| skimmers |
It's hard to keep skimmers off of the "must have" list of equipment for a quality pond. They work to remove floating debris from the pond while protecting the pump from clogging.
They also add some filtering and allow for a high volume of turnover - handy for larger waterfalls and feeding water hungry bead filters
Read our review on Savio Skimmers |
Most people are familiar with skimmers from their use in pools. Properly functioning skimmers will remove dust and floating debris (allochthonous materials) from the ponds surface
Aesthetically this is desirable as it is functional - a skimmer reduces the bio load on the system and lightens the load on bottom drain(s). Skimming action is fueled by a pump located in the skimmer unit which creates an influx of water trapping debris in a plastic basket or mesh bag |
People often install skimmers and then discover they do not play well with floating plants. If you plan to have a lot of water hyacinths/lettuce then perhaps a skimmer should not be incorporated
It is sometimes possible to sequester floaters with rocks or fishing line, thereby preventing them from entering and interfering with the skimmers operation - but certainly duckweed will be a problem. Of course when skimmers are most useful - the Fall - floating plants are dying off
From a install perspective, we often setup a skimmer and return the water via jets at the opposite side of the pond [or other dead spot]
Skimmers allow for high flow rates - perfect for feeding waterfalls and large filters. Jet return is also very beneficial. This type of setup provides several functions utilizing just 1 pump. Remember, jets can be aimed at the skimmer from across the pond to move debris towards it |
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A water hyacinth being drawn into a box skimmer which can starve a pump |
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A No-Niche Skimmer in action. These require flow rates of at least 800 GPH in order to effectively pull the floating skimmer basket down
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There are 3 main types of skimmers each with their advantages and disadvantages. Your pond setup and goals will determine which is the best unit to utilize
Box Skimmer
The most common type of skimmer is the standard box skimmer. It is dug in along side the pond and the liner is brought up along the face. It is sealed into place and needs to be set at the right height for proper skimmer function. Too low, the pump may starve for water. Too high, larger debris may not be able to enter the skimmer or you could even have an overflow. There is generally a fairly wide tolerance here however - about 1-2 inches. These skimmers are costly and take some time to install. They do have a large capacity however, and this type of design is most prevalent in the ponds we see. It is advisable to invest in a stronger unit which will survive the rigors of freezing and thawing. Thinner square units can become deformed after a few seasons
No-Niche Skimmer
Another type of skimmer is a no-niche skimmer. These are easy to hide [under a bridge for example] and much smaller then box skimmers. They also offer self adjustment with the water level [up to 6 inches] to ensure continual skimming action even if the water fluctuates a few inches. On the negative side, they are harder to set up for the novice and offer limited debris capacity. I have one on my pond and it is suitable because I don't get a lot of surface debris. These units attach to 1.5 inch pipe at the bottom - this runs through the liner to a vortex or a dedicated pump in order to operate the unit. In order to function properly, a draw of at least 800 gallons per hour is required
In-Pond Skimmer
The last type of skimmer is one that is placed right in the pond. This unit works well and is the simplest to install as it just sits on a flat section of the pond floor and is anchored with a rock. These units have adjustable operational depth of approximately 14" to 28" and are then self adjusting to varying water depths with the floating basket. That is the main advantage that both in-pond and the no-niche style skimmers have over a box skimmer - their tolerance of operation is 6+ inches while a box skimmers is usually less than 3". In-pond skimmers have a decent capacity and are a good choice for those who have an existing pond in which they want to quickly and easily add a skimmer. It is best to purchase a unit that has an external pump which is easy to replace [some units have a built in pump] when the pump dies. Aesthetically they tend to stick out as they are difficult to hide and their capacity is limited compared to a box skimmer
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