leak behind biofalls, fish sucked in, skimmer door not working properly - anyone else?
 

Hi,

I just put in an Aquascape system. I did everything correctly, but now found
I have a leak behind the liner from the biofalls lip. I guess I'll have to
remove the fake rock (weir) and resilicone it.

Has anyone else had this problem? How did you fix it?

Also, the holes that are suppose to hold the skimmer door in aren't
parallel, therefore the door doesn't stay put. Has anyone else had this
problem? What do you do about the little fish that get sucked into the
skimmer?

I paid a lot of money for this and hopefully these problems will get
straightened out. Unfortunately, I bought it mailorder from NY (I live in
CT).

I'm very discouraged, and am so tired. I just want relax by the pond instead
of worrying about it!

leak behind biofalls, fish sucked in, skimmer door not working properly - anyone else?
 

Poor Baby! The AS system has some inherent problems. Not wishing to go into
a tirade, I'll simply address your questions.

a. It's very common to have it leak between the box and the weir. And
you're correct: more silicone will do the trick. However, rather than take
it off and start over, shut off the water, dry the area completely (maybe
use a hair dryer, but be CAREFUL), or let the sun bake it for awhile, but
you want it very dry. Then apply a bead of silicone over the seam, take your
finger, and squish it down inside the seam as best you can. Wipe off any
excess: algae will not grow silicone, so you will always see the seam,
otherwise. Wait until it's dry before you turn the pump back on.

b. The door on the skimmer is really not necessary at all. If it really
annoys you, just take it off.

c. Little fish WILL get into the skimmer box, partly because they're
chasing food (by the time it gets into the skimmer box, it's pretty soft and
they can eat it easier; also, the larger fish can't get in there to get the
food, so the little guys can eat without the competition; not to mention
it's a nice, dark hidey-hole). If your kit is like mine, you should have
received a wire-framed net that fits into the the skimmer side, and a couple
of white open-celled padding. That will keep the little guys from getting
sucked into the pump. They can usually get out when they want to G.

Hope this helps.

Lee


"Judy Konopka" wrote in message
rthlink.net...
Hi,

I just put in an Aquascape system. I did everything correctly, but now
found
I have a leak behind the liner from the biofalls lip. I guess I'll have to
remove the fake rock (weir) and resilicone it.

Has anyone else had this problem? How did you fix it?

Also, the holes that are suppose to hold the skimmer door in aren't
parallel, therefore the door doesn't stay put. Has anyone else had this
problem? What do you do about the little fish that get sucked into the
skimmer?

I paid a lot of money for this and hopefully these problems will get
straightened out. Unfortunately, I bought it mailorder from NY (I live in
CT).

I'm very discouraged, and am so tired. I just want relax by the pond
instead
of worrying about it!

leak behind biofalls, fish sucked in, skimmer door not working properly - anyone else?
 

On Mon, 21 Apr 2003 14:29:18 -0500, Lee Brouillet wrote:

b. The door on the skimmer is really not necessary at all. If it
really annoys you, just take it off.

Speaking from experience gained working with swimming pools for some
years, the door on the skimmer /is/ necessary for the skimmer to
function correctly, that is, skimming just the very top surface of the
pond/pool. Without the door the skimmer will draw water from the
entire depth of the skimmer door opening and will not skim correctly,
although it /will/ work somewhat.

Cybe R. Wizard

--
Unofficial "Wizard of Odds," A.H.P.
Original PORG "Water Wizard," R.P.
"Wize(ned) Wizard," A.P.F-P-Y.
Barely Tolerated Wizard, A.J.L & A.A.L

leak behind biofalls, fish sucked in, skimmer door not working properly - anyone else?
 

Hmmm . . . I'll take your word for it, but I don't understand (not the FIRST
time, believe me!). F'rinstance, the skimmer opening is 4" high. The door
floats on the surface of the water level, inside the box. If the pond is
full, all 4" of space is filled with water. If the water is low, maybe only
1 or 2" of water goes in, and the door *still* floats on the surface. Why
does it make a difference? (not arguing, looking for enlightenment G)

Lee

"Cybe R. Wizard" wrote in message
news:pan.2003.04.21.16.33.13.628650.25600@WizardsT ower...
On Mon, 21 Apr 2003 14:29:18 -0500, Lee Brouillet wrote:

b. The door on the skimmer is really not necessary at all. If it
really annoys you, just take it off.

