Why are pond skimmers so expensive?

[@highspiritsfarm781]

Came across your channel while researching for our big wildlife pond build. Your approach is so refreshing and honest. I really appreciate your sharing of experience and knowledge. When I began researching a few years ago, the costs I was quoted to put in a pond were so high why would anyone put in a pond? The prices for everything now are so much worse... But then, doing a little more ‘digging’, with a little effort and a shovel...a pond is now something we can actually create and enjoy! The liner was the biggest cost for sure. But no way to skimp on something we couldn’t afford to have fail. We lucked out on our sources for rocks and stone thankfully. The underlay not too bad since we are on sand base and no real worries on sharp rocks. The other investment beyond all of the bits and bobs is our time. That we are willing to spend on this.💕 Cheers from Canada!🇨🇦

[@Ozponds]

Sounds like you’ve created something special. Everyone deserves a pond 👍

[@TheWritingNomad]

Great advice. I'm planning to add a stream and skimmer to my pond next spring. I've said this before, but I wish I had found your channel before I built my pond.

[@Ozponds]

Thanks Paul. There’s always something I wish I did different.

[@jmo2104]

Thank you thank you thank you! I know I keep coming back here to say that. I'm so close to finishing the digging and now I'm focusing on actually putting together the filtering. Is exactly what I needed to see.

[@Ozponds]

It makes me happy that these videos are helping you 😊👍

[@vivientreacy210]

Can you do a paper drawing of your DIY skimmer, like your easy to follow bog filter paper drawing diagram. Thank you

[@Ozponds]

I’ve tried vivien. I clearly keep failing. I can’t seem to come up with a diagram people can easily understand. Next one I build I’ll try and get photos and video of each step. It’s really very simple to make, hard to draw (for me anyway).

[@paulivanoff1516]

@@Ozponds Yes that would be good You mentioned using additional pond liner to create surface tension. What does that mean How does that work

[@Ozponds]

It’s just a flap of liner. It’s wedged between the rocks. So between the main pond and the bucket. The water must pass over the flap of liner to reach the bucket. The pump is in the bucket. Because the liner is flexible the water level can fluctuate a bit and the water will still force it’s way over the liner into the bucket. You could even use a piece of geotextile or other fabric. Once it’s clogged the water will be forced to pass over the top into the bucket.

[@cbcdesign001]

Another cheap alternative, the Oase Aquaskim surface pond skimmer. Its around £70.00 in the UK, around 135 Australian dollars.

[@Ozponds]

It’s not bad. I personally don’t like how it floats around. I prefer the skimmer fixed and hidden.

[@rickwashek478]

I had my pond for about 28 years. I have found everything sold specific for ponds are grossly over priced. Although prices have come down some over the last few years, but so has the demand for ponds.

[@Ozponds]

Hopefully with increased popularity and more competition prices will come right down. 🤞

[@queendidine]

Love the facts presented and appreciate the time you take for research.

[@Ozponds]

Thank you 👍

[@andysimons1786]

Good advice Kev. I think the great thing about diy is figuring out ways to replicate great products that work. I have a 1300 ltr pond with an intake. I wanted the aquascape pond vault but a little too expensive. I used 1 small aquablox and the pump vault was a 20ltr rectangular jerry can or water storage container for the 'foot' with a circle cut out of the side and a square drum with a hole in the base attached to the top with stainless steel bolts. The lid on the top jerry can allows the pump to be lowered in and out and to inspect of course. Works great.

[@Ozponds]

Fantastic stuff Andy! 👍👍

[@kevinwest8629]

I made my skimmer out of old igloo cooler with rectangular hole attached to pondliner. Bio falls is planter with one side cut about 4 inches down oneside from top for falls and lava rock and water hyacinths for mechanical filtration.

[@Ozponds]

Awesome 👍👍

[@schneelutz]

Great stuff thank you! Do you know Airlift / mommoth pump? A great way to save up on electricity. I am looking to build a pond with an intake bay and floor drain to airlift pumps. Still trying to figure out the intake bay setup

[@Ozponds]

No sorry. I’ve seen some really cool airlift pumps I’ve never built a decent sized one though.

[@nokabros]

Hello from Texas! Your videos have been so encouraging and helpful in maintaining my small pond. I'm hoping you may have some advice on filtration when it comes to ducks. We recently got 3 and struggling to keep the water clear, so any tips would be appreciated. Thank you for the great videos 👍☺

[@kenmcguire2427]

We had 3 ducks in a 10 meter farm pond with no filters... we could see the bottom before the ducks came along... Wow they really do mess up the water quality!

[@Ozponds]

Ducks are notoriously messy! I’ve never kept them but I’ve got lots that vist the pond behind the nursery. I’m not sure how big your pond is? I’d be thinking you’ll need a skimmer or intake bay (they stir up so muck muck just when they wade around in the shallows). I’d also want an easy to flush bog filter and even if it’s a smallish pond a high flow filter with lots of sponges that will trap sediments and can be rinsed off regularly.

[@nokabros]

@@Ozponds thanks for replying! I have about 50% bog but I need more plants.. I will try working on making the bog easier to clean, thx. Happy weekend!

