How to build a Fish Pond - Part 7 | Pond Skimmer Installation & Leveling
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- Опубліковано 6 жов 2024
- Installing your Pond Skimmer is a critical part of building your pond. Learn proper leveling installation techniques used by professional builders. Once your skimmer is installed, leveled and back filled you can begin installing rock in your pond.
The goat makes this a whole lot less stressful
Christina Clark Billy Jean is fun!
you are doing a great job of educating others, no one else does this, they don't tell there secrets the tips and tricks for building a successful pond, i love this series thank you
Yes we still plan on public seminars! Yes I still love tamales!! Glad you love the Helix! It is my passion. I will hook up with you over the weekend. I am working 12 to 16 hour days during the week and we had the short week last week to honor our Fallen Heroes. I'll hit you up very soon. Thank you in advance for your patience.
Billie Jean is typically roaming the yard around the time of filming. She can come and go as she pleases. She continues to photo bomb me on the set. She is becoming THE star, so I've been told.
We are in love with the goat
Fantastic! Come and visit her at our Pond Shop Headquarters. She travels back and forth to work with my wife 5 days a week! Everyone loves taking selfies with her!
A pond skimmer will pull all of the wind blown debris off the top of your pond and help keep the pond clean. If you didn't have a skimmer on your pond, leaves that hit the pond would sink to the bottom of the pond and become food for algae. A good pond skimmer is a mandatory piece of equipment on a backyard pond in my book!
We have populated the property with them! We love it!
Eric, how's it going Bud. No more public seminars? So I can bring some tamales! Hey bro love the new helix. I sent you a request for a pond design this past week. Will call you. Awesome work on the videos bro.
Great videos man. Just got a job at a pond supply company and this is very helpful.
Thats great you are officially in the business! What pond Supply place are you working at? Let me know!
I would establish water level from a bench mark like the edge of a patio, walkway, or your major destination point. From that benchmark set the top of the Helix Pond Skimmer at the same height as your benchmark. Your water level will then be 2" below your destination point. Great Look! The Helix skimmer has plenty of wiggle room so no need to worry here if you are off an inch up or down. Set the vortex chamber at 40" below your benchmark and you should be golden. Always work off your benchmark.
When/Where do you show how to connect the plumbing?
I've been wanting to put in a pond since I bought my house 8 years ago, but I keep getting intimidated on starting and running into problems. These videos are great. Thanks for the education. I'll be referencing these videos often as I hopefully get started on my pond finally this summer.
Go For It!!!
I wish you were still making videos
Still best instruction videos on UA-cam
Eric, again, thank you for being not only so professional but extremely informative! I only have one question right now. We have a tree that is over our pond and yearly it has created a lot of leaves that drops in to it. Will the skimmer be able to take care of that? Thanks!
Here to report that yes, it will take care of the leaves but substantially cause more net cleanings!
Do you sell a goat with every kit??? lol love it..
The music has been known to put a fright in some people. Catches you off guard, wakes you up and gets your attention. Right?
Part 8 is up! 1 of 2! We will have Part 8 (2 fo 2) up tomorrow so stay tuned! Part 9 is up!!! Tomorrow we are filming parts 10, 11, 12, 13, & 14!!!! Brace yourself!
I have been watching through your videos and construction series- I really appreciate the information that you are giving. Works look great.
(love the goat!)
Thanks for watching! The goat is a family pet. her name is Billie Jean.
When will you be posting part 8? We will be working on our pond this week and this is so helpful!
So far so good on Goat Proof! I'll let you know!
Thank you for the comment. On the other side of the bamboo fencing there are 25 aquatic plant grow out planters filled with chorus tree frogs. ;)
This pond's gonna be the best in town!
where do I find part 2? I missed the tubing from skimmer to waterfall
ERIC !!!! That goat is eating the pond liner ! LOL ! And again at 3:50... I think the goat is drinking the PVC glue ! But OK, another great video. Thank you sir ! Two pond/ waterfall jobs in one week out of the blue... guess I'm building ponds now !
Yes Billie Jean is a trouble maker, but she adds the element of surprise!
We will be filming the plumbing of the pump in the skimmer this coming weekend. Stay Tuned!
You are going to want a minimum target flow rate of 3000 gallons per hour but depending on your waterfall you may go for 4500 gph! We are revealing our direct drive submersible pumps over the winter! Stay tuned!!!
