Author Topic: D.I.Y. Skimmer (Read 2493 times)

reddad35 · « **on:** August 29, 2008, 12:17:33 PM »

Alright Esther-everyone. I looked at the photos you posted and told you I was going to get right on it. Well, here it is. I will be digging the hole tonight. Its no Savio, but maybe we can come up with another cool name for it like "SAVEidon'towe".
Hope you like it. Heck hope I like it.

The parts list.

Notice the semi hard whoosh balls purchased from a craft store at six for a dollar. I wiped them out and purchased 72.

The inlet is a yard drain with a locking strainer.
The pvc has a rigid gasket that will fit tightly onto the drain.

The finished product.

I used a jigsaw to cut the hole in the tub. I also cut the strainer portion out of the yard drain to have a 6 by 3 inch opening. The face plate will screw into the base on the opposite side of the liner. After it is in place , the exacto knife will cut the opening.

Let me know what you think of the new "saveidon'towe" skimmer.

tweetybaby2005 · « **Reply #1 on:** August 29, 2008, 12:19:50 PM »

Can you post a pic of it? I would like to see your DIY skimmer.

Kuan

HOWELL · « **Reply #2 on:** August 29, 2008, 12:50:56 PM »

it looks so good
i made a diy skimmer too

and it is wotking so good
please post pics of this one working ok

perplexed ponder · « **Reply #3 on:** August 29, 2008, 01:07:54 PM »

SAVE I DON"T OWE! hahaha! Love that!
I have the savio and it's very durable, but basically it's a $300 big plastic bin with a filter pad. We couldn't figure out why it cost so much!

Esther · « **Reply #4 on:** August 29, 2008, 02:34:03 PM »

You are on your way. Try it out and if it doesn't do what you want, tweak it until it does. Mine is a skimmer and a filter so I use a couple layers of filter media/pad in it before the pump. I'm not sure how your bio balls will work because they will be a bear to clean every day or once a week. Here's a link to what I use. I'm not saying this is what you HAVE to use. It's just what I do.
http://krewkut.zoovy.com/c=wpxBHUnVW5T748yDMgQQSq6kR/category/pondfiltermediasale/

The hard part is finding the perfect level in the water that let's in too much water so loses the skimmer effect or doesn't let in enough and the pump sucks it out of the tub too fast because the opening isn't big enough. The other thing we had happen with the 32 gallon, it would float up and we put bricks in to give it enough weight to keep it at a steady level.

Is the drain opening going to be wide enough not to clog up? You will be having leaves, twigs, lily pads and who knows what all floating on your pond. Once there was a plastic shopping bag that blew into my pond and it covered the skimmer opening and of course seeing I had a shutoff float valve on my pump, it probably would have burned up the pump but didn't.

This may sound dumb, but we have a second opening down lower. I think 3" with a mesh basket over it to keep the fish out and it works as a secondary water entrance. My pump is around 3000 gph I think. So it moves a lot of water.

KatFish · « **Reply #5 on:** August 29, 2008, 02:37:46 PM »

What a neat use for the koosh balls! I hope they're not too bad for you to clean. Let us know how it goes!

Esther · « **Reply #6 on:** August 29, 2008, 03:04:17 PM »

I assume your skimmer will be opposite your waterfall so you'll get a good flow going across the pond to naturally encourage floating stuff to head to the skimmer. Where will the water go after it hits the pump?
Just dawned on me your skimmer is outside the liner. HMMMM ???? Like our pool I guess. Just hope your container is large enough to hold enough water to keep the pump going. It seems small. But it's hard to tell from pictures.

reddad35 · « **Reply #7 on:** August 29, 2008, 03:18:38 PM »

30 gallons
I have two layers of filter media on both sides of the bio balls. You can see them in the pre construction pictures. The white bag in that picture is quilting batting as you suggested. The blue is a coarser filter media. My skimmer is simply a skimmer. The filter is just a bonus. This skimmer will attach to the old looking pump. I have 2 100 gallon filter systems behind the waterfalls. I am not really worried about it being THE filtration system. I can remove the inner filter system on the skimmer in one piece and hose them out when cleaning is needed. I chose this container because the center sides are at an angle. I cut the frame to fit into the slot and it holds them in place. I attached the 2 together for easy and non sloppy removal for cleaning. I will have a couple of leaves and evergreen needles going through right now. I keep my marginals trimmed at the sign of drooping.
I plan to anchor this into the ground, not permanently but to hold it in place. Until then I will simply use some fire bricks.
I hope it works too.

reddad35 · « **Reply #8 on:** August 29, 2008, 03:43:13 PM »

Another thing I plan to do Esther is to find out the depth and how it will work inside the pond before I dig into the ground. I will set the whole thing inside and play with it until I find where it needs to be.

