Reduce Garden Pond Filter Load Install A Pond Skimmer Filter
Why Should I Use A Pond Skimmer?
Pond skimmers are a mechanical pre-filter used to trap and remove solid waste matter before it has the opportunity to pollute your pond water, use up valuable oxygen in your pond, clog your pond filter or snag your pond pump impellor. Remember that a biological garden pond filter is responsible for removing ammonia first and foremost. Ammonia is present in garden ponds because of fish feeding, uneaten fish food and decaying organic matter that has fallen into the pond and eventually fallen on to the pond floor, where it has started to decay and produce ammonia. Ammonia is lethal to all aquatic pond life in high doses. With this in mind it makes perfect sense to me to use a pond skimmer to reduce the potential for ammonia to rise and to try to reduce the workload on your pond filter in having to breakdown the extra ammonia.
What Is A Pond Skimmer Or Pond Skimmer Filter?
A pond skimmer, sometimes referred to as a pond surface skimmer or pond skimmer filter, skims the surface of your pond, effectively removing floating surface debris such as leaves, grass, twigs, pollen and other floating matter by suction, before this organic matter has the opportunity to sink to the pond floor where it starts to decay, giving off toxic ammonia. Excess debris on the pond bottom will also cause your pond water to become cloudy and murky, preventing you from seeing your pond fish and generally creating an unhealthy environment for pond fish and aquatic life too live in.
As the debris is sucked into the pond skimmer it is trapped in a skimmer basket (skimmer filter basket) which is usually constructed from wire mesh or plastic. Some models also use mechanical filter pads (filter mats) to trap leaves and other large pond debris. The size of the skimmer basket mesh determines what size of solid can pass through the pond skimmer. This means that you will need to use a solids handling pump that matches the mesh size.
There are basically two types of pond skimmer; floating pond skimmers and fixed pond skimmers. The differences will be explained below ...
Use A Floating Pond Skimmer In Small Garden Ponds
The choice of pond skimmer for use in your garden pond isn't only dependant upon the size of the pond but as a rule of thumb if you have a Small Garden Pond then a floating pond skimmer is probably your best bet. Floating pond skimmers offer the following advantages ...
A floating pond skimmer is extremely easy to install; simply connect a length of pond tubing to the suction of the pond pump. The floating skimmer floats on the pond surface where it sucks in surface debris into its chamber where the debris is collected in a filter basket for later removal.
The depth of the pond doesn't affect the operation of a floating pond skimmer. Simply connect a longer piece of pond tubing between the pond pump and skimmer unit. TIP: Try to use as wide a pond tube as you can as you want as little flow restriction as possible.
Unlike many fixed skimmer filters a floating pond skimmer can be easily added to an existing garden pond. The majority of fixed pond skimmers are incorporated into the design of the pond when it is being built.
If you are looking to purchase a floating skimmer filter such as the Oase SwimSkim floating pond skimmer then take a look at the leading pond skimmer filter reviews on this site ...
Use A Fixed Skimmer In Large Koi Ponds
A Fixed Pond Skimmer is very similar in appearance and works in much the same way as the skimmer used in a swimming pool. A fixed pond skimmer is situated so that pond water leaving the pond is via the surface overflow into a strainer basket system. Water containing pond debris is sucked from the pond surface by a pipe that is connected from the pond skimmer to an external pond pump which is located in a chamber designed to operate at the same level as the pond. The pump then pumps the water, less pond debris to your biological pond filter, where it is purified. The ideal choice of pond pump type for use with a pond skimmer is a filter pump or solids handling pump, as this type of pump has a much stronger impeller and has been designed to allow larger pond debris such as twigs to pass through it without damage occurring.
Many fixed pond skimmer filters are specifically designed to fit in with the feel and look of your garden pond and have camouflaged lids that resemble a rock or boulder. This effect works very well once you have installed the pond skimmer in place as the only part of the unit that shows is the lid. The majority of the pond skimmer unit is tightly concealed below ground up to the lid adjacent to your pond. Other models are designed so that they can be easily hidden or camouflaged by plants and bushes.
TIP: When you install the pond skimmer filter it is important to position it so that the water level is correct and pond water containing leaves, twigs, pollen etc flows into the pond skimmer at the correct rate and doesn’t flood the pond skimmer.
The Popular Laguna Pond Skimmer Filter
The Laguna Skimmer Filter removes floating pond surface organic matter such as leaves, needles, grass and pollen. It has been designed to work with pond pumps with flow rates between 900 to 3000 GPH. It is supplied with the following included ... debris net, filter pad and biosphere filter media and a rubber winterizing door. The independent floating door can be adjusted and cleaned.
If you are looking to purchase a Laguna Pond skimmer filter or another popular brand such as the Atlantic Retail Series skimmer filter, Atlantic Big Bahama Pro skimmer filter, Oase Biosys skimmer filter, Savio Original skimmer filter or Cal Pump Compact skimmer filter then please take a look at the leading pond skimmer filter reviews on this site ...
Installing a Fixed Pond Skimmer Filter
Note: This example assumes that you are using a liner pond (pond constructed from a pond liner) and not a preformed pond or concrete pond. If you are looking for diagrams and pictures then take a look on the web as there are a myriad of detailed instructions for popular pond skimmer models.
Dig a hole facing your garden pond that is a little bit larger than the dimensions of the pond skimmer.
Place the pond skimmer in the excavated hole, ensuring that you have already used fine gravel or soil to create a firm, flat, solid base. The last thing you want is for the skimmer filter to sink into the ground, which will later affect the level of the weir opening in relation to the pond surface.
Ensure that you can raise the pond liner above the top of the pond skimmer. The top screw hole on the front panel of the pond skimmer should be level with the pond surface when the pond is filled with water.
Attach the pond liner to the pond skimmer, ensuring that the liner is pressed tightly against the front of the pond skimmer, using silicone glue. Use some brute force to ensure that the liner sticks to the surface properly. Once you are satisfied that there is a good bond you can trim off any excess pond liner.
You can now install your choice of pond pump inside the pond skimmer, in the chamber provided. Attach pond tubing to the suction of your pump and connect the other end of the tubing to your pond filter or other piece of pond keeping equipment. I would recommend that you use a filter pump or solids handling pump for use with a pond skimmer.
The next step is to place the floating door and pond filter media baskets inside the pond skimmer.
The last step is to firmly place the lid on the pond skimmer and lock it.
Congratulations you have now installed your Skimmer Filter. All you have to do now is complete all the other infrastructure work and fill your pond to the desired level. Once the water is at the desired level you can connect the pump.
Pond Skimmer Cleaning Instructions
Remove the lid from the pond skimmer and remove the filter basket, containing the trapped debris and empty it. If you notice any trapped debris then remove it using a hose pipe. Remove the filter mats and rinse in a container with pond water. Remember that you are trying to preserve any beneficial bacteria.