[@joerybicki1679]

I’ve tried all the algecide chemicals and drained my pond several times… then I bought the aquascape copper ion gen. $359.. worked 100%,

[@deanoseadog]

Hey Kev, there's a fish in your skimmer box! Also, I love the videos! I got 2 "goldfish" for my 8yo son which turned out to be Koi so they outgrew their tank in a year, so we just put in a small pond for them a few weeks ago. I'm hoping that buys me a couple of years. Without your videos I don't think it would have been as successful or as cheap. Thanks!

[@Ozponds]

😂 thanks mate 👍 Glad everything worked out.

[@s.w.5349]

Hi Kev, I love the idea of making my own skimmer..Can you explain in more detail what I need to do to the bucket to have the water get drawn into it, I missed how that occurs. I am going to do this.

[@Ozponds]

Have you checked out the other skimmer videos? I’ve had a couple of goes at explaining how the diy skimmer is built.

[@davidriddell3610]

Hi Kev, I'm putting a pond in beside our house (in New Zealand) and am finding your videos really useful. One question, you talk about sealing the skimmer bay with expandable foam - do you need to use the black "waterfall foam", or will any polyurethane-based expandable foam do the job? There's a huge price difference. I guess the black foam is easier to conceal, but could you possibly camouflage the pale brown stuff with sand and gravel?

[@Ozponds]

Any foam will do the job. 👍

[@jmo2104]

Thank you once again for great advice and really nice filming of your gardens/ponds. You put a lot of work into the information you share. I am slowly hand digging my pond. Have actually used it as my physical therapy to heal up my hip replacement and it's been a wonderful journey. Yes it's taking me a very long time hahaha. My biggest barrier now is that because it has taken me a year to dig it the price on the liner for the EPDM rubber has gone up $1,000! No joking no exaggeration. In a year! Oh well, maybe by the time I finish digging the price will have come back down hahaha 😆

[@Ozponds]

What a great effort. Well done 👍. Yes prices are out of control everywhere. I’m not holding my breath that prices come down 😞

[@jmo2104]

@@Ozponds I couldn't agree more. Sometimes I'm just trying to fool myself LOL either way this pond adventure has been interesting , fine exclamation mark i'm 63 year old woman, me and the shovel. I've commented about your wonderful videos before. Thank you again! They are encouraging.

[@Ozponds]

Thank you. It makes me happy to know that my videos have encouraged you. I’m sure your comment will inspire people to get out there and start digging. Again well done! 👍

[@stubbsaquatics6080]

Way more here in 🇨🇦.. I have seen your homemade skimmers before and I like them.. I do not like my skimmer... I will replace or change when I put in a new liner.. I like the idea of pond bay intake.. Great vid

[@Ozponds]

Yes. I love the intake bay. 👍

[@toms510]

In Germany the Oase skimmer cost 150€. And also I get here good quality water pumps with 8000 liter per hour for 70€.

[@Ozponds]

150€ is just under $250 Aussie dollars. Pumps have gotten much cheaper and more efficient over the years I’ve got no problems with pump prices.

[@samchanning22]

Great update Kev I’m building a koi pond and the cost is just sky rocketing not the best when your married to an accountant 😂 can’t wait to do the bog filter and save some pennies as I’m doing a raised pond I found a good skimmer for £50 so that was a bargain but I do like the natural look of your ponds 👍

[@Ozponds]

Nice one Sam 👍 Tell us the brand and model so more people can find it 👍

[@samchanning22]

@@Ozponds it’s a kockney koi wide mouth in wall skimmer 👍

[@Ozponds]

Nice. Thanks Sam 👍

[@xxbladexx4471]

I always ask my self that same question. If is only a plastic box with a hole😂

[@Ozponds]

I know right! I started roughly pricing up equipment for my next pond and I wanted to buy a different skimmer to see how it compared to the aquascape and my diy ones. But there’s hardly anything available here and I just can’t justify the price when I can create something functional for a fraction of the price.

[@LL-fb8wz]

Where does the intake bay pumps send the water? To the bog filter?

[@Ozponds]

Correct 👍

[@MrCites1]

You should try buying the Centipede and snorkel modules!

[@Ozponds]

😂 no thanks. Over $2100 here. I used a barrel and some drainage pipe for mine. All up that was a $30 investment.

[@MrCites1]

@@Ozponds I had a quote of $12k for a sizeable wetland.

[@Ozponds]

Yeap. The components, plus labour and rock it gets out of control pretty quick. Did you end up creating something yourself or pay the 12k?

[@MrCites1]

@@Ozponds Still contemplating. I could easily make one from pvc pipe & a uniseal

[@sc00b3rt]

Try having a saltwater tank or a nice fresh water tank. Anything decent as far as equipment goes is 100's if not 1,000's of dollars. Those prices are pretty cheap considering how much water they service.

[@Ozponds]

I’m happy you find them affordable 👍

[@vin461]

Do intake bays require a liner as well? i am guessing yes but am taking no chances as a pond newbie. thanks

[@Ozponds]

Yes they do. 👍

[@colinestephens2404]

Thanks as always for sharing, good information as usual.