Speaking from experience gained working with swimming pools for some
years, the door on the skimmer /is/ necessary for the skimmer to
function correctly, that is, skimming just the very top surface of the
pond/pool. Without the door the skimmer will draw water from the
entire depth of the skimmer door opening and will not skim correctly,
although it /will/ work somewhat.

Cybe R. Wizard

--
Unofficial "Wizard of Odds," A.H.P.
Original PORG "Water Wizard," R.P.
"Wize(ned) Wizard," A.P.F-P-Y.
Barely Tolerated Wizard, A.J.L & A.A.L

leak behind biofalls, fish sucked in, skimmer door not working properly - anyone else?
 

On Tue, 22 Apr 2003 08:20:08 -0500, Lee Brouillet wrote:

Hmmm . . . I'll take your word for it, but I don't understand (not
the FIRST time, believe me!). F'rinstance, the skimmer opening is 4"
high. The door floats on the surface of the water level, inside the
box. If the pond is full, all 4" of space is filled with water. If
the water is low, maybe only 1 or 2" of water goes in, and the door
*still* floats on the surface. Why does it make a difference? (not
arguing, looking for enlightenment G)

Lee

It took me a while to see it, too.
The skimmer door floats on the surface of the water, thereby limiting
the amount of water that can enter the skimmer below the top of the
door. Yes, a bit can (and does) still enter around the edges of the
skimmer door, but the vast majority comes in /over/ the top of the
door. It's easily illustrated by using some suspended particulate
matter dropped in front of the skimmer both with and without the door
on. Without the door you may note that the flow is not as great and
the particles move toward the door from all depths at pretty much the
same rate. With the door attached and floating correctly the particles
move /rapidly/ on the surface and little or not at all at any depth.
The purpose of this is to keep the whole body of water cleaner by
skimming just the surface of the water. Gets the trash before it
drops to the bottom.
I had to actually /do/ this experiment before it fully took in my
excuse for a brain.

Cybe R. Wizard

--
Unofficial "Wizard of Odds," A.H.P.
Original PORG "Water Wizard," R.P.
"Wize(ned) Wizard," A.P.F-P-Y.
Barely Tolerated Wizard, A.J.L & A.A.L

leak behind biofalls, fish sucked in, skimmer door not working properly - anyone else?
 

I've never seen the AS skimmer up close and personal, but in a swimming
pool that door also keeps the crud from bouncing back into the pool. Course
there is more wave action in a pool than most ponds, so does the AS skimmer
float door work differently? ~ jan


On Tue, 22 Apr 2003 13:10:27 -0500, "Cybe R. Wizard"
wrote:

On Tue, 22 Apr 2003 08:20:08 -0500, Lee Brouillet wrote:

Hmmm . . . I'll take your word for it, but I don't understand (not
the FIRST time, believe me!). F'rinstance, the skimmer opening is 4"
high. The door floats on the surface of the water level, inside the
box. If the pond is full, all 4" of space is filled with water. If
the water is low, maybe only 1 or 2" of water goes in, and the door
*still* floats on the surface. Why does it make a difference? (not
arguing, looking for enlightenment G)

Lee

It took me a while to see it, too.
The skimmer door floats on the surface of the water, thereby limiting
the amount of water that can enter the skimmer below the top of the
door. Yes, a bit can (and does) still enter around the edges of the
skimmer door, but the vast majority comes in /over/ the top of the
door. It's easily illustrated by using some suspended particulate
matter dropped in front of the skimmer both with and without the door
on. Without the door you may note that the flow is not as great and
the particles move toward the door from all depths at pretty much the
same rate. With the door attached and floating correctly the particles
move /rapidly/ on the surface and little or not at all at any depth.
The purpose of this is to keep the whole body of water cleaner by
skimming just the surface of the water. Gets the trash before it
drops to the bottom.
I had to actually /do/ this experiment before it fully took in my
excuse for a brain.

