Abstract:
An easy to install and fish safe skimmer assembly for ponds and other water features is provided. The skimmer assembly includes a skimmer housing having an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper portion is substantially open and in fluid communication with the water feature in a manner such that fish in the water feature can swim in and out of the upper portion of the skimmer housing without being trapped by a physical barrier. The lower portion is enclosed and is in fluid communication with a conduit for transporting filtered water back into the water feature. The skimmer assembly further includes a barrier that separates water within the skimmer, a debris collector, and a floating weir disposed in the debris collector and moves in a vertical direction relative to the skimmer housing when a suction force is applied to force water to flow through the skimmer housing.

Description:
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE TO ANY PRIORITY APPLICATIONS 
     Any and all applications for which a foreign or domestic priority claim is identified in the Application Data Sheet as filed with the present application, including U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/660,513 filed Jun. 15, 2012, titled “Pond Skimmer,” are hereby incorporated by reference under 37 CFR 1.57. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The invention generally relates to filtering devices for water features such as ponds, water gardens, and other bodies of standing water. 
     Description of the Related Art 
     Outdoor water features such as man