You’re amazing to give your time and knowledge…thanks you !
Eric, I bought a helix pond skimmer for my new pond construction, approx. 7000gallons, also using a Vortex 7500 settling chamber. The Vortex is recommended to be set at 38" below the water level, would you recommend that I establish the water level 2 inches below the Helix, then pull my line from there for the vortex, or set the vortex, then put the helix in a little below the optimum depth to give me a little wiggle room on water level?
We install The Helix Pond Skimmer that is fish friendly. The fish can find their way in and then find their way out.
Thank you so much for your videos! Because of you and your info I'm taking the plunge.
buba2isatosa You are welcome! Thanks for watching!
Me too buba. I just couldn't decide if I wanted a goat or not, but I too have decided to get one
Very inspired me. I literally started digging next day. The skimmer top is even level as the ground of edge of your right hand u mentioned??? Thanks! Very helpful!
She's a real crowd pleaser!
Dude that goat heron is already stalking your pond!!!
love the goat shots eating liner and sifting through garbage
How far away are you from a larger pond/lake? Love hearing the frogs in the back ground. My little preformed pond has a bullfrog in it :-) Thank you for your videos so far they are the best, will be adding a larger pond, then will turn the preformed into a bog. PS love the pygmy goat adorable.
Eric,love your very informative video's.
i really like the Helix shimmer, going to change over to it in the spring. What pump do you suggest for the skimmer, my pond size is approx. 2300gl, 15 koi. Thanks
Hello from UK. I love this youtube series and i built myself a pond based on the tips you have shared in these videos. Thank you so much for sharing. Currently i have one small issue. My fish keep going in the skimmer due to some reason. Can this cause any issue? And is there a way to stop this??
The goat is eating the liner when your not looking :)
pjos111 The goat is baaaaaaaaad!!! bahahahahah!
OMG that goat is so funny. Just casually eating the liner.
Embrace The Helix Nation!
why did you not set the skimmer before the rubber was in place?
+Brenda Wester You certainly can but this allows me to set the skimmer back even further if I want to because I can see how much extra liner I have available to work with once the liner is set in place. Good Question.
That goat is adorable !
A good kit? What is your budget?
I've been watching your videos for a while and they're great..I have a question..I noticed you didn't decide to put a bottom drain in this pond ..is it because it didn't need one? When does a pond need one and when does It not? I have small pond I'm building and I'm following all your instructions I put in my skimmer but I'm debating whether I should put in a drain..thanx!!
Does the tube that connects the skimmer to the waterfall passes under the pond? Or wherelse? Thanks!
I have an additional water source entering the pond area. There is a drainage pipe that is used as an overflow catch basin for the rain barrel system. Now, to complicate matters, these rain barrel systems are also receiving excess water from the sump pump located in the basement. There is plenty of water throughout the year, but it isn't consistent or predictable. I'd like to create a bench where this drainage pipe enters the pond area without the liner. Instead, I will invest in river pebbles to allow the water to enter. The other benches will be set as you suggested and the deepest part will be 36" due to Michigan freezing temperatures. What I would like to know is at what depth would I set the pond skimmer? If I know for sure the water will remain all year round.. will this cause the skimmer extra wear and tear if water doesn't enter it as expected? I know that our water table is naturally high (hence the sump pump) so is it okay to only line a portion of the pond so that I can retain water in the summer months? I know this is very complicated question, so I appreciate any guidance you can offer me.
hahah..I'm watching these with the sheer purpose of researching for my husband..and that dang goat keeps distracting me hahaha
Rocking in the pond is one of my favorite stages, only rocking in the waterfall tops it for me.
First off thank goodness I found your videos!!! I was so discouraged after trying to figure out what all I needed. Anyways the pond I have started is nothing as big as I see you make, but its about 6' wide by 10'6" long the deepest part right now is 18". We weren't going to use a skimmer because that's what we were told that around here (NM) they didn't help much. I wanted to use this pond for a dog pond as well.... Advise on skimmer? 18" deep enough for a fish hide away? The liner we bought is 10x15. Pump size? HELP!!!
