In 2013, I completed my third revision to my pond, and I have learned so much in the process that I want to share what I learned and continue to learn from others. I live in the Los Angeles area, so my information is based on its warm summers and cool (but not cold) winters.
I hope I can provide some helpful information and please feel free to comment and suggest new ideas.
Skimmer and bottom drain
My current pond is version 3.0 and I am still finding things I like and dislike about my design and setup. I hope this helps someone planning their new pond.
My first 2 versions of my pond did not have a skimmer or bottom drain. I had a pipe ending on the bottom of the pond that was attached to the pump. I would not recommend this setup or having a sump pump in the pond pumping water out. It is guaranteed that at least once a year (if lucky) you will get a heavy string algae bloom. Cleaning out the algae or other debris from the pump or end of the pipe in the pond is such a pain.
A bottom drain is the best solution in removing bottom debris continuously and having a low-maintenance setup. The only problem I have experienced is that sometimes smaller fish get sucked up and I find them in the pump basket. They are usually mosquito and small goldfish, which I have plenty of.
I have a big avocado tree near my pond, and it drops its large leaves at least twice a year - a pain but at least the avocado are delicious. My previous ponds would have a layer of leaves resting on the bottom which required using a pool net to remove. By late fall, the water was a brownish/rust color from the decaying leaves - no matter how hard I worked to remove the leaves. Skimmer to the rescue! Now the leaves hit the water and float into the skimmer before they have the chance to settle on the bottom. Cleaning them out of the skimmer is so much easier than the bottom of the pond. The skimmer also provides a good water current from the waterfall to the skimmer, which I think it makes it a healthier system.
If you want to use a sump pump system, I would recommend putting it into the back of the skimmer (after the filters) and not on the bottom of the pond. It is much easier to maintain and clean the pump in the skimmer.
Skimmer and bottom drain
A bottom drain is the best solution in removing bottom debris continuously and having a low-maintenance setup. The only problem I have experienced is that sometimes smaller fish get sucked up and I find them in the pump basket. They are usually mosquito and small goldfish, which I have plenty of.
I have a big avocado tree near my pond, and it drops its large leaves at least twice a year - a pain but at least the avocado are delicious. My previous ponds would have a layer of leaves resting on the bottom which required using a pool net to remove. By late fall, the water was a brownish/rust color from the decaying leaves - no matter how hard I worked to remove the leaves. Skimmer to the rescue! Now the leaves hit the water and float into the skimmer before they have the chance to settle on the bottom. Cleaning them out of the skimmer is so much easier than the bottom of the pond. The skimmer also provides a good water current from the waterfall to the skimmer, which I think it makes it a healthier system.
If you want to use a sump pump system, I would recommend putting it into the back of the skimmer (after the filters) and not on the bottom of the pond. It is much easier to maintain and clean the pump in the skimmer.
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