Intake Bay question

[snoozer]

Is there a rule of thumb to determine the opening width for an intake bay? I calculated what I needed for the matrix blocks but haven't found anything that talks about the width of the opening from the pond. Thanks

 

[GBBUDD]

Imo the intake bayif used in replacement of a skimmer then I'd say it should be a shallow opening so the surface is pulled from the pond.
It might not be known but if you draw from the surface it pulls the surface from a great distance not just everything from all levels. Up close to the intake.
If you have a skimmer and your intake is taking the place of a main drain then this is less important. But the smaller the opening to the intake the more it pulls the debris in. What you will want to calculate is to make sure your opening by gravity can supply the gph that your pump will draw.
I have a intake that has an negative edge or vannishing edge. The idea was to draw in from the surface then let the what was pulled in given a chance to settle. This is due to the intake being 17 feet long and at its widest is 8 feet wide. The force of the narrow opening vanishes and the water just gets pulled gently toward the vannishing edge. The sediment is then alowed to fall and be removed by a vacuum, or net. I have a video on YouTube that shows how well the intake works for leaves.

 

[snoozer]

Imo the intake bayif used in replacement of a skimmer then I'd say it should be a shallow opening so the surface is pulled from the pond.
It might not be known but if you draw from the surface it pulls the surface from a great distance not just everything from all levels. Up close to the intake.
If you have a skimmer and your intake is taking the place of a main drain then this is less important. But the smaller the opening to the intake the more it pulls the debris in. What you will want to calculate is to make sure your opening by gravity can supply the gph that your pump will draw.
I have a intake that has an negative edge or vannishing edge. The idea was to draw in from the surface then let the what was pulled in given a chance to settle. This is due to the intake being 17 feet long and at its widest is 8 feet wide. The force of the narrow opening vanishes and the water just gets pulled gently toward the vannishing edge. The sediment is then alowed to fall and be removed by a vacuum, or net. I have a video on YouTube that shows how well the intake works for leaves.

Thanks for the reply. I was going to have the opening be 16 inches, which was the opening size on the skimmer. The bay is replacing the 18 year old skimmer that has a 7 inch crack. I was planning on having 2-3 inches of water coming over the opening and dropping to about 3 feet deep inside of a 6x6 bay. I am hoping that the bay will be easier than the skimmer in spring and fall when the maple trees are dropping either, flowers, seeds or leaves in the pond.

 

[GBBUDD]

Thanks for the reply. I was going to have the opening be 16 inches, which was the opening size on the skimmer. The bay is replacing the 18 year old skimmer that has a 7 inch crack. I was planning on having 2-3 inches of water coming over the opening and dropping to about 3 feet deep inside of a 6x6 bay. I am hoping that the bay will be easier than the skimmer in spring and fall when the maple trees are dropping either, flowers, seeds or leaves in the pond.

I agree with the shallow in depth but you only really need that much pull like you said when the helicopter are falling or leaves . So what I do is place a couple rocks to make the intake shallow like your talking but when the draw is not so much needed I pull the rocks and let the fish have the ability to swim in and boy did that work out well .I through a little food in there the fish go in the area and a quick net closes of the area and it's soon easy to catch the new spawn of fish or even a sick fish

 

[snoozer]

I agree with the shallow in depth but you only really need that much pull like you said when the helicopter are falling or leaves . So what I do is place a couple rocks to make the intake shallow like your talking but when the draw is not so much needed I pull the rocks and let the fish have the ability to swim in and boy did that work out well .I through a little food in there the fish go in the area and a quick net closes of the area and it's soon easy to catch the new spawn of fish or even a sick fish

That's a good idea, wish I had thought of that.