PondmaninAL · « **Reply #9 on:** August 29, 2008, 07:03:40 PM »

I made a floating skimmer/strainer. It doesn't filter the small stuff but it don't allow the pump to get clogged. Water that goes through it is pumped into the plant filter. I've got to come up with a filter for the fountain pump. I tried using one pump to run both but the fountain head kept clogging. I may have to break out that 2500 GPH external that I have on stand-by.

Happy ponding,
Scott

marla · « **Reply #10 on:** August 29, 2008, 07:29:14 PM »

reddad35, your tote looks very sturdy, what is it? I used a rubbermaid container but the bottom is now cracked so next year I will have to replace it, plus it tended to bow with the water in it.

lorraine1960 · « **Reply #11 on:** August 30, 2008, 03:37:42 PM »

very ingenius......i love it.....;.another thing i can sreal...what is the box?? is it just a container with a lid or a battery box and cover??? lorraine..

Esther · « **Reply #12 on:** August 30, 2008, 06:39:25 PM »

Sounds like you are on your way. Hope it works well for you. I'd be lost without our skimmer.

Esther · « **Reply #13 on:** September 08, 2008, 08:53:31 AM »

Well, where ya at???

miguynmkoi · « **Reply #14 on:** September 08, 2008, 09:12:41 AM »

Looking good Reddad!

Quote

I made a floating skimmer/strainer.

Scott! Do you have photos or how-to's? I wanted to make a floating skimmer to move around the lily pond. The pads do not allow for good flow.

landey1230 · « **Reply #15 on:** January 08, 2009, 07:29:43 PM »

I was searching DIY skimmers and I like this set up. Reddad, do you have picture of your skimmer in your pond? Did you attach it to the liner?

reddad35 · « **Reply #16 on:** January 09, 2009, 04:01:43 PM »

ACTUALLY, this product still sits in my garage. I had never had a skimmer on any of my ponds. Everyone says you need one badly. I designed this and built it. The grate front of the skimmer was cut out leaving a large opening. I almost dug the hole. I submerged the system into my pond to test it. Everything seemed to be working fine. I almost dug the hole again. I have a net. I almost dug the hole again. If you cut into the liner you are beyond turning back. I almost dug the hole again. Hmm cold is coming soon maybe I should wait.

I am scared to install a product that I designed not knowing if it will work or not. I was excited about talking to people on a site that liked ponding. They actually pushed me to design this. (Not really but they had one so I wanted one too) I would rather wait till spring and do a test cut into another liner to see if it works the way I want before I cut a liner the size of mine. I do not know how deep to place the intake based on the pump. Too shallow and the pump burns, too deep and it doesn't work. This is my delima.

Ok to answer your question no and no. In the spring I plan to test and I will repost.

I was to embarassed to repost on this topic until I tested it. In reality it will work. It is a good setup. The cutting the liner and no return based on height is what is killing me.

miguynmkoi · « **Reply #17 on:** January 09, 2009, 05:14:40 PM »

I recognize your fear to cut into the liner. If you pond is large enough would you be able to just test the skimmer inside the pond first? Just submerge and rest it at water level. If it works well you can then install it permanently...after you dig that hole.

PondmaninAL · « **Reply #18 on:** January 09, 2009, 06:05:34 PM »

Quote from: miguynmkoi on September 08, 2008, 09:12:41 AM

Quote
I made a floating skimmer/strainer.
Scott! Do you have photos or how-to's? I wanted to make a floating skimmer to move around the lily pond. The pads do not allow for good flow.

Annette, I just noticed your post and can't imagine how I missed it. I will have photos and directions for you soon.

landey1230 · « **Reply #19 on:** January 09, 2009, 06:10:12 PM »

I like your honesty, reddad. We need more of that on this planet.

I remember this post from awhile ago and I too would like to make my own. I too would be sketchy attaching it to the liner. I thought about a type of rubber gasket around the opening and sandwiching with liner with another gasket. Link the gasket together with clamps. Instead of a rectangular opening, a large cylinder pvc. How wide is your opening?

reddad35 · « **Reply #20 on:** January 09, 2009, 06:34:48 PM »

The actual attachment is not the problem. The fixture I bought has gaskets and when the plate goes on, the hole would be easy to cut and not leak. I am more worried about height of the intake itself. I cannot move that up and down after cutting for flow and pump needs. (this is the item I did not think of while making this) I need enough water to get in but not too much. Inside the pond this thing floats everywhere so test adjustment is hard. I also had a fear that a heavy rain would make this float after I had planted it behind my liner.

landey1230 · « **Reply #21 on:** January 09, 2009, 08:29:28 PM »

That makes sense. Please keep us posted. If you don't mind, I'd like to pm you with questions when the time comes. Thanks.

Jerry · « **Reply #22 on:** January 09, 2009, 10:48:39 PM »

It looks so clean and professional. It has to work!