Pond skimmer vs intake bay vs negative edge

[@randygreen007]

Where have you been all of my pond life? I have binge watched several of your videos and I keep hearing you call yourself a lazy person. I’ve got a news flash! Ain’t nobody that’s looking at all these ponds of yours and thinking for a second that you’re lazy! Maybe the time you’re saving from the daily maintenance by using this ingenious method of skimming is being applied to the actual building of the lush landscape surrounding these monstrosities! Absolutely beautiful work!

[@Ozponds]

😂 thanks Randy. I’m glad you’re enjoying the vids 👍

[@jvincent2870]

This is perhaps the most informative DIY pond channel I’ve seen yet! Great for those of us who want to create beautiful ponds without spending tens of thousands of dollars…

[@LC-hf3rk]

Thank you,I have finally added a bog filter to a pond that I have had for 15 years+ and for the first time in its history I can clearly see my fish and bottom of the pond so clearly! your videos were the most informative I've come across over several years and without all the "hey KZbin" BS. great work and keep them coming

[@Ozponds]

That’s great! That’s my aim 👍

[@tjav001]

I look forward to your videos. I actually went to a local store that sold used barrels but they were way to big for the desired application. Thank you for all the knowledge.

[@Ozponds]

Thanks. I’m glad you get something out of them 👍

[@olegpavlov9717]

Hi Kev! Just realized that I missed this vid. Another great one. I built a negative edge in my medium size pond. I am absolutely agree with you and all what you say. I only can add that from my point of view neg edge has a couple more advantages and cons. Good: - auto filling with water is not needed, in my region all evaporation is compensated by rains - less work for the filter because debris are removed from water - reservoir works as a sedimentation chamber Bad: - harder too build (you need to properly calculate a reservoir size, be much more precise during construction to get a proper water level) - yes you can loose small fish (I lost several goldfish but koi are fine with it)

[@Ozponds]

Awesome Oleg. 👍

[@olegpavlov9717]

@@Ozponds thanks Kev! Check out one of my koi last night kzbin.infoEHlNGSZ4WBI?feature=share

[@MikeyDreamerLam]

Helpful and informative video as always Kev, love checking out your beautiful ponds too.

[@Ozponds]

Thanks mate 👍

[@bosshawk36]

Kev-or -aka..Ozzy.. #1-on u-tube wit pond- diy/content !!! Things only vary based on ur region- -make’s-it ur own diy/project-great💡’s-always

[@nassalspray77]

This channel is amazing

[@Ozponds]

Thanks Evan 👍

[@macccaaaaaaa]

I'd love an intake bay but short on space. The aquascape skimmer looks feature riched but pricey, biggest concern for me is fish safety though. Do you think removing the weir door would make it more fish friendly but still provide effective skimming action? I wish we had more options here in Aus. I really like the look of those helix skimmers with the floating basket/weir

[@Ozponds]

I think the helix are just as expensive maybe even more so. But yeah I like the look of them. Removing door does make it more fish safe and does reduce efficiency. My goldfish are able to swim in and out with the skimmer door on.

[@thack2502]

With the DIY Skimmer you said you added filter foam to protect the pump (and also as a form of imechanical filtration). With the intake bay do u still use this foam ? Or do either 1) you rely on the bog filter for the mechanical filtration as well ? 2) Add some other easily cleaned mechanical filtration (eg bin with foam) before the bog filter ?

[@Ozponds]

The intake bay is filled with rock and pebble. It’s basically another bog filter except the water is pulled down instead of pushed up. With that said the larger solids cannot pass through the pebble, so that larger stuff can be netted out. The smaller stuff will pass through and settle in the bottom of the bog filter for future removal. No sponges. Hope that helps.

[@critter4662]

Do you recommend anything particular for ducks? I have 10 ducks and 2 geese I want to build a pond for. I don’t have a lot of money but I have plenty of space. I want to add plants and make it nice but I mostly want to provide the birds with proper enrichment while also keeping my sanity.

[@Ozponds]

DIY Duck pond with bog filter kzbin.info/www/bejne/nobCi3mha8qYe8U

[@habibmasturakhan480]

Hi Kev. Thanks for the video. I watched your video on diy skimmer but I can't clearly understand how to build the bucket one. Do you have other videos or diagrams

[@Ozponds]

I’ve tried to explain this diy skimmer a few times. It seems I’m terrible at doing it, quite a few people haven’t understood. The pump just sits in the bucket, the flap of liner is anchored between to large rocks. This creates a shallow, narrow channel that the water needs to move through to reach the pump and that’s what creates the pull of water, which is the skimming action. I hope that helps.

[@stevecrawford333]

how do you keep the intake bay from being the water filter and mucking up

[@Ozponds]

It is a filter. It needs to be cleaned from time to time. The more you net it the less often you need a bigger clean.

[@inspectorseb2887]

When you dig the pond, do you have to make it in a way that it slopes towards the skimmer/intake bay or do you keep the surface level throughout the pond and just let the pump do the work?

[@Ozponds]

No. Because the skimmer pulls water off the surface a slope is unnecessary. If you were pulling water off the bottom then you could add a slope.

[@inspectorseb2887]

@@Ozponds ahh I see. Hope I'll be able to start doing the backyard pond project soon. Your videos really helped me prepare all the stuff I need. Cheers!

[@rosaotero6526]

Hello, new subscriber and great videos I’m obsessed and been binging on watching all your videos! Haha 😂 Question; I have a 2 tiered stone fountain that I’d like to use. Can I make a pond like this with a 2x tiered pond in the middle or side?

