Pond skimmer guide - Help Guides - Swell UK

Pond skimmers are a very worthwhile addition to any pond filtration system.

Whereas a typical pond pump only removes debris that sinks down to the pond floor, floating pond skimmers will remove any surface debris that won't sink, aiding water quality, and improving viewing.

Surface-skimmed water is healthier because any oils or residues are removed, meaning better gaseous exchange. Pollen, petals, dust and leaves are removed too, meaning they exit the system before they break down, and add to the pond's biological load. 

Types of pond skimmer

There are three types of surface skimmer available. 

The first is a box which you actually build into the side of a block built pond. These are popular with koi keepers and they work by being fixed into the wall, and water overflowing into them. They have no prefilter and will need to be connected to rigid pipework, then connected to a separate mechanical filter.

Retro-fitting is tricky, and these are best pre-planned before the pond is built, and as part of a comprehensive koi filtration system.

The next two types are both in-pond surface skimmers, meaning that they can be added or removed at any time, and actually sit in the pond, in the water. One needs to be powered by a separate pond pump (not supplied) and ideally a pond pump with two inlets like the Oase AquaMax Eco Premium.

This then means that just one pump can pull debris from the bottom like it normally would, while at the same time removing floating debris from the surface. It literally is the best of both worlds if wanting maximum filtration capacity, and top and bottom scavenging from just one pump.

Then there is the self-contained floating pond skimmer, like the Swell Pond Skimmer 3000. Self-contained pond skimmers have many advantages including low cost, suitability for almost any sized pond from larger ponds to small ones and they come with their own built-in pump, so can be used entirely on their own and won't affect or necessitate an existing pond filtration system. 

The Swell Pond Skimmer 3000 is also free floating, so it can remove floating debris from virtually any depth of water, as long as it is deep enough for the unit to float without touching the bottom.

How a pond skimmer works

UK law states that pond appliances are not allowed to be sold with pre-fitted plugs, so you'll need to wire the skimmer into an RCD plug, or a certified outdoor safe electrical switch box. Once you've done that familiarize yourself with the product.

The pump sits upside down in the bottom case and pond water is drawn in over the adjust ring before floating waste is trapped in the collection cup. The unit floats by way of three built-in floats, which must be attached before the unit is placed into the pond. 

Before operation

Ensure that the pump and bottom case on the unit are fully submerged and fully tilted before turning the unit on. Without doing this air will be trapped in the base of the unit, forcing it to float higher in the water column, and it won't skim properly. 

So submerge, tilt 90 degrees under the water to release air from the base, turn back the right way up, and switch on. The skimming effect will be immediate, and leaves will be drawn slowly towards the skimmer before overflowing into the collection cup. 

A tether string is supplied, which can be tied around one of the floats, so that the unit can be retrieved easily from the middle of the pond once full of leaves.  

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

This fish is worth $300,000 - New York Post

This fish is worth $300,000 - New York Post This fish is worth $300,000 - New York Post Posted: 05 Jun 2016 12:00 AM PDT With exacting precision, the surgeon inserted the scalpel above the eyeball and cut out a snotty deposit of fatty tissue. The routine eye-lift was nearly complete when suddenly the patient awoke, suffocating, and began to flop about on the table. The audience gasped. Knowing time was of the essence, the surgeon scooped up the patient in his arms, raced across the stage, and dropped her into a tank of water. She revived. Because she was a fish. Yes, fish eye-lifts exist. As do fin jobs and tail tucks. The operating theater was a mall in Jakarta, Indonesia, where a pet expo was under way. As for the patient, she survived, her formerly droopy eyes now bright and perky. A good thing, too, as this was no ordinary goldfish but rather an Asian arowana, the world's most expensive aquarium denizen, rumored to sell for as mu...
Read more

Catching Dory: selling aquarium fish supports coastal livelihoods in Indonesia | npj Ocean Sustainability - Nature.com

Image
Abstract The global marine aquarium trade has created new local markets across the planet, including in Indonesia, now the second-largest exporting country of marine aquarium fish in the world. Participating in the global aquarium trade has been touted as a potentially sustainable addition to fisher livelihoods, but scant data exist showing the numbers of fish coming off the reef and how those fish contribute to income. To determine how participants in the trade incorporate aquarium species in their livelihoods, we examine source-level aquarium fish collecting and trading data in the Banggai Archipelago, a region in Central Sulawesi that has become a significant source for popular aquarium, also known as ornamental, fish species. Using a sustainable livelihoods lens, we examine this data to understand how participants in the aquarium trade both contribute to as well as benefit from the trade and consider how their participation relates to emerging Blue Justice principles. From one year...
Read more

NilocG Launches New Website for the Only All-in-One Thrive Fertilization Solution for Planted Aquariums - PRNewswire

Image
NilocG Launches New Website for the Only All-in-One Thrive Fertilization Solution for Planted Aquariums - PRNewswire NilocG Launches New Website for the Only All-in-One Thrive Fertilization Solution for Planted Aquariums - PRNewswire Posted: 11 Mar 2021 02:00 AM PST ALBANY, Ore. , March 11, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- NilocG launches a new website for planted tank enthusiasts to gather and make THRIVE, a plant fertilizer that assures planted tank aquascapes flourish while eliminating the need for multiple products more readily available online. The company also takes it a step further in the industry, making its flagship product easy to dose, super-concentrated, and an all-in-one solution based on an effective EL dosing method with all essential micro and macronutrients. Continue Reading Thrive fertilizer: North America's most trusted aquarium plant fertilizer Colin Grice , CEO, a self-described planted tank lover, re...
Read more