Equipment Variations
Different types of equipment may or may not be found in your pond. This is a basic look at what you may find.
Wondering if we sell equipment? We install equipment when we are on Sergvice Calls or Projects. We do not have a retail store.
The Skimmer
Your pond may or may not have a skimmer. It is usually found across from the waterfalls. It generally has a fake rock for a lid and inside you will find:
- A basket or net that catches debris being sucked in. It literally skims off the top of the water (catching floating things like leaves).
- The pump. The pump sits below the basket and the filter pad.
- A filter pad. A type of mesh that catches finer debris. It needs to be hosed out about once a week. Make sure it fills the space completely. If there is a gap, the water will take the path of least resistance and bypass it completely.
- The pond in the picture on has a skimmer right behind a piece of driftwood. You can see the fake rock lid.
Here is a cross section of a skimmer. This skimmer has a basket, then a green filter pad and the pump sits below that.
This photo of a skimmer gives a look at the basket. A skimmer may have a basket, a net or even bristle brushes that hang down.
The Biofall
The Biofalls sit at the top of the waterfall and is often hidden. It may have a variety of filter material in it including Bioballs, lava rocks, or filter pad. This is where the water is piped to and then cascades down to the pond. This is avery important piece of equipment that provides biological filtration to keep the water clean!
This cross section of a Biofalls shows bioballs in bags and 2 filter mats. notice the round opening at the bottom (on the right), that is where the pipe comes in bringing water from the skimmer. 
Do we sell Equipment?
Wondering if we sell equipment? We install equipment when we are on Sergvice Calls or Projects. So yes, we sell them when we are on site. We do not have a retail store.
The Pump
Different brand pumps have different looks. Some are vertical and some are horizontal. This pump on the right is an AquaSurge pump. It goes in the skimmer.
Certain pumps are made to go directly into the pond, while others are made to be in a skimmer. The pumps in this chart are all submerged pumps. That means they go directly in the water.
There are also external pumps, not shown here, that reside in a pump house outside the pond or water feature and are not submerged in the water.
This pump chart shows a variety of pumps, the gallons they move per hour as well as their electricty usage.
When you call us about your pond, make sure you let us know if your pump is submerged in the skimmer, submerged directly in the pond or is an external pump.
The Piping
Piping is usually kink free piping or some sort of flexible PVC. We most often see 1 1/2 inch pipe, 2 inch pipe, 2 1/2 inch pipe or 3 inch pipe. It is important to have the pipe size that goes with your pump. For instance, if you had an 8000 gallon per hour (gph) pump, but only a 1 inch pipe, the pipe could not keep up with the pump.
The Rocks and Gravel
Rocks and gravel protect the liner from UV rays so it can last much longer. It also protects the liner from the feet of dogs or other animals that may get in the pond. Did you know that hail can puncture exposed liner? It can! Rocks and gravel protect from hail and other weather as well.
We recommend using 3/4 inch gravel (or close to) in the pond. It not only creates a natural looking pond bottom but it is just right for beneficial bacteria to colonize.
The Liner and Underlayment
When we build a pond we use 45 mil epdm liner rather than concrete as it is easier to repair. Underlayment is a fabric that lays beneath the liner that gives an extra protection from punctures.
A Pressure Filter
A pressure filter, otherwise known as a cannister filter is helpful when the pond does not have The 5 Elements of a Healthy Pond.
It has a UV light in it which specifically treats microbial algae (like green pea soup). It won’t help you with string algae, diatom or other algae.
The UV light is houses in a sleeve that water passes through. The rest of the canister is full of filter media that colonizes beneficial bacteria. This media may be bioalls or other tubular type media.
The filter media you have may look similar to these.
Plants
Think that plants are too much work? Not really! Remember, they don’t need to be watered! More imporant that not having to water them, they are THE BEST filatration for a pond! Want to read more about it click HERE.
The picture of the pond (below on top) is a pond right after it was built. The pond below is THE SAME pond with plants! Use plants to make the whole landscape blend together and look lush!
Your pond may have equipment that is not listed here. Compare it to what we have in the Pond Guide (click on Pond Guide to see it). Or, give us a call to talk about how we can help you. 303-775-0224