Pond Surface Leaf Vacuum

[morewater]

I am not endorsing buying from this seller, but this is the one we purchased last year for skimming on a smaller pond in our backyard. It is only 6' x 9' surface area. But this does a great job of catching everything. If it floats, this grabs it. But according to how big of surface area your pond it may not work quite as well.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/660gph-Floa...351?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2559ec9aff

I've put a couple of these into smaller ponds. They're quite effective for duckweed, pollen drops, etc., but for leaves/pine needles, it just doesn't have the capacity due to the small basket size.

It is a very neat and compact design, and if the company was smart, they'd sell them in varying sizes and capacities for those that want a skimmer, but don't want to go through the trouble/expense/contracting of installing a liner-attached conventional skimmer.

 

[Shdwdrgn]

For the price, I could see floating a couple of those in my pond each Fall to cut down on the number of leaves that sink to the bottom. Thanks for the link!

 

[DrCase]

Big Lou
I just added a pond surface leaf vacuum last weekend to a older pond
It works great ! it a Savio skimmer

 

[RobAmy]

Another vote for the Savio Skimmer, easy to install, they make a small and large skimmers. I have a 16" weir and I love it. I put my pond near a pear tree so when it blooms I get lots of debris but none to the bottom of the pond it all goes to the skimmer. I also like the skimmers with it housing the pump because if I had a plumbing failure then the water can not go below the skimmer opening, so it can't empty the pond. I do have a float on my pump to shut it off if the water level drops to low so It does not burn up. During the heavy drops I do have to empty the skimmer everyday.

 

[addy1]

I installed a pool skimmer, it has a 16 ' weir, sure does clean the surface of the pond nicely. I keep the flow full during the spring and fall, during the summer I usually put it at 1/2 the draw to help keep the frogs and tads from going in.

 

[Mmathis]

We have 3 oak trees very close to the pond, so leaves are just a fact of life for me. The only way I've found to keep leaves off of and out of the pond is to have a net cover overhead [which I failed to use this past season....]. I use my scooper [a pool net or "rake"] to catch as much surface stuff as possible, as well as doing an occasional bottom-scoop, but I still get a TON of leaves, sticks, limbs, acorns, etc. sinking to the bottom. A few weeks ago I scooped out almost a 5 gal. bucket full of them.

I don't have a built-in skimmer, but that does seem to be the way to go. I have a floating OASE skimmer that gets the smaller stuff, but can't handle the leaves. I've heard that it's hard [and tricky] to retro-fit a skimmer, but it can be done. I'm a little leery of doing that with our pond, though, 'cause of our clay that wants to settle and shift [water logged vs dried out -- darn clay!!].

 

[morewater]

Try the D-Solv.

 

[jmajid]

any idea if the floating skimmer will pick up / suck in the floating algae (some people call it algae scum)?

 

[jmajid]

does D-Solv create any issues with oxygen concentration?
i heard about it at a lecture at a local garden center recently - they said it was new...
i am leery of anything taking anything beneficial away from my fish...

 

[DoDad]

I have a skimmer but I have used these.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Swimming-Po...Leaf-Skimmer-Net-W-MAGNETIC-TIP-/150740017447

 

[addy1]

Here are some postings about it

https://www.gardenpondforum.com/threads/d-solv.13733/

I used the chemical mentioned, the leaves floated very nicely to the surface to be netted out. The fish in the stock tank were not bothered by it

 

[Big Lou]

Here are some postings about it

https://www.gardenpondforum.com/threads/d-solv.13733/

I used the chemical mentioned, the leaves floated very nicely to the surface to be netted out. The fish in the stock tank were not bothered by it

What about deteroriated matter?

 

[morewater]

I've used it for years and have never, ever had a problem. Use it once, if you don't like it, don't use it again.

Truly, people really do overthink stuff.