GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post - Need Skimmer Ideas for 300 gallon preform pond

12-05-2005, 03:01 AM

(DD DDD) wrote in
:

I need a skimmer. The stuff that floats on top is to much. It drops or
blows in. Mostly small floating items. I have a 1800 gph (way enough)
pump that goes to my outside bio/mech filter. Does anyone have any
ideas since this is a small pond. Can I buy one for a pool? I have no
idea how to set this up. I was hoping not to have to buy another pump
besides the one I have now. 1800 gph is big for this size pond. Thank
you

I have a 5 ponds 40g, 50g, 500g, 900g, 1800g. They love to collect
leaves, sugar maple seeds, etc. I was forever skimming my ponds by hand.

My first line of defense is the three streams between ponds. They have a
bed of pea gravel and a few river rocks. The streams act as filters to
catch 'items'. Dirt, fish droppings, algae, etc. This filtering helps
the ponds and is a fine bed for small plants to grow. The river rocks
catch the large items. Every day or two I walk along and clean out the
stuff I don't like in the stream. I leave some as different organic
objects in the streams makes an interesting flow pattern that changes
daily.

Now for the main skimmer.
I made my own for various reasons. I didn't like any of the designs that
are/ was on the market. The prices are way too high for $2 worth of
plastic. I wanted to see if I could make something of my own design.

The main skimmer is installed at the lowest part of the pond system.
When the pond liner was first installed an extra 8' was left attached
for expansion projects. This cut down on having any seams. A channel
was dug out from the pond edge. (1.5' X 7" X 2"). The channel opening
is 1" below the ponds 'ideal' water level. The channel slope is 24 to
1. A bowl shaped basin is dug at the end of the channel (2'round and
3" deep). A drain system is installed starting at the middle of the
round basin running 12 foot underground away from the pond system to a
catch box and pump system. (the 3" pipe has a 48 X 1 slope) Parts
list: 4" round X 8" deep drain catch basin w/ leaf catcher. 3" pvc
pipe 12 ft. long. 1' X 1' 18" sq.catch box. Sprinkler pipe 1.25" X
35'.
The parts for the drainage system are standard from any plumbing /
hardware store.

The last part of this setup is a sump pump. It is installed in the catch
box. The 1.25" underground pipe brings the skimmed water back up to the
upper end of the pond system to be filtered through the two fens.

Any changes in the dimensions shouldn't throw anything off.

I hope I have made all of this clear. This news group doesn't allow
attachments or I would send my design drawings.

One more idea. During the fall I use fruit tree netting attached to two
8' poles. This is laid across the pond tops to catch a large share of
leaves and limbs.