Welcome to Koi Forum. Is this your first visit? Register
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 37
  1. #1
    Senior Member Rank = Yonsai Marckoi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2019
    Location
    Kent
    Posts
    229
    Thanks / Likes
    225

    Witts end with skimmer

    I have bought an over the wall skimmer and I have plumbed it several different ways now still won't pull. I did get it to pull a couple times and thought I had cracked it but the pipe work was not how I wanted it so moved it around initially it still worked but nothing now I just cannot get to pull. I have a 10,000 litres variable pump pulling through 3500mm of 50mm pipe what am I doing wrong. It nearly went over next doors earlier please help.



  2. #2
    Senior Member Rank = Kyusai Rapleyr's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2018
    Location
    Cambs
    Posts
    924
    Thanks / Likes
    1046
    I fitted an in wall skimmer three weeks ago using 2 inch pipe gravity fed and have the same issue.

    That is getting scrapped and swapped with 4 inch at the weekend which I hope fixes the issue, if it doesn’t then it stays like it!!!


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  3. Thanks freddyboy, Marckoi Thanked / Liked this Post
  4. #3
    Senior Member Rank = Adult Champion Gazkoi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2020
    Location
    Tividale
    Posts
    1,654
    Thanks / Likes
    3235
    If it won’t go by gravity have you considered a small pump to encourage flow?

    Cheers

    Gaz
    Hobby and business gone but when you’re hooked you’re hooked.

    Always happy to help!!

  5. Thanks freddyboy, Marckoi Thanked / Liked this Post
  6. #4
    Senior Member Rank = Yonsai Marckoi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2019
    Location
    Kent
    Posts
    229
    Thanks / Likes
    225
    Hi Gaz I have a dry pump just for the skimmer I don't want to have a pump in the pond if that's what you meant.

  7. #5
    Senior Member Rank = Yonsai Marckoi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2019
    Location
    Kent
    Posts
    229
    Thanks / Likes
    225
    Hi Rapleyr I hope you get it sorted it is a pain. I can't understand why it won't flow. Mines pulling water from dry mountedpump into my drum filtration. It must be the way I have run the pipe I may have another go tomorrow.

  8. #6
    Have to ask, is your pump plumbing round the right way?
    It’s been done before. Someone defiantly had their pump round the wrong way in the past.
    If it’s all ok I’m guessing the pipework rises out from the water, up and over the coping and down to pump?
    If so, then your pump will be trying to suck air not water and you may not be achieved the “syphon” effect??


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  9. Thanks Frimley Koi keeper, freddyboy, Marckoi Thanked / Liked this Post
  10. #7
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Supreme Champion Frimley Koi keeper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Posts
    13,544
    Thanks / Likes
    19237
    It sounds like people don't fully understand how a gravity system works

    I fitted an in wall skimmer recently and never had any water flow issues that I couldn't sort out.

    I just used a 32mm flexi pipe out of the bottom of the skimmer which feeds a 3500 lph pump. From the pump I fed a pressurised filter and that fed a tornado 2 protein skimmer.

    OK so it's a strange set up but I just wanted to use what I had going spare.

    The pump is being gravity fed which then allows it to pump through the next 2 filters and back into the pond.

    If I had a gravity fed filter I would have just put that between the skimmer and the pump but the maximum water level in gravity fed filter has to be the same as the maximum water level in the skimmer and pond. Then the pump would just pump the water back into the pond or through any other filters and then back into the pond.

    I only had a flow issue when I first started the pump and the water level was too low in the pond as I was in the process of refilling the pond after fitting the skimmer and the pump ran dry and cut out. That was just a case of me being a bit impatient and not waiting long enough for the water to fill the skimmer and added filters up enough and the water level dropped too low on the entry of the skimmer as the pump was running. Once I had finished refilling the pond the skimmer system worked perfectly.

    I'm no expert with gravity systems but know you have to keep your levels the same and not try to run pipework up above the water level in the pond and filters unless you have a pump pushing it up there.

    A common mistake is using the term 'pull water'. Technically you can only push water as it is not a solid object it is a fluid. Once you can understand that you should start to realise that if you gravity fed a pump and the pipework goes up above the surface of the water too much unless you can get it to siphon the water supply to the pump will ne interrupted every time the pump stops and you will need to somehow push the water to the pump again.

    Does that make sense now?

  11. Thanks Gazkoi, freddyboy, Marckoi Thanked / Liked this Post
  12. #8
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Supreme Champion Frimley Koi keeper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Posts
    13,544
    Thanks / Likes
    19237
    Quote Originally Posted by bigcarpchaser View Post
    Have to ask, is your pump plumbing round the right way?
    It’s been done before. Someone defiantly had their pump round the wrong way in the past.
    If it’s all ok I’m guessing the pipework rises out from the water, up and over the coping and down to pump?
    If so, then your pump will be trying to suck air not water and you may not be achieved the “syphon” effect??


