Pixi,

Can you dig down on the water side, which is already at least a foot down
and on a slope, and then tilt it into the pond, using a shovel behind it? I
think this would be the easiest way, if you can keep the water, liner, and
underliner out of the way. Once the skimmer is tilted, then it should be
able to be lifted enough to shovel dirt, or place blocks under it.

If not, you might try using a piece of 2x4 placed against the side of the
skimmer, and hit it with a heavy hammer to drive the soil back from the
skimmer, which would loosen it in the soil and allow it to be lifted
straight out. Once it is out, then soil could be put into the hole to the
correct level and the skimmer reset.
--
RichToyBox
http://www.geocities.com/richtoybox/pondintro.html
"pixi" wrote in message
...
Hope there is a simple way to do this? I have the rock out, the liner
and
liner protecter (whatever it's called) pulled away. The pipe is exposed.
The skimmer is almost empty. An inch or two of water in the bottom of
skimmer but full of tadpoles so I don't want to empty it completely.

I have loosened up the clay around it for an inch or two deep but the
darned skimmer looks like it's 2 or 3 feet deep. And I don't see how I
can
go that deep on the outside without digging up half the pond area.

Anyone got any suggestions as to how I can pull up the skimmer without
doing
a lot of digging?

As it happens, the landscaper left a fold that amounts to about a foot of
extra liner so I don't have to shorten the pond. All I need to do is
figure
out how to get more dirt under the skimmer without killing myself.

Hope some one has an idea or two.


Thanks so much.

Pixi