Jessica Adkins Jessica!!!!! You if you are in NM you need to look up Oasis Aquatics in Santa Fe. They are THE go to Pond Place in that state. I would absolutely add a skimmer to the pond and would suggest going deeper in one section of the pond than 18" even if it's primarily a dog pond. You can do at least an 8' x 11' pond with a two foot deep section. The pump size will depend on your skimmer selection, waterfall and filter plans. Call Oasis Aquatics ASAP and tell them The Pond Digger sent ya!!!
THANK YOU! I think some contractors might be getting annoyed at us! Oh well! Enjoy!
We are putting in two ponds that will be connected by a canal that will have a bridge over it. One pond is higher than the other which will cause the water level to be low in the pond that is on higher ground. My question is, would it be better to dig down the higher pond or raise the lower one to get an even water level in both ponds. If you can answer, thank you. Love the videos and your wife's goat Billie Jean. :)
I would prefer the ponds to be level. Consider raising the lower pond. It is a great look if executed correctly.
Thanks for your reply. Will do. We are going to start on the first set of shelves now. We watched all your videos, and are replaying each one as we go. Much thanks for all your videos.
hi, sorry to bother, your videos have been a great help but I have a question, before you put the skimmer did you put anything below it? or is the ground and the skimmer making direct contact? thanks I hope you can get to my question
Ground and skimmer are making direct contact. We did make great compaction.
Eric, I love your Helix fish safe skimmers, but Billie Jean is a movie star!! I want her to be in our videos, does she have an agent??
Eric,I love your series. I am building a 14X16 pond and was wondering was is the best way to level across it when there is no straight edge long enough to use with my 4' level, I have a String level would that work or would you recommend a water level? or just buy a long 2x4 for that purpose
Calvin Lindsey String levels and water levels are perfectly fine. I think a nice straight long 2x4 or 2 x 6 is quicker and easier to work with. Do what makes you feel the most comfortable.
Those contractors are just scared of the nation, The Helix Nation!
Do you like ponds? Koi? Waterfalls? Maybe that's why.
Hi PondDigger.... I built a waterfall pond just like this, and I am adding an addition onto my current original pond. I am adding another waterfall that will flow into a small stream that flows into my current original pond. So I need to add a 2nd pump in my existing pond so that I can pump water into the new waterfall and into the stream that flows back into my original pond.
What is the best way to do this? Would you recommend adding a 2nd skimmer for the pump to sit in? And if so, how would I go about adding a skimmer onto an existing pond which has a limited liner around the edge?
Thank you!
+jason mathias Good question. Adding an additional pond skimmer would depend on the size pond you are doing. Here is a video link of us replacing a skimmer on an old pond with tight access to give you can idea of how the retro fit would work.
ua-cam.com/play/PLqM5Qn1K_DPwsKS46a71EEKn-EYbXMHjo.html
We have added submersible pumps into the pond with either a protective cage on the pump or installed in a pump vault. hope that helps.
Thanks! I also had the idea that I could add an external pump by placing the piping into my existing skimmer and running it to the external pump which would run to the waterfall. I'd just have two pumps attached to the same skimmer. The submersible which is already there and the external which I would add.
Do you think this would be a better solution and do you have a video on an install of this nature?
Whats up with the goat?
Alecia Sorensen The goat is a fun stage prop and a family pet.
Alecia Sorensen Asking the important questions
Hey Eric, I was wondering how far a waterfall filter should be from the edge of the pond to build a natural looking waterfall. Is there some type of "Golden Ratio" between height of the waterfall weir and the distance to the edge of the pond? Thanks Tom
Eric, trying 2 stay natural with a Permaculture Design factor in my pond project. Is skimmer absolutely required? Pond Care Calculator says main pond roughly 17,000 gallons. I have two lower ponds being gravity feed thru 2" pipe from main pond. A solar sump pump pushes rain and reed bed overflow from 3rd pond to high point on the landscape, rehydrating soil, eventually filtering back into main pond through a ground level spillway. Main pond feed by rain gutter catch and a grey water reed bed.
You cover the spillway with the liner? Hope you show the hose set up.
