Pond Skimmers – Purpose
Caused by their decomposition, leaves, weeds and other debris floating on the surface of the pond water lead to turbidity and moreover promote the growth of algae. Certainly it is possible to remove these impurities with the help of a net from the water´s surface but depending on the season, this method is very time-consuming.
It is far more effective and less time-consuming to use a pond skimmer to do this task. Especially in the autumn season leaves and small twigs are a burden for the pond. Sinking to the pond´s ground they are responsible for the formation of fermentation gases and mud which in the following year leads to an increased growth of algae and green water in the pond.
A pond pump that is connected to the pond skimmer or that is directly installed in the pond skimmer produces a slight current, thus making the water flow towards the pond skimmer.
All dirt particles floating on the surface of the garden pond are sucked in before sinking to the bottom of the pond. Coarse particles accumulate on the pond skimmer´s sieve they can easily and quickly be removed from while cleaning the pond skimmer so that said contaminants do not pollute the pond.
The cleaning should be done regularly so as not to affect the cleaning performance.
There is a difference between a stand skimmer and a floating skimmer.
Stand Skimmer
They are firmly installed in the pond for example by placing gravel inside the stand. The water ring of the pond skimmer that rests on the pond´ s surface easily bridges water level differences of up to 100 mm, so that rain or evaporation do not affect the function of the pond skimmer.
Floating Skimmer
They are floating freely on the water´s surface, thus offering a good possibility to keep clean the large-sized ponds. For ponds that dispose of an extremely large surface it may be necessary to make use of several floating skimmers in order to keep clean the entire surface.
Depending on the type of pond skimmer, it is possible to either pump the water into a pond filter for further purification or to make the water flow directly back into the pond. The pond skimmer provides for an additional enrichment of oxygen in the pond and contributes to reduce the growth of algae.
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