After much deliberation I have decided to build a skippy filter. Why you may ask, well basically because in a couple of years i'm going away to uni so the filter will need to be very low maintenance, as the skippy doesnt need cleaning it is ideal.

I was just wondering if people on here who use them have any tips for me. Ive read through he skippy website and wondered if theres any more adaptations which make this filter better.

1) Regarding the media in the filter. Is it ok to also use plastic flocor media as well as chopped up foam pads? putting the floroc in with the matting?

2) Aeration - My current flow rate is rather sluggish at 600lph. I will be buildings the mini me sized filter and was wondering if placing 2 air stones on the low grating would help the filter or make things worse? Its just that my current filter become very still and aeration helps the bacteria in it, would you advise this for the skippy filter? Also ive seen a couple of venturi's being installed on the inlet pipe. Has anyone on here done this?

4) Does this filter give clear water without a UV?

5) Would it be best to have only floating plants in the top of the filter or can other types be used?

2) Well-aerated air will surely help the "good" bacteria. I put a venturi at the input of my Skippy, but it didn't seem too efficient - I guess the flow rate wasn't high enough or the tube was too big a diameter. Now I have a low-power air pump line going straight into the venturi tube (Previously this was feeding an airstone in the pond itself). I am not sure this was actually necessary but it's working as it is and if it aint broke, don't fix it. I wouldn't put airstones in the Skippy itself because a) I think you are more likely to form "channels" through the media where the air will escape quickly before it properly aerates the water, and b) for low maintenance you want the Skippy as simple as possible - any problems with the airstones or air lines and you'll have to take the whole thing apart...

4) err... what happened to 3? Anyway, my Skippy gives me clear water, without UV. It's not like ultra-pure-crystal clear, because my pond is a wildlife pond and I'm not too fussy about clearing out leaves and stuff. But I don't have green water at all, I can always see down to 50 cm, and on a sunny day, I can see stuff at the bottom (90cm)

5) I don't use floating plants in the top, I don't have enough depth above the media in my Skippy. I use watercress, but I think anything aquatic that grows rapidly (uses up nutrients) will be OK. But didn't you say the filter would be in a garage or shed or something? Will there be enough light for plants?

By the way, my skippy does not work entirely alone - I am sure that the large number of mature plants, and surface coverage from marginals and floaters are helping to keep the water clear - controlling amount of light available for algae, and competing for nutrients. Possibly the thriving water-snail population too.

There is definitely competition for nutrients because the watercress fairly exploded when the pond was rebuilt and settling down... but now it grows much more slowly.

Thanks for the reply. The filter probably wont be housed in a garage/ shed but it's all been put on hold due to moving house. When we finlly get the house we want I will resume planning.

Thanks,

Daniel

Thanks,

Daniel

Anyway, my Skippy sits in a "well" which is about 30cm deep, has roughly 20cm high walls, is slightly bigger than the Skippy, and is lined with pond liner. It is surrounded by rockery.

The Skippy sits in the well, so most of it is below ground level. It overflows into the well, and then the well overflows into the waterfall return. The well provides some extra "dwell time" for sediment to settle if it makes it through the Skippy, and was a convenient way to build a concealing rockery.

Then there is watercress growing in the top of the skippy. So as you can imagine, the skippy itself is not visible. So I'm not sure photos would be any use to you.

There are already 4 photos in the Gallery section - look on the second page, for posts starting with "Hissy Fit's Pond" (1,2,3 and 4). You'll see what I mean.

You can never say over kill for the size of a filter. As said before on this site the longer the dirty water can stay in a filter the better.

Thanks,

Daniel