if how they work. I have a bioforce filter and pump etc so is a skimmer another electrical item I need? Does it have to pump water out of the pond? my bioforce does that, pumps it out into the filter system then up to the stream and back into the pond.
I am confused.com! Easy I know

 

[EricV]

No electricity for the skimmer. It’s just a matter of how to get water out of the park. The skimmer, in general, pulls off just the top layer of water as it enters the skimmer. Because this is where debris tends to be, it is effective at removing it. You’ve probably seen an arrangement like this in swimming pools. Most skimmers have a chamber in them as well and that is a place you can put your pump. Or, you can plumb an outlet into the skimmer which then feeds into your pump.

 

[mgmine]

Since you don't already have a skimmer you will have to dig down on one side of the pond, put in the skimmer box behind the liner, cut the liner in front of the skimmer and then attach the liner to the skimmer so that it doesn't leak. It sounds harder to do than it actually is. Once it's in place you do as Eric said, either put your pump into the skimmer or put the pump line into the skimmer. You have to somehow make sure that the water is going through the skimmer before it gets to your filter. Think of the skimmer as you water inlet. The front of the skimmer faces the pond and the rest of it (except the top) is behind the liner and buried underground.

 

[EricV]

Since you don't already have a skimmer you will have to dig down on one side of the pond, put in the skimmer box behind the liner, cut the liner in front of the skimmer and then attach the liner to the skimmer so that it doesn't leak. It sounds harder to do than it actually is. Once it's in place you do as Eric said, either put your pump into the skimmer or put the pump line into the skimmer. You have to somehow make sure that the water is going through the skimmer before it gets to your filter. Think of the skimmer as you water inlet. The front of the skimmer faces the pond and the rest of it (except the top) is behind the liner and buried underground.

Much better explanation

 

[Timothy]

I respectfully submit an alternative that has proven very efficient. I didn't want to cut the liner so bought a large floating Tetra skimmer box that is all in the pond. There is a submersable pump attached via a hose that draws the surface water through the skimmer filters then is discharged across the pond through a cheap sump pump hose under water creating a slow circulation. The positive side of this arrangement is if there's ever any leaks it'll all be in the pond and we don't have any water escaping and driving us crazy wondering where the water is going. The pump discharge could have just as easily been directed to the filter, but we have a lot of leaves and I didn't want to starve the filter of it's full capacity should the skimmer flow be restricted.

Everything lives under this "bridge". The skimmer, filter, aerator, and I think a troll.


Here's the bridge deck opened for servicing.


This is the skimmer box all inclusive within the liner. There are pockets on the sides to allow ballasting with pea gravel. I added the foam insulation for flotation stability, and the sticks were added just as locators. Not the prettiest arrangement, but if it were more in the open it could have been much better disguised.

 

[EricV]

Everything lives under this "bridge". The skimmer, filter, aerator, and I think a troll.

I really like this bridge idea! Maybe I should look at something similar. My skimmer top does not blend in well.

 

[Lisak1]

Sounds great! Do you recycle the water or is this like a dry well?

We recycle it - the pump sits at the bottom of the rain exchange.

 

[Rach]

oh gosh ok, now I understand, thank you so much really appreciate you time all, in explaining .

 

[mgmine]

One other thing, if you have a prefilter in a skimmer make sure that you keep it clean. If not it can clog and starve the pump of water.

 

[cas]

and I think a troll.