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    You can't suck water lol

  13. Thanks freddyboy Thanked / Liked this Post
  14. #9
    Senior Member Rank = Grand Champion RoyLittle0's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2016
    Location
    Derby
    Posts
    2,551
    Thanks / Likes
    4705
    Quote Originally Posted by Frimley Koi keeper View Post
    You can't suck water lol
    But I can suck at Koi keeping
    4600 Gallon Concrete Block and Fiberglass
    2100 mm x 710 mm Infinity Window 32mm thick glass
    2 x Aerated Bottom Drains and Skimmer
    Filtreau HiFlow 30 Drum Filter
    Bio Chamber - 140 litres K1
    Bakki Shower - 30 KG Sakura Far Infrared Media
    2 x 18,000 lh pumps
    Heated from house boiler through a heat exchanger
    Idealseal MS290

    My Pond Build

  15. Thanks freddyboy, Frimley Koi keeper, Marckoi Thanked / Liked this Post
  16. #10
    You know what I mean ya muppet

    If it’s got to do this then it’s gonna struggle unless I’ve got it wrong how they work


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  17. Thanks Marckoi, Gazkoi, freddyboy Thanked / Liked this Post
  18. #11
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Supreme Champion Frimley Koi keeper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Posts
    13,544
    Thanks / Likes
    19237
    Quote Originally Posted by RoyLittle0 View Post
    But I can suck at Koi keeping
    Can't we all? Lol

    Pobody's Nerfect Roy

  19. Thanks Gazkoi, freddyboy Thanked / Liked this Post
  20. #12
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Supreme Champion Frimley Koi keeper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Posts
    13,544
    Thanks / Likes
    19237
    You calling me a muppet now are you, Mr Big lol

  21. Thanks freddyboy Thanked / Liked this Post
  22. #13
    Senior Member Rank = Yonsai Marckoi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2019
    Location
    Kent
    Posts
    229
    Thanks / Likes
    225
    Bigcarpchaser that's exactly what it's got to do the supplier gave me a T piece and said that was to prime the system I did get it working but since then nothing

  23. Thanks freddyboy Thanked / Liked this Post
  24. #14
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Supreme Champion Frimley Koi keeper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Posts
    13,544
    Thanks / Likes
    19237
    Once you have primed the pump the water will then siphon from the skimmer to the pump but as soon as you stop the pump the water will siphon back down through the skimmer and need to be reprimed again specially if you have the pump mounted higher up than the bottom of the skimmer.

    If you have a gravity fed filter between the skimmer and the pump you will have the same problem I would think and you would have to keep priming the pump every time it stops.

    If you can give us some more information about how you have it set up someone may have a solution for you?

  25. Thanks Gazkoi, freddyboy Thanked / Liked this Post
  26. #15
    Senior Member Rank = Adult Champion Gazkoi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2020
    Location
    Tividale
    Posts
    1,654
    Thanks / Likes
    3235
    That’s hilarious (but not true)

    Quote Originally Posted by RoyLittle0 View Post
    But I can suck at Koi keeping
    Hobby and business gone but when you’re hooked you’re hooked.

    Always happy to help!!

  27. Thanks Frimley Koi keeper, freddyboy Thanked / Liked this Post
  28. #16
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Supreme Champion Frimley Koi keeper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Posts
    13,544
    Thanks / Likes
    19237
    Quote Originally Posted by Gazkoi View Post
    That’s hilarious (but not true)
    Yeah Right !!! Lol

  29. Thanks freddyboy Thanked / Liked this Post
  30. #17
    Senior Member Rank = Yonsai Marckoi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2019
    Location
    Kent
    Posts
    229
    Thanks / Likes
    225
    Ok so attached photos one is how I had the first set up with the black line the second is how I have it now.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  31. #18
    I’ll admit, I know nothing about over the wall skimmers, but pumps in ponds are not designed to pull water, only to push it, would it not work better having the pump in the pond?
    ����*♂️

  32. Thanks Frimley Koi keeper, freddyboy Thanked / Liked this Post
  33. #19
    Water will always be level so your top loop will never be full unless you block both ends of the pipework up.
    You might need some help but I’d get someone to put their hand over the end of the pipe at skimmer end, then outlet end.
    Fill up the “loop” and block up filling hole.
    Turn on pump
    Wait a few seconds
    People with hands on ends of pipes let go and hopefully you’ll get the whoosh.
    Can’t see it working otherwise.

    Got some kids at home to use?


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  34. Thanks Frimley Koi keeper, Marckoi, freddyboy, RS2OOO Thanked / Liked this Post
  35. #20
    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion freddyboy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Posts
    11,123
    Thanks / Likes
    17023
    Quote Originally Posted by bigcarpchaser View Post
    Water will always be level so your top loop will never be full unless you block both ends of the pipework up.
    You might need some help but I’d get someone to put their hand over the end of the pipe at skimmer end, then outlet end.
    Fill up the “loop” and block up filling hole.
    Turn on pump
    Wait a few seconds
    People with hands on ends of pipes let go and hopefully you’ll get the whoosh.
    Can’t see it working otherwise.

    Got some kids at home to use?


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Haha Witts end with skimmerWitts end with skimmer

    Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

  36. Thanks Frimley Koi keeper Thanked / Liked this Post
 

 
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
All times are GMT +1. The time now is 04:32 PM. Online Koi Mag Forum
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.3
Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.

vBulletin Improved By vBFoster® (Lite Version), © UltimateScheme, Ltd.