Newbie here. Been lurking a while and I now have a question. I'm in
the middle of building a 2500 gal. or so pond.

I've been thinking of a DIY skimmer with the bottom drain connected to
it at a low point. The skimmer would be a series of chambers ( with
baskets to catch the big stuff. ) Actually, more of a skimmer /
settling chamber. Side view would look like a box with four or five
spill over baffles, the first baffle area with leaf basket ( higher than
the baffle ), the third or fourth chamber plumbed 3-4" of the bottom
with a bottom drain inlet, and the last chamber is where the external
pump would draw from. Think this would provide enough flow for the
bottom drain? Inlet would be lower than pond level as would the skimmer
inlet. I was thinking a valve on the bottom drain line to to adjust the
amount of draw from either source. I have a similar principal at my day
job which is called a clarifier. A much larger, heavy industrial item
for separating muck and oil from water. Kind of a multi chamber
settling drain. Thoughts?? TIA!

Project from the beginning with no descriptions ( except to say, the
square thing isn't a pond. But it will hide the pumps, filters, etc.
) Don't mind the mess!! http://www.bunchobikes.com/pond.htm