Pond Skimmer Know-How

Pond skimmers are one type of mechanical pond filter that skims surface debris including leaves off of the surface of a pond. They are important because they are not only the cosmetic aspect of pond cleaning, by making the pond look clean, they are a necessary aspect of keeping the surface of the pond exposed to sunlight and the water healthy. If this surface debris isn’t cleaned away it will eventually sink to the bottom and decay emitting toxic gases.

Some pond skimmers work with other types of pond filter as a pre-filter. It removes floating leaves, seeds or wood that could clog the other chambers of a biological or chemical filter and pump. Pond skimmers come in creative designs to resemble rock, or moss so they fit in with the design of the pond. Another type can sit by the edge just above the water level of the pond and be camouflaged with plants and rocks. They are easy to hide when they are installed and should be put opposite any kind of waterfall to enhance the circulation of the water in the pond.

Pond skimmers work almost the same way a swimming pool skimmer works. It is placed in the ground just at the water line and the water flows into it from the pond. There is a door that blocks very large debris or trash and a net that catches the rest. The water flows to the back of the skimmer box and is pumped back into the pond. The weir, or door, to the filter makes all the water flow to the top of the door. This makes the skimming thorough. For cleaning, the door can be closed and the filters removed for washing. A floating pond skimmer is designed for small garden ponds. It floats on the surface with tubing that connects it to the circulation pump. The suction of the pump draws the debris on the surface to the filter before the water is pumped back into the pond.

It is possible to make your own homemade pond skimmer. Using an embroidery hoop, metal or fabric screening and a broom handle. You will need some screws, a staple gun, marker and screw gun. Choose the size of hoop you want depending on how large your pond is. The screen should be at least two inches bigger all around the edges of the hoop. The broom handle can be inserted in the opening of the outer hoop and screwed into place. The screen can be stapled to the outer edge of the hoop and trimmed.

The best Koi pond skimmer is a protein skimmer. It inhibits proteins and waste products from the fish from dissolving into ammonia and nitrate that can kill your Koi. Oxygen is also added to the water. There are several different types of protein skimmers for fish ponds and tanks. When choosing this type of filter you need to consider how strongly the bubbles enter the water. The harder the better. Also, you need to consider how long the bubbles stay in the chamber. The longer the better. Which protein Koi pond skimmer you choose will also depend on the size of your pond and where it will be placed.