Cybe R. Wizard


See my ponds and filter design:
http://users.owt.com/jjspond/

~Keep 'em Wet!~
Tri-Cities WA Zone 7a
To e-mail see website


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leak behind biofalls, fish sucked in, skimmer door not working properly - anyone else?
 

Ahhh, ok: there's a difference. What you're talking about, the door is
hinged on the bottom, yes? The AS skimmer door is hinged from the top. Stuff
goes in, regardless. Personally, my pond is caged, so I don't have a leaf
problem or worries about things floating back out. All I get is algae and
little fish looking for a snack. And the fish scoot out real quick when the
want to!

Lee

"Cybe R. Wizard" wrote in message
news:pan.2003.04.22.13.10.19.27578.11529@WizardsTo wer...
On Tue, 22 Apr 2003 08:20:08 -0500, Lee Brouillet wrote:

Hmmm . . . I'll take your word for it, but I don't understand (not
the FIRST time, believe me!). F'rinstance, the skimmer opening is 4"
high. The door floats on the surface of the water level, inside the
box. If the pond is full, all 4" of space is filled with water. If
the water is low, maybe only 1 or 2" of water goes in, and the door
*still* floats on the surface. Why does it make a difference? (not
arguing, looking for enlightenment G)

Lee

It took me a while to see it, too.
The skimmer door floats on the surface of the water, thereby limiting
the amount of water that can enter the skimmer below the top of the
door. Yes, a bit can (and does) still enter around the edges of the
skimmer door, but the vast majority comes in /over/ the top of the
door. It's easily illustrated by using some suspended particulate
matter dropped in front of the skimmer both with and without the door
on. Without the door you may note that the flow is not as great and
the particles move toward the door from all depths at pretty much the
same rate. With the door attached and floating correctly the particles
move /rapidly/ on the surface and little or not at all at any depth.
The purpose of this is to keep the whole body of water cleaner by
skimming just the surface of the water. Gets the trash before it
drops to the bottom.
I had to actually /do/ this experiment before it fully took in my
excuse for a brain.

Cybe R. Wizard

--
Unofficial "Wizard of Odds," A.H.P.
Original PORG "Water Wizard," R.P.
"Wize(ned) Wizard," A.P.F-P-Y.
Barely Tolerated Wizard, A.J.L & A.A.L

leak behind biofalls, fish sucked in, skimmer door not working properly - anyone else?
 

On Wed, 23 Apr 2003 07:45:10 -0500, Lee Brouillet wrote:

Ahhh, ok: there's a difference. What you're talking about, the door
is hinged on the bottom, yes? The AS skimmer door is hinged from the
top. Stuff goes in, regardless. Personally, my pond is caged, so I
don't have a leaf problem or worries about things floating back out.
All I get is algae and little fish looking for a snack. And the fish
scoot out real quick when the want to!

My bad! I was under the impression that they were all the same. I
can't understand the idea of a top hinged skimmer. What is it
designed to do? The same job? I think the bottom hinged skimmer
also breaks water tension letting skimmed stuff drop into the skimmer
basket, too. I'd guess the AS skimmer doesn't need this 'cause
everything comes in below the surface and has already broken through
that barrier.

Cybe R. Wizard
--
Unofficial "Wizard of Odds," A.H.P.
Original PORG "Water Wizard," R.P.
"Wize(ned) Wizard," A.P.F-P-Y.
Barely Tolerated Wizard, A.J.L & A.A.L

leak behind biofalls, fish sucked in, skimmer door not working properly - anyone else?
 

??? both my swimming pool and pond weirs are hinged at the bottom. This is
how the weir door work as they float on the top to keep the debris from
floating back out.

Jon Nyhus


"Lee Brouillet" wrote in message
...
Ahhh, ok: there's a difference. What you're talking about, the door is
hinged on the bottom, yes? The AS skimmer door is hinged from the top.
Stuff
goes in, regardless. Personally, my pond is caged, so I don't have a leaf
problem or worries about things floating back out. All I get is algae and
little fish looking for a snack. And the fish scoot out real quick when
the
want to!

