OK. Thank you. Is the barbed fitting found in the regular PVC area or is is going to be one of those gray plastic ones? I did try to find something that was barbed but wasn't having any luck finding one that was a 2" slip elbow with a 3/4" barbed end. I'll try again tomorrow. Where do you recommend I put the check valve? I'm thinking just below the elbow at the top of the 2" pipe?
How often do you drain the sludge out of your skippy?
I'm going to go do some more searches now and figure out what else I have missed.
Thanks!
Heather

I think the barbed fitting will be with the gray stuff. Where you put the check valve will depend on how the manufacturer of the valve specs it.(horizontal or vertical) I drain the sludge from my skippy about once every month. I have a very heavy bio load.

Here is a picture of my 70 gallon skippy.

{{gwi:224006}}

Very pretty! I love the moss under the waterfall.
I miss having an in-ground pond. This house has a 700 gallon above ground pond (that I proudly made all by myself!) Your photo reminds me WHY I miss an in-ground pond. Those plants are gorgeous!
I wonder if I could sneak another pond in the backyard and not have my husband notice...

you could also drill a small 1/4 hole just above the water line in the pipe or under the elbow, too let the air in so the water won't get sucked back

I considered putting a hole in the elbow but wasn't sure if I'd end up with a tiny fountain spurting out of it.
I got some great help at a local plumbing store today. I have a ball valve between the hose junction and the elbow and also have one on a drain at the bottom.
I think I'm on a roll now, thanks for the advice!

What exactly is a skippy and how does it work? Is it just for larger ponds? Also, living in zone 4 what plants would be beneficial for my small pond?

samismom, a skippy filter is a DIY pond filter. It is best on small ponds (under 1000 gallons). A submersible pumps sends water down into the bottom of the filter, the water flows up through bio-media and flows out the top either via a waterfall or a pipe. It's very easy to make!

Here's a link to skippy web site. This web site will show you how to build one. But do NOT believe the stupid statement they make about never having to clean it because fish poop turns into sand. That is the most ridiculous statement I have ever heard. Sand is made of silica. The sludge in the bottom of the skippy filter is not sand....it is rotting fish poop and decaying materials. NOT a good thing to keep in your system. So build the filter with a drain as close to the bottom as possible and clean the sludge out a few times a year. Frequent cleaning is a healthy thing. Just don't rinse the bio-media too agressivly or let it dry out while you are cleaning the filter because that will damage the beneficial bacteria that is living on it. Just remember...the good bacteria lives on the bio-media. the bad bacteria is living in the sludge in the bottom of the filter.

Here is a link that might be useful: skippy web site

Hi ccoombs1,
Just out of curiousity, why do you say that a skippy works best for a small, -Chris

Another Skippy question- If I partially bury the Skippy container so it is not so noticeable will I be setting myself up for future cleaning problems? Thanks!

Chris, effective bio-filtration is largely dependent on the flow rate though the bio media. Since a large pond requires more turn-over, the flow rate through a skippy may be too fast for good bio-filtration and the flow rate also may keep the sludge in the bottom of the filter too stirred up. Also there may be a quick build-up of sludge in the bottom due to the fish load. Skippy is a decent filter, but if the pond is larger than 1000 gallons it might be best to use two skippy filters instead of one.

Lauren, you can bury it, but it will make it much harder to clean. One possible solution to this is to put a pump in the bottom of the skippy that can handle solids and sludge. Don't run the pump all the time...it's only there to clean the skippy. When you need to clean it, just plug it in and pump the sludge out. It won't be ideal, but it will certainly work and be much easier than mucking that sludge out by hand.

I was kind of hoping someone would say that- so thanks! When I had still water ponds with no pump or filter I used to muck them out by hand- so I am not afraid of grunge.
When we had our new septic system put in last fall I had the backhoe guy dig the pond and then put in a water line and electric. And since then I have been either frozen by winter or my inability to take the next big steps! Nerve up!
Lauren

Thanks ccoombs for the info.

Lauren,
I buried my skippy but placed a drain through the sidewall near the bottom with a fixed PVC pipe coming out to a ball valve. When I want to clean the skippy I just open the valve and flush with water from the top. I use that output to water some gardens - good stuff. I was fortunate to be able to place my skippy into a hillside so my bottom drain gravity feeds out - you may not be so lucky.

Good luck!

I'm really late to the party, but you can always tee off / branch some of the flow away from the skippys to reduce the amount of water going through it. As long as it is properly sized with the right flow rates, skippy filters are very effective in larger ponds as well.

To solve your problem of the pump hose and keeping all of the water from draining back into the pond when you turn the pump off, get a plumbing T fitting. Attach the hose to the horizontal side and leave the vertical part of the pipe open. Tighten with hose clamps. By leaving the vertical part open, when you turn off the pump a vacuum is created that will totally prevent back flow. I use this technique on my skippy 150-gal stock tank.

Let me clarify. It's not really a T fitting. It's more of a Y fitting: a vertical pipe with a curved pipe like the left side of the Y coming out half way up the vertical. Attach the pump intake to the Y. Attach the bottom of the vertical to the skippy and leave the top of the vertical open.