What is a normal flow of water through a skimmer?

[Tula]

When I had our Savio skimmer installed, I had both our pumps placed inside We have a Pondmaster 1250, going to an Easypro pressurized filter and a Pondmaster 3000 canister pump to our falls.

It seems I've made my skimmer into a mechanical filter, especially as I added additional filter material in the leaf basket. It's been suggested to me, that I remove the additional filter from the leaf basket and consider placing one of my pumps outside the skimmer, directly into the pond, so as to reduce the almost daily cleaning of my skimmer.

I've considered additional filtration in my water falls, but it simply isn't possible, without demolishing the existing falls, which we love. Our pond is land locked" with a stone patio built around it after the pond was finished.

Thoughts?

 

[Meyer Jordan]

When I had our Savio skimmer installed, I had both our pumps placed inside We have a Pondmaster 1250, going to an Easypro pressurized filter and a Pondmaster 3000 canister pump to our falls.

It seems I've made my skimmer into a mechanical filter, especially as I added additional filter material in the leaf basket. It's been suggested to me, that I remove the additional filter from the leaf basket and consider placing one of my pumps outside the skimmer, directly into the pond, so as to reduce the almost daily cleaning of my skimmer.

I've considered additional filtration in my water falls, but it simply isn't possible, without demolishing the existing falls, which we love. Our pond is land locked" with a stone patio built around it after the pond was finished.

Thoughts?

A skimmer IS a mechanical filter. That is it's purpose.

To answer your question, the maximum flow rate (pump size) is determined by the width of the skimmer weir opening. Flow rate accommodations for the Savio skimmer are as follows:

Weir Opening Flow Rate (gph)

6" 500 - 2500
8.5" 1800 - 5000
16" 5000 - 8500​

If your skimmer requires daily cleaning, don't fault the skimmer. It is doing what it is designed to do....remove debris from the pond. Evidently you are getting a substantial amount of organic matter, otherwise it would not be showing up in the skimmer. The fact that you have added additional filter material to the skimmer basket is evidence that your pond has a high amount of suspended organic solids. I would try to identify the source of this organic material. In the meantime, I would not change anything providing you have an 8.5" weir on your skimmer. That is the size indicated for the total flow rate of your two (2) pumps.

 

[DoDad]

It also depends on the size of the plumbing.

 

[DoDad]

Also the size of the pump

 

[Tula]

To be clear, the daily cleanings, were last summer, but I don't want to revisit them - LOL !

I do not have any obvious organic material from the environment , such as leaves, twigs etc. . I purchased a heavy duty fine mesh net last fall and keep it netted over the winter, as I have a cedar tree above, which drops fine debris. I removed all gravel over a year ago, so have a bare bottom. My lilies are in oil pans with deer fencing zip tied over them to keep koi out.

I have the larger Savio skimmer, but will measure the weir.....obviously not too much water flow according to what @Meyer Jordan posted. When the skimmer was installed, the workman installed the extra filter pad to leaf basket, so I'll remove it, when I get the filter going.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

To be clear, the daily cleanings, were last summer, but I don't want to revisit them - LOL !

I do not have any obvious organic material from the environment , such as leaves, twigs etc. . I purchased a heavy duty fine mesh net last fall and keep it netted over the winter, as I have a cedar tree above, which drops fine debris. I removed all gravel over a year ago, so have a bare bottom. My lilies are in oil pans with deer fencing zip tied over them to keep koi out.

I have the larger Savio skimmer, but will measure the weir.....obviously not too much water flow according to what @Meyer Jordan posted. When the skimmer was installed, the workman installed the extra filter pad to leaf basket, so I'll remove it, when I get the filter going.

Were you cleaning both filter pads daily last summer? If so, you will still be cleaning the pad that came with the skimmer. I would certainly NOT recommend removing that filter pad. That would leave you with no practical mechanical filtration. The pond water will rapidly become turbid, as it may anyway if you remove the debris basket pad.
Wherever it may be coming from, you have organic suspended matter in your pond otherwise your filter pads would not require cleaning.

 

[Tula]

I just assumed it had to high a fish load, which is why I'm trying to re-home the fry and possibly two koi, leaving me with three in 1700 gallons.

The filter pad the pond worked placed in the leaf basket, is a finer mesh one, which could be problematic. The one in the regular bracket, is the blue material material. I also have to admit, I've been surprised, as I thought the pond would be cleaner without the gravel...but apparently it lacked as an effective filter. We do have a good bit of pollen type trees, that blow stuff around in spring and summer.

 

[RobAmy]

My pump is a 4700gph in my Savio skimmer. I have 2" plumbing. Sometimes I have to clean my basket daily when the pear tree drops the leaves. I do not mind as I check mine daily in case a fish or something gets in there. I noticed with this pump my water level was a little lower in the skimmer. I drilled small holes at the top of the basket where the ports for the uv's go. That worked great for keeping the water level up.

 

[Tula]

My pump is a 4700gph in my Savio skimmer. I have 2" plumbing. Sometimes I have to clean my basket daily when the pear tree drops the leaves. I do not mind as I check mine daily in case a fish or something gets in there. I noticed with this pump my water level was a little lower in the skimmer. I drilled small holes at the top of the basket where the ports for the uv's go. That worked great for keeping the water level up.

I going to check the diameter of my plumbing. I don't mind checking my skimmer daily, unless we want to go away, then I worry. In my case, the pads added to the leaf basket were accumulating so much fine debris, that it could drop the water level where my pumps are. I think I'm catching too much fine particulate in the leaf basket.

Interesting about the water level - will check mine. Thank you for your reply!

 

[RobAmy]

I forgot to mention I have the 16" weir also

 

[Dirty Dawg]

Yea, thats a lot of flow for the filter in the Savio skimmer with a filter pad installed. I found myself having to clean it daily as well. It's good for pulling stuff into the skimmer basket though. If you've got that pressurized filter, you could always just remove the pads from the skimmer. I pulled mine out once the bog got online. My 6,400 gph pump is now in the skimmer, and my 5,000 is down in the bottom of the pond. Seems to work good.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

If the filter pads are getting clogged then you know that the skimmer is doing its job.....filtering!!

 

[DrCase]

I have a 4800 gph pump in my savio with a 8" weir , this time of year I hose off my filter pad every few days
During the summer it's less work and stays cleaner

 

[Tula]

I have a 4800 gph pump in my savio with a 8" weir , this time of year I hose off my filter pad every few days
During the summer it's less work and stays cleaner

Do you have any additional filter pads in your basket skimmer, or just the one in the filter bracket? Thanks!

 

[DrCase]

I just have the one white pad that came with the filter
From there it splits to two bio drums a sand&gravel and a moving bed filter