Lee

"Cybe R. Wizard" wrote in message
news:pan.2003.04.22.13.10.19.27578.11529@WizardsTo wer...
On Tue, 22 Apr 2003 08:20:08 -0500, Lee Brouillet wrote:

Hmmm . . . I'll take your word for it, but I don't understand (not
the FIRST time, believe me!). F'rinstance, the skimmer opening is 4"
high. The door floats on the surface of the water level, inside the
box. If the pond is full, all 4" of space is filled with water. If
the water is low, maybe only 1 or 2" of water goes in, and the door
*still* floats on the surface. Why does it make a difference? (not
arguing, looking for enlightenment G)

Lee

It took me a while to see it, too.
The skimmer door floats on the surface of the water, thereby limiting
the amount of water that can enter the skimmer below the top of the
door. Yes, a bit can (and does) still enter around the edges of the
skimmer door, but the vast majority comes in /over/ the top of the
door. It's easily illustrated by using some suspended particulate
matter dropped in front of the skimmer both with and without the door
on. Without the door you may note that the flow is not as great and
the particles move toward the door from all depths at pretty much the
same rate. With the door attached and floating correctly the particles
move /rapidly/ on the surface and little or not at all at any depth.
The purpose of this is to keep the whole body of water cleaner by
skimming just the surface of the water. Gets the trash before it
drops to the bottom.
I had to actually /do/ this experiment before it fully took in my
excuse for a brain.

Cybe R. Wizard

--
Unofficial "Wizard of Odds," A.H.P.
Original PORG "Water Wizard," R.P.
"Wize(ned) Wizard," A.P.F-P-Y.
Barely Tolerated Wizard, A.J.L & A.A.L

leak behind biofalls, fish sucked in, skimmer door not working properly - anyone else?
 

Understood: AS do things their own little way. That's where the holes were,
so that's where I put it! Shoot, if I KNEW anything about ponds when I put
it in, I wouldn't have put the system in in the FIRST place GBG! I just
followed the directions.

Lee
"Jon" wrote in message
...
??? both my swimming pool and pond weirs are hinged at the bottom. This is
how the weir door work as they float on the top to keep the debris from
floating back out.

Jon Nyhus


"Lee Brouillet" wrote in message
...
Ahhh, ok: there's a difference. What you're talking about, the door is
hinged on the bottom, yes? The AS skimmer door is hinged from the top.
Stuff
goes in, regardless. Personally, my pond is caged, so I don't have a
leaf
problem or worries about things floating back out. All I get is algae
and
little fish looking for a snack. And the fish scoot out real quick when
the
want to!

Lee

"Cybe R. Wizard" wrote in message
news:pan.2003.04.22.13.10.19.27578.11529@WizardsTo wer...
On Tue, 22 Apr 2003 08:20:08 -0500, Lee Brouillet wrote:

Hmmm . . . I'll take your word for it, but I don't understand (not
the FIRST time, believe me!). F'rinstance, the skimmer opening is 4"
high. The door floats on the surface of the water level, inside the
box. If the pond is full, all 4" of space is filled with water. If
the water is low, maybe only 1 or 2" of water goes in, and the door
*still* floats on the surface. Why does it make a difference? (not
arguing, looking for enlightenment G)

Lee

It took me a while to see it, too.
The skimmer door floats on the surface of the water, thereby limiting
the amount of water that can enter the skimmer below the top of the
door. Yes, a bit can (and does) still enter around the edges of the
skimmer door, but the vast majority comes in /over/ the top of the
door. It's easily illustrated by using some suspended particulate
matter dropped in front of the skimmer both with and without the door
on. Without the door you may note that the flow is not as great and
the particles move toward the door from all depths at pretty much the
same rate. With the door attached and floating correctly the particles
move /rapidly/ on the surface and little or not at all at any depth.
The purpose of this is to keep the whole body of water cleaner by
skimming just the surface of the water. Gets the trash before it
drops to the bottom.
I had to actually /do/ this experiment before it fully took in my
excuse for a brain.

