Tetra Pond In-Pond Skimmer, Skims Pond Debris Before It Sinks, BLACK 13.5 IN

I only take my time to write reviews on things that either really disappoint or impress me. I'm very impressed with this skimmer, both quality and cost. I've had three ponds but have never installed a skimmer either because I'm lazy (at least with the initial install/deign) or cost was an issue. This skimmer is amazing and the only thing I regret about it is not having known about it for my other ponds. Within minutes of installation in a 2k gal pond there was a huge difference. So much so I had to clean it out after a few hours because all the funk it had collected - and I had been regularly netting out stuff before I installed the skimmer. Its been a night and day difference since I've had it in (waiting for a few weeks before writing the review). As time has gone on, I just check/clean it once a week and its still pulling stuff in.Installation was very easy. If you're retro installing you need to find the right spot, which could be a challenge (right depth in the water, accessible for cleanout, level, etc) but if you're planning your pond you could easily design it in. Worked easily with my pump. I have a 1500 gal/hr pump and I just removed the cage and installed the hose directly.Update Aug 2023: So it been a little over a year of having the skimmer, so it’s made it through all the seasons. I still love it but there have been things done to maintain it. First the foam that keeps the trap door floating became water logged and stopped keeping the door up. I just found some packaging foam and cut it to size and it’s working fine again. I also replaced the filter pad that came with it because it was getting tired. Neither issue is huge and it still the key piece of equipment keeping my pond clean.

The media could not be loaded. The TetraPond Skimmer is doing a fine job of removing the leaves and small debris floating in our 800 gallon backyard pond. The attached video shows the skimmer in action.It's made of plastic that seems rugged (not flimsy). The cleaning basket is easy to access (lift cover, remove basket tray).Be aware that fish may occasionally swim inside the skimmer and get trapped. When it happens we safely release them back into the pond when we clean out the basket each day.I recommend that you weigh down the skimmer with an additional heavy rock on top (along with gravel in the corner pockets). This will prevent the skimmer's intake from rising above the waterline and running your pump dry, which might shorten the pump's life. We experienced this issue after a few days use -- lesson learned.I installed the skimmer's water pump on a timer so that it runs for 90 minutes twice a day (early morning and mid-day). I'm using an Alpine Cyclone 3100 pond pump: Alpine PAL3100 3100GPH Cyclone Pump, 33'. The intake of the pump goes to the skimmer using the provided tubing hose. The pump's output has a 10 feet long hose that serves a small waterfall. Overall water flow is decent, but not excessive.Final thoughts: Works well, good value.

I like this skimmer. It's very affordable, and I think it works great for a small pond (under 1,000 gallons). The weir functions well and keeps the surface of my pond clear of large debris and protein filminess. I do have some small comments.First, the filter floss (or sponge or whatever you call it) that comes with the product is not large enough to completely cover the hose outlets (25-30% of the outlets are still exposed). Additionally, the catch basket feels sturdy and seems to be made out of quality plastic, but it doesn't fit perfectly in the bottom over the floss (might be slightly bent from manufacturing process), so there is also a gap between the basket and the wall that debris can slip through and get into the hose that leads to the pump. Most large debris (like full-sized leaves) get caught and held, but smaller debris and pond snails get sucked right in to the pump.Placing more floss underneath the basket to cover the intake can stop things from being sucked into the hose, but it also lifts the basket up so that there is a gap between it and the wall the whole way around--rendering the basket kind of pointless. In my case, this is still preferable to having the whole thing clog with dead snails every few weeks.I think I will try adding some kind of plastic screening directly over the hose opening so that the floss and basket can still sit flat, but anything that gets past them will get stopped before entering the pump.Overall I am very pleased, especially considering how the price compares with some skimmers on the market. I was not expecting to be able to afford one of these at all, and am very happy that I not only have one, but it feels sturdy and well-built.

worked great along with the water fall filter it feeds.protects pump too.I can do a light brushing of dirt gets in pond and the skimmer sucks it up and water is clear in short order.I did put small rocks in corners as suggested, but go figure, birds get in them and know them out. I just replaced with a bit large gravel.great buy

The skimmer idea is a great idea for ponds. This one works really well, sucks everything in, cleared the top of the pond. But it has a major design problem. The pump sucks water out of the skimmer from a very small hole at the base and it constantly clogs and looses water pressure. Everyday I would have to clean out the filter pad because it lost 65% of water pressure.