Whats best Pond Skimmer

[MitchM]

Almost any skimmer will stand up to being frozen solid if you take a simple, precautionary step when shutting down your pond for the winter months.

Stuffing the skimmer with either pool noodles or wraparound pipe insulation will prevent the ice from expanding to the point of destroying the skimmer body.

The bonus is that either of these materials can be used season after season.

I've seen bubble-wrap used as well, and just as effectively.

Doesn't that method only address the expansion of ice inside the skimmer though?
What if the outside of the skimmer is surrounded by ice?

With my skimmer, I made sure to pack it with about 5 inches of sand around and under to provide proper dainage.

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[morewater]

Well, given you location it'll be up to you to decide if you need to "shut down" the pond for the winter or not.

If it doesn't freeze over too bad, you could leave your water feature running.

Up here I wouldn't dare to leave any of my clients stuff running, there's just too much chance of an ice dam forming and then emptying the pond from under the ice. Water lines need to be blown out to prevent freeze and burst. Can't count how many hundreds of feet of line I've replaced over the years from people who forgot to drain the line and just "turned off" the pump. Check valves aren't always your friend.

That's why the first thing I do in plumbing is add in quick-disconnects for ease of line blow-out come Fall. Waterfall vaults should be pumped dry and a waterproof cover (extra EPDM) installed. Aerators (or better yet, pond breathers) plugged in.

 

[morewater]

Doesn't that method only address the expansion of ice inside the skimmer though?
What if the outside of the skimmer is surrounded by ice?

With my skimmer, I made sure to pack it with about 5 inches of sand around and under to provide proper dainage.

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Should have mentioned that, Mitch.

It's all part of the proper installation of a skimmer unit.

 

[texmaster]

This video is great! Fascinating! I will just be doing a little water garden with a few run-of-the-mill goldfish -- not koi. I don't have the space for that. But I am going to do the best pond I can in the space that I have. It will probably be about 8 x 11. (Much like the pond The Pond Digger did in his How To Build a Fish Pond video series.)

If you go to youtube you can find a lot of videos from people claiming to have built a pond for very little money. Here's one

Some others:

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=build+pond+budget

 

[Mmathis]

@tweacle Sounds like your pond is already going, so you are looking to retro-fit the skimmer, is that correct? If so, do you have enough liner as well as the space to install it? I don't have a skimmer, so am only guessing on this, but some brands and makes might be better designed for after-the-fact installations (due to their size or shape), and this may be another factor to consider. I'll be curious as to how it works out for you -- I may decide to retro-fit a skimmer some day (our soil is clay, and shifts a lot....so an additional concern for me).

 

[Hey]

My skimmer as mentioned in another thread is an old "Aqua -pure pond wise" brand that they probably no longer make. Have not been able to find it anoywhere. Being so, the skimmer sits in the pond and I have bricks on top of it to hold it from flipping. The weir door broke off a few months ago and when I looked on the inside of the skimmer, there's no way that I can attach a new one, no holes nor clip inserts. I may have to purchase a new skimmer. The helix brand looks good but unfortantly as of now they dont make a in pond skimmer, just the ones that are built into the side. I noticed some newer skimmers are dumping the mesh and just going for plastic filter baskets. Any suggestions on a skimmer?

 

[Mmathis]

I have never had a TRUE skimmer. What I use is an OASE swimskim, floating skimmer. It does great for a small pond. It has a catch basket and uses a foam filter under that. I, too, have searched for options that are called in-pond filters. I’ve found several, but they never looked like they would work in my pond.

 

[Hey]

I have never had a TRUE skimmer. What I use is an OASE swimskim, floating skimmer. It does great for a small pond. It has a catch basket and uses a foam filter under that. I, too, have searched for options that are called in-pond filters. I’ve found several, but they never looked like they would work in my pond.

The one I have works ok but its clogging up way to quick. On top of that, parts that are needed are no longer made since the brand no longer exist. Curious if anyone has one of those aqua scape skimmers to see how they work

 

[Tula]

I have a Savio and love it, built like a tank.

 

[Hey]

I have a Savio and love it, built like a tank.

wow, i have never heard of these but they look pretty tough. The are also expensive, ouch lol

 

[Tula]

wow, i have never heard of these but they look pretty tough. The are also expensive, ouch lol

When our pond was first built I had another skimmer, which was ok. When we had to replace it I knew I wanted a Savio, once over the initial expense , I never looked back.......I'm sure it'll last through my life time.

 

[Hey]

When our pond was first built I had another skimmer, which was ok. When we had to replace it I knew I wanted a Savio, once over the initial expense , I never looked back.......I'm sure it'll last through my life time.

Any pictures or video with it in action?

 

[mrsclem]

I have 2 Savio waterfall filters. Love, love , love them! Indestructible but yes, expensive.

 

[Tula]

Any pictures or video with it in action?

I can do that Give me a l little time, I'll post today or tomorrow

 

[Tula]

Here is a short video I made of my Savio skimmer. I don't think the audio can be heard well. What I was saying is I have a 2500 GPH pump in the back of the skimmer, with a 2 inch pipe leading to the Sand & Gravel filter, I also mention the blue Matala pad, which lifts out for cleaning. I then mention the Savio UV lights that slip into the holes, there are two holes. I forgot to show the sides of the skimmer which has notched areas for electrical cords, so they aren't crimped.

I also forgot to mention that the front part of the skimmer is a basket that lifts out for cleaning . Guess the audio is fine

https://youtu.be/3brVw6FqEPM