Cybe R. Wizard

--
Unofficial "Wizard of Odds," A.H.P.
Original PORG "Water Wizard," R.P.
"Wize(ned) Wizard," A.P.F-P-Y.
Barely Tolerated Wizard, A.J.L & A.A.L

leak behind biofalls, fish sucked in, skimmer door not working properly - anyone else?
 

What? The AS biofalls door holes are on the top? I installed the faceplate
so the holes were on the bottom!



"Jon" wrote in message
...
??? both my swimming pool and pond weirs are hinged at the bottom. This is
how the weir door work as they float on the top to keep the debris from
floating back out.

Jon Nyhus


"Lee Brouillet" wrote in message
...
Ahhh, ok: there's a difference. What you're talking about, the door is
hinged on the bottom, yes? The AS skimmer door is hinged from the top.
Stuff
goes in, regardless. Personally, my pond is caged, so I don't have a
leaf
problem or worries about things floating back out. All I get is algae
and
little fish looking for a snack. And the fish scoot out real quick when
the
want to!

Lee

"Cybe R. Wizard" wrote in message
news:pan.2003.04.22.13.10.19.27578.11529@WizardsTo wer...
On Tue, 22 Apr 2003 08:20:08 -0500, Lee Brouillet wrote:

Hmmm . . . I'll take your word for it, but I don't understand (not
the FIRST time, believe me!). F'rinstance, the skimmer opening is 4"
high. The door floats on the surface of the water level, inside the
box. If the pond is full, all 4" of space is filled with water. If
the water is low, maybe only 1 or 2" of water goes in, and the door
*still* floats on the surface. Why does it make a difference? (not
arguing, looking for enlightenment G)

Lee

It took me a while to see it, too.
The skimmer door floats on the surface of the water, thereby limiting
the amount of water that can enter the skimmer below the top of the
door. Yes, a bit can (and does) still enter around the edges of the
skimmer door, but the vast majority comes in /over/ the top of the
door. It's easily illustrated by using some suspended particulate
matter dropped in front of the skimmer both with and without the door
on. Without the door you may note that the flow is not as great and
the particles move toward the door from all depths at pretty much the
same rate. With the door attached and floating correctly the particles
move /rapidly/ on the surface and little or not at all at any depth.
The purpose of this is to keep the whole body of water cleaner by
skimming just the surface of the water. Gets the trash before it
drops to the bottom.
I had to actually /do/ this experiment before it fully took in my
excuse for a brain.

Cybe R. Wizard

--
Unofficial "Wizard of Odds," A.H.P.
Original PORG "Water Wizard," R.P.
"Wize(ned) Wizard," A.P.F-P-Y.
Barely Tolerated Wizard, A.J.L & A.A.L

leak behind biofalls, fish sucked in, skimmer door not working properly - anyone else?
 

On Fri, 25 Apr 2003 06:38:30 -0500, Judy Konopka wrote:

What? The AS biofalls door holes are on the top? I installed the
faceplate so the holes were on the bottom!

?!!!? They come unassembled?
Lee...

Cybe R. Wizard
--
Unofficial "Wizard of Odds," A.H.P.
Original PORG "Water Wizard," R.P.
"Wize(ned) Wizard," A.P.F-P-Y.
Barely Tolerated Wizard, A.J.L & A.A.L

leak behind biofalls, fish sucked in, skimmer door not working properly - anyone else?
 

Yes, they do . . . now I'll have to go home and do an inspection, or see if
I can find the instructions. I don't remember!

Lee

"Cybe R. Wizard" wrote in message
news:pan.2003.04.25.07.03.02.793409.494@WizardsTow er...

?!!!? They come unassembled?
Lee...

Cybe R. Wizard
--
Unofficial "Wizard of Odds," A.H.P.
Original PORG "Water Wizard," R.P.
"Wize(ned) Wizard," A.P.F-P-Y.
Barely Tolerated Wizard, A.J.L & A.A.L