Having never installed a skimmer before, this was a learning experience. Fortunately, the product made the job much easier than I expected. Not saying there weren't a few hassles but again, much easier than I thought it would be. The box has a very simple design and is roomy enough in the back to hold my submersible pump down at the bottom under the brushes and also my submersible canister. A few tips...
When you dig your skimmer hole, make sure the mound in front goes flush with the front of the skimmer face. The instructions show it protruding out but I don't see the benefit of this and there is a chance it could hinder the skimmer door from opening and closing
Also, when you cut your liner where the skimmer will hook up (scary I know) try to be as accurate as possible of course but don't make such a big deal about being too accurate. I think it's better to cut the opening a bit smaller than anything else because it is imperative you have enough liner there to clamp into the opening.
The silicone they give you is kind of a hassle to work with. I found it got everywhere but as long as you glob enough around the edge of the perimeters (between where the screw holes are and the edges it should seal good enough. You'll find they give you plenty so don't worry about it running out. Also, when you go to screw the clamp down over the liner, make sure your liner doesn't slip out as this will prevent sealing. Keep it pushed in nice and snug on top and bottom before you puncture the liner with the nail and run your screws through.
Lastly, if you've got a nice Firestone 45 mil liner like I do, you'll find it somewhat difficult to drive the nail through (make sure your lined up to the holes right and not ramming the nail against the side of the skimmer box itself) and you'll find it even more difficult to push the bolts through the small holes made by the nail. In my opinion, this is a good thing. It means your liner is nice and sturdy and the holes are tight enough to keep a good seal there where the liner meats the bolt. Just make sure you hold your placement of where you punctured using the nail until you get the bolt lined up with your other hand before pulling the nail out because it can be difficult to see once you remove the nail. Use some gloves and apply as much pressure as you can by hand to push the bolts through. Again, make sure you're lined up right with the screw and the holes in the box.
My ~1000 gallon pond is currently crystal clear with this skimmer, a 1500 GPH pump, and a basket of lava in my waterfall. I'm tripling the size of my pond this fall, and I doubt I will have to change the filtration system one bit.
This is a bit flimsier than I thought it would be, but once it's in the ground it seems sturdy. It's a lot bigger than I thought it was going to be, too. My fish constantly swim into it, but I don't think there's much that can be done about that (since many of my fish are smaller than leaves), and it doesn't do them any harm. Besides fish, it has completely rid my pond of leaves, both on the surface and underwater (It catches them before they sink). Previously leaves were a huge problem that required daily maintenance, as my pond is in a wooded area.
There is plenty of flow to prevent the pump from running dry, even when I let it go for a couple weeks without emptying the nets. I installed a float switch on my pump to be safe, but it probably isn't necessary.
Best of all, though this seems horribly over-priced for what it is (I was underwhelmed when I received it), it's much cheaper than other manufacturers' pond skimmers. I reasoned that since this was easier to use and required less maintenance than my attempts at home-made sump boxes, and that my time is worth money, this skimmer is a bargain.
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This is working out great for my backyard fish pond that we recently expanded. You will need to freguantly check the debris net and empty it. Be aware the fish sometime like to swim in here also.
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This is a great skimmer that is about 1/2 the price of the same skimmer at the pond store. This is pretty simple to install and comes with good directions and works great in the bigger pond. I would dig the hole a couple inches higher with the rest of the pond so that you can maintain a higher water level in the pond while still having it to the max fill line on the skimmer, if it goes above this line the door will shut and the skimmer will not suck in the water. We didnt factor this is and have to pump water out after heavy rains so the skimmer continues to work, but that was user error and not the skimmers fault. In the beginning the dumb fish would swim in and couldnt figure out how swim out but it has a net that catches them from going any further and the smart fish swim in and out with ease. Now that we have had it in for a couple months everyone gets the hang of it and gets in and out without me having to bail them out.
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Have a 500 gallon pond/waterfall works great very simple to install great product buy it. No issues as advertised what else is there to say?
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If you don't have to go to the big box store why do you.....I can buy 2 for the price of one and ships directly to my house