Good day. thank you very much for the videos! They have explained so much. I built a pond on my own, its about 2 feet deep, 3 metres long and about 1 metre in width with 2 levels. my first level goes right around the pond, the second level is just a ledge really and the last level is the floor. I don't have a ledge close to the top to help balance rocks around the surface to cover the liner and I'm wondering if ill have to redo everything! I also have a waterfall that I built but doesn't cascade very well and a lot of the water runs in between the rocks before trickling into the pond. my pipe leading to the waterfall is very visible as it is joined to a pump water circulator that I modiefied to filter the water. Do you have any advice? I would like to sort it out before my husband and I host Christmas and would also prefer not to spend anything more on the pond. Please help.
dang that's a nice skimmer
the goat is eating the layer
When do you hook up the plumbing to the skimmer? Also, didn't see you hook up the waterfall plumbing in detail in the beginning of the video. Do you dig a trench by the skimmer to hide the plumbing? The tubing goes from the skimmer to the waterfall correct?
+jason mathias Yes simple plumbing from the skimmer to the waterfall. We did drop the plumbing below grade.
@@ThePondDigger is the small float on the skimmer so that if its low you can add water automatically?
The goat is back!!!! lol
Eric - How do you keep your fish from finding their way into the skimmer?
what would be better to start a small fishery .... two or three 8x11 feet pond ..or a 40x30 feet pond... I'm thinking of keeping Indian mix carps
are there any videos that demonstrate the drainage/plumbing process?
I don't think we have a link to a video demonstrating overflow drainage. If you have a specific need, email me directly and I will see if I can assist you in your situation. eric@theponddigger.com
Hey, I have a question. For the skimmer leveling, does it have to be exactly leveled? Or would you want it to tilt forward a little bit? Thanks!
shout outs to the goat!
Is a skimmer mandatory?
+jacob eaton In my book, yes.
@@ThePondDigger why? i dont have a copy of your book. thanks
YEAH!!!
Do you need water pump inside the skimmer when you use external pump
So do you suggest that the pond water level should be 2 inches below the top edge of the pond grade?
I have a question. I have added a water feature to an existing pond, the lowest pond of three. I added a small pump to the middle pond for supplying water to the new waterfall. Also in the lower pond is a skimmer and a large pump for bringing the water back to the top pond. I am having difficulty getting the water level accurate. The lower pond either over flows or the pump goes mostly dry. I'm not sure what to do about it.
This guy runs his crew like a champ.
Hi Eric
Im based in UK and we have clay is this ok to install straight into clay as your videos show can I set it back from the pond so I can cover it in rocks or is that a wrong move, I have a Certikin HD100 which is a swimming pool skimmer which I bought from a Kio pond supplier and are used in the UK for ponds
Just watching to see what the goat's up too lol
Hey that goats eat in your pond liner. Haha
I'm planning on installing a 220 gallon preform pond for a water garden in my yard. (I know you are probably cringing at the thought. LOL) Do you recommend using a pond skimmer for such a small "pond."
No
What can I do if I want two skimmers? Set them side by side, or what? I will have two separate external pumps, one recirculating to the bottom pond and one pulling from the second skimmer in the bottom pond and going to a top pond. The top pond then returns to the bottom pond by way of a stream.
My question is why is there a baby goat A BABY GOAT!
the goat is eating your liner mate
Do all skimmers need to have a weather level of two inches below the top?
I've got a skimmer/bulkhead fitting disaster. I have a little giant SK10 and had it level and ready to begin plumbing. I drilled the hole in the lower bottom drain port for a 3" bulk head without looking at it closely enough first. The inside of the skimmer has an angle and the bulk head won't tighten down fully, at least not by hand. I was thinking a silicone bead on each side of the fitting and a couple of wrenches to take up where I lack in strength. Any suggestions?
Would you need a skimmer for a goldfish pond? Thanks!
Is it a must to put a skimmer in a pond that is maintained on a daily basis?thanx again
william counciljr It is not a must to build a pond with a skimmer. Ponds with skimmers are cleaner and easier to maintain.
Can you layer liner on top concrete block or cement
How many days do you use to build this pond
I Did not see how you attached plumbing and electrical to this? Is there another video?
How do you think this liner would do with saltwater?
is that a goat or a dog in the back round
+Sandy townsley Billie Jean The Goat!
Has the goat ever ate any thing u guys where using?
I do have one nagging question... are the pond liners goat-proof? 1:00
Do you need a skimmer and a filter?
cute baby goat in the past 2 vids
Frogs can’t wait ! Lol
Do you come to eastern PA to install ponds?
so what about evaperation what if the water goes below the skimmer im having that problem in summer evaporation then it burns my pumpout