[@juliemathews5115]

$5 basket, $30 pump, filter spong. Works great

[@Ozponds]

Perfect 👍

[@BaZmanScarEcrOw]

the most expensive thing in DIY pond is the liner or the pump itself depending on the flow you're after... everything else can be work around! =)

[@Ozponds]

I agree. I’m just going through the cost on my dream pond build. The liner, underlayment and rock were the killers. Everything else added up but those 3 were the lions share.

[@BaZmanScarEcrOw]

@@Ozponds yeah man and hey... as long as you're happy... it's really worth it in the end. cheers! =)

[@brenthauser]

Also I've considered buying a in pool skimmer for above ground pools off ebay. They are half the price. Same concept though

[@Ozponds]

I thought the same thing. I should try one of those hang on the side ones on my small 1000L pond. It currently has no skimmer.

[@andrzejwolder9819]

Can u meake a fotage how u seal barels with large pipes? Or u dont seal it at all? I mean this barels and pipie at the bottom of bog.

[@Ozponds]

I quite often do. Here’s a video I made a few weeks ago. Cheap DIY pond filter | Solar powered pond & stream kzbin.info/www/bejne/mJavqpWrmrF4qq8

[@DaveJonesAustralia]

I think pond products are priced for what the market will pay. The corporate pond suppliers are probably targeting middle and high income householders, mostly prepared to pay thousands to have a low maintenance pond installed for them. The products are priced for those customers, not for the cost of the moulded plastic unit. WIth respect to Aquascape specifically some of their videos to train their contractors and distributors are online and they speak about the high margins in their installation projects.

[@Ozponds]

I’d say you’re spot on Dave. Seems there’s a gap in the market for a more budget friendly alternative.

[@AaronHahnStudios]

Don't ya just love those patronizing prices like $899! For the sake of a dollar I'd rather be allowed to throw the dollar coin back at their face if they would just say the truth. It's like advertising a car for $49, 990. If someone can afford a 50 grand car, then they are also wise enough to know what the real price is. I'm going the bucket & make it myself idea, & probably get the bucket for free somewhere. Dang I love this channel.

[@Ozponds]

😂 thanks mate. I appreciate your support 👍

[@joerybicki1679]

Agreed, aquascape is the absolute best, …to drive a car it doesn’t need to be a rolls Royce! I did buy their aerator and copper ion gen. I didn’t find any other decent quality ones, ion gen cost me $359 us.

[@Ozponds]

If you’re happy and it works that’s all that matters. 👍

[@xxbladexx4471]

I think is better to do the DIY like you did it works good and very cheap

[@Ozponds]

Right on ✊

[@saeed6811]

The only excuse for why they sell them expensive is DESIGNING AND DEVELOPMENT COST. Other than that there is nothing that should make them so expensive. Your work is brilliant and I am going to do my own ways but some customers are hard to understand. When they see you put modified stuff,they freak out😆. You will cry tears of blood if you are in need to buy stuff for the disabled. They are way more expensive for nothing.they have the same excuse. The other issue with these stuff is that you can't find them locally and shipping from abroad is a total mess.

[@Ozponds]

Yes I feel for you Saeed. Importing product would be difficult. I think if you are doing it for a business you need to stick with the professional grade equipment. Unfortunately it’s just very expensive and the cost needs to be passed on to the customer.

[@saeed6811]

@@Ozponds yes you are right. I am actually giving them options. There are some stuff that we can't avoid. For example the Aquablox. I got from china 100 units big and small 50 each. Also some epdm liner that came with the excavator, wheel loader and the trailer. For skimmers, I will not order abroad unless customers wants. I will be using sawage pipes (16inch with caps or corrugated pipes) to make mini intake bays and bog filters to gate away with skimmers, pump vaults and centipedes. They will work just fine with almost the same life span. I agree with you that these water features should be affordable to everyone. I hope these companies will see our struggles and make things easy for us and everyone else.

[@Ozponds]

Good man Saeed 👍

[@lagodepiedras]

Excelente 👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@smithmiesterman]

if you search for swiimming pool standard wall skimmers there cheaps as chips!, i bought and run two off these for £60 ;)

[@Ozponds]

Nice 👍

[@saintpaul3055]

How deep is your aquascape pond?

[@Ozponds]

60cm or 2ft

[@mumofboysx5]

Do you have a Facebook page where we could seek advice?

[@Ozponds]

No sorry. With making the videos, responding to comments, maintaining the website, emails, etc. it’s just too much.

[@mumofboysx5]

@@Ozponds no worries thanks anyway will keep looking through your videos in the hope I figure it all out🤣🤣

[@BitsOfInterest]

Oh my... For $700 each (that's how much the biggest one is now) I can fail a lot of times trying to build my own 😂

[@Ozponds]

It’s too much for a plastic box!

[@brenthauser]

Your the best Kev!! Thanks for all the info you share for us broke mf!

[@Ozponds]

😂 thanks mate. Someone’s gotta look out for the coin deprived 👍

[@alexwild3760]

I make pond for hobby and. I make myself

[@Ozponds]

Nice 👍