[@Ozponds]

Course you can 👍

[@rosaotero6526]

@@Ozponds ok thank you 😊 instead of buying more bubblers I thought of repurposing these fountains for airflow and esthetics too 😀 much love ❤️ from Sunny California

[@MrWillman49er]

Awesome video as always! Is it possible to add an intake bay after a pond has been made? I would like to add one in but it would mean having to use another piece of liner. Cheers.

[@Ozponds]

You can seam liners together. I’ve only done it a couple of times and I hate it! It’s so stressful. You could potentially build it inside the existing liner.

[@cynthiaskaggs6645]

Love your videos! So informative and easy to understand! We are currently building our dream swimming pond but are a little overwhelmed at all the info and options. We already have an elevated area about 3Ft higher than the pond where we have a very large, hard plastic cattle trough that we’d like to turn into a bog filter and have it overflow back into the pond via a waterfall. I’m unsure where to suck the water OUT of the pond though? Would you recommend adding an intake bay at the opposite end of the pond where the water can then be pumped to the bog filter? Is it overkill to have an intake bay and a bog filter? The cattle trough we have is 2ft deep and 9ft diameter. Our pond will be 17ft x 30ft in total. swimming area= 15ft x 24ft surrounded by shallower area for plants.

[@Ozponds]

Definitely not overkill to have an intake bay and a bog filter. I would highly recommend it.

[@ciderfieldslabradoodles2680]

Looks like you have use basalt rock like ours, did you find they released alot of nutrients ofr quite a long period of time, we are nearly two years in and algae and nutrients havnt stabilised yet. Most of our rocks were excavated, though some were from the surface of our land. any thoughts much appreciated.

[@Ozponds]

Yes it does take a while for the nutrients to leech out.

[@ciderfieldslabradoodles2680]

@@Ozponds How long have you found it takes to stabilise? ours is around 200m2 and about 200K ltr 2.5 deep

[@Ozponds]

@@ciderfieldslabradoodles2680 I find an ecosystem style pond can take up to 3 years to balance and of course every pond is different.

[@64shartman]

So I assume you just pump the water into the top as I did not see in the video an inlet to the filter system?

[@Ozponds]

The pumps sit inside all these systems. That sucks the water in.

[@Brad-lt4lw]

Hi Kev.....if l install an intake bay...do l need to pump the water through a wetland/Bog filter as well?

[@Ozponds]

I would. But it depends if you don’t want any fish..maybe not.

[@habibmasturakhan480]

I have a similar pond to your 1000l. Mine is about 1500l. Is a skimmer necessary and if the fish pop and debris fall to the bottom is the sludge harmful . Will the debris and poo eventually be broken down or not

[@Ozponds]

No the sludge isn’t harmful and yes it will be broken down inside the pond. The pump will deposit some sediment in the filter so just make sure it’s easy to clean. My 1000L has no skimmer.

[@zeakwildfire3936]

Not the right video to ask this question but I haven't seen you make any videos relevant to the question. After watching your videos I put a small pond in for my parents. I want to expand the pond this spring and I'm going to put a wood bridge over a section of the pond. I bought pressure treated wood but I'm concerned about this killing the fish when it rains on it and it drips into the pond. Do you have any experience with pressure treated wood and ponds? Your videos are very informative. Thanks kev.

[@Ozponds]

The plinth board around my small goldfish pond is treated pine. I built that one in 2017. Haven’t had any problems. Hope that helps 👍

[@MonkeyKing3333]

Hey Kev (I'm not sure if you've already covered this topic) I'm getting destroyed by mosquitos from my pond. I think they're breeding in the creek section I have flowing into the main pond. Any tips on getting rid of them? Cheers mate. Hope your well. 👍

[@Ozponds]

Do you see larvae in the creek? In my experience I’ve not found them in moving water. I’ll find them in birdbaths, plant dishes, puddles but not my ponds. Where are you based? If you’re in Oz we’ve had a ton of rain this summer and the mozzies are out in full force. In my experience it’s more likely they are breeding in the surrounding environment than a healthy, moving pond. There are some products you could try like “nomoz”. But like I said I’ve not tried it as I’ve not had a mosquito problem. Hope that helps and good luck 🤞

[@MonkeyKing3333]

@@Ozponds I'm in NSW. They are definatly concentrated round the creek section. They might just be ambushing me from there then and breeding somewhere else. Il check for larvae and clear out any still spots. Cheers mate. Thanks for the quick reply.

[@Ozponds]

Anytime 👍

[@Honda3737gs]

zac i had a the same problem with loads of mosquitoes around the pond. what i done was plant loads of potent herbs (lavander, mint, rosemary and corriander) around the edges of the pond and theres hardly any mosquitos now. they hate the scent. alot of people to this by tge windows and doors by their house for tge same effect.

[@MonkeyKing3333]

@@Honda3737gs That would be a nice addition to the garden. Thanks Il give it a go. 👍

[@mrpucklepops4447]

Im dying too see a pondless waterfull project , on the cheap, using them soakaways you mentioned in your last video. I've been watching aquascape videos forever and it costs thousands, really unrealistic for us common folk 😂

[@Ozponds]

I’m pretty keen to build one. But first I want to do a narrow stream and pond after the dream pond (aim is it all looks connected). That will then finish off the front yard landscape. Then I want to do a pondless in the courtyard.

[@AaronHahnStudios]

So .. a "negative edge" system is also somewhat "Negative" for the fish, who go over the "Edge"... how Ironic 😄

[@Ozponds]

😂 it can be. Yes.