i have no experience with skimmers or bottom drains, so i cant make an educated statement on them. but i cant see any reason to cut holes in my liner for things that may be convenient but certainly not neccessary, i maintain a pond that by most peoples standards is way over stocked. my water parameters are always ideal, its mid july and i have no alge to speak of in my pond(even the string alge is already gone).. under the shade of my lillies in the center of my pond i can still see the print on the liner. and i am in full sun 10+ hours a day. i have one 70 gallon skippy filter,one 1200 gallon per hour pump drawing from two barrel style prefilters. i walk out to the pond every morning with my coffee anyways, so if theres a few leaves or whatnot in the pond. the minute or 2 it might take to get them out is not too much trouble. i think aside of other reasons, that skimmers and bottom drains are just 2 more possible leaks waiting to happen. i could be wrong. but what im doing works and works real well, out side of occasionally skimming by hand. my maintainence consists of dropping the hose in every few days and turning it on for 10 minutes. i will say i use a u.v sterilizer,BUT i let my pond go green early in seaon purposely,turn the u.v on,it usually takes 3 or 4 days to clear the water..when the water clears i run it for a few extra days. for about a week or so total runtime. disconnect it clean it and put it away. i find this to be SIMPLICITY AT ITS BEST!!
