What do with skimmer for the winter

[gittyup]

I have 2 bottom drains and a skimmer that feed my pump. I'd like to close the skimmer valve for the winter so i don't have to worry about pump cavitation if the skimmer starts to draw air. Is it OK to just let the skimmer freeze? Will it be prone to cracking? What about the pipes?

 

[addy1]

I have 2 bottom drains and a skimmer that feed my pump. I'd like to close the skimmer valve for the winter so i don't have to worry about pump cavitation if the skimmer starts to draw air. Is it OK to just let the skimmer freeze? Will it be prone to cracking? What about the pipes?

I stuff my skimmer full with bubble wrap, weighted down with rocks, displaces the water. I leave water in the pipes, but open to the air

 

[cas]

No one ever warned me of the skimmer cracking, so I never did anything special. It stays filled with water in the winter. So far no problems after 12 winters (fingers crossed).

 

[addy1]

Mine most likely, would not crack, but I do it anyways. Quick and easy.

 

[morewater]

SOP for the closure of ponds in cold climate (skimmers) is as such:

Removal of pump and check valve from skimmer. Removal of check valve from pump body. Attachment of check valve (reversed) to skimmer body in an upright position. Draining and vacuuming of waterfall vault. Blow-out of lines from waterfall vault until water stops spewing from reversed check value. Temporary capping of check valve. Covering waterfall vault with waterproof cover.

As others have suggested, stuffing the skimmer full of bubble-wrap or other materials such as pool noodles, pipe wrap, etc., is an option.

 

[gittyup]

SOP for the closure of ponds in cold climate (skimmers) is as such:

Removal of pump and check valve from skimmer. Removal of check valve from pump body. Attachment of check valve (reversed) to skimmer body in an upright position. Draining and vacuuming of waterfall vault. Blow-out of lines from waterfall vault until water stops spewing from reversed check value. Temporary capping of check valve. Covering waterfall vault with waterproof cover.

As others have suggested, stuffing the skimmer full of bubble-wrap or other materials such as pool noodles, pipe wrap, etc., is an option.

Thanks. My skimmer isn't of this configuration. There is no pump in the skimmer, no check valve, no threads to screw into the pipe. And no way to seal off lines. No way to blow out line and keep water out. Normal water level in skimmer when valve is closed is about 12" at pipe outlet. Another data point: there are two 12" aerators in pond that now run 7 PM to 7 AM. Alternatives I think that are available to me are:

1)leave valve open and draw water through skimmer all winter - concerned about freezing introducing cavitation
2) leave valve just barely open. It's a gate valve. So, not so easy to set. still concerned about freezing introducing cavitation
3) Use a heater or air pump with option 2 - I really don't want to use a heater due to cost
4) Close valve and fill skimmer with compressible material. - Skimmer probably OK, but what about pipes?
5) Close bottom drains and draw exclusively from skimmer - flow will prevent freeze, but would I get acceptable circulation if only taking surface water and not collecting bottom waste. There are 3 returns at 3' down, BTW.

I'm thinking #3 with aerator would be best, but #4 would be great if it would work.

 

[Faebinder]

I plan to keep my skimmer/pump running in the winter. I'll place a tank heater set up to work below 37F in the skimmer.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Typical pond skimmers (perimeter box type) are designed and engineered to endure any type of weather that a pond would normally experience. In areas of harsh winters however, the pump should be disconnected. The plumbing lines will automatically drain.

 

[addy1]

Mine is a exterior pool skimmer, no pump in it. So I displace the water just in case.

 

[gittyup]

Thanks for the inputs. I think I'm going to try leaving it just barely open to keep water flowing through the pipe. I have a small aerator I'll put in there too.

Do you all think that running the 2 12" aerators just at night for 12 hours will be enough to keep the pond from freezing solid? Or should I run them more often?

 

[Tula]

Thanks for the inputs. I think I'm going to try leaving it just barely open to keep water flowing through the pipe. I have a small aerator I'll put in there too.

Do you all think that running the 2 12" aerators just at night for 12 hours will be enough to keep the pond from freezing solid? Or should I run them more often?

Whatever air stones you go with, I'd run them 24/7.

 

[cas]

I agree with Tula. Run the aerator 24/7. Once the pond ices over, air stones will not open it back up. Then you need to use hot water to open a hole.

 

[gittyup]

I agree with Tula. Run the aerator 24/7. Once the pond ices over, air stones will not open it back up. Then you need to use hot water to open a hole.

Good point. Maybe I'll have to do that.

 

[Ruben Miranda]

Hello
Leaving water in a pipe is not a good idea.
Unless you are sure you will be able to keep some water flow.
When water freezes it expands and if it freezes in a pipe it will crack it if not worse.
Is your piping from your skimmer deep under the ground, as to say below freeze line. That would be somewhere around 3 foot deep or more.
I think I would water from the skimmer and pipe and plug it up at the inlet and not let water get back in there.

Ruben

 

[addy1]

I have a few pipes I can't drain, I do remove the ball valves, leave them open to air. So far the only pipe that has broken was a right at ground level, one that a deer stomped on, she left a nice print on the break.........
The rest do fine. My bog pipe stays full of water, the input line is above ground then heads down to enter the bog at ground level. I could drain the bog but then all the plants would dry out and die. The intent when building was to drain then duh! it came to me that it would kill all the plants. That pipe comes up 2.5 feet, it stays full of water but open at the end. So far so good and we have had a few really cold winters since the build.
The skimmer line runs down around 2 feet under the liner, under water, but then heads up and out into the air, it too stays full of water, no breaks. But again I take off ball valves and leave them open. I put some netting over the pipe ends to keep from killing critters that might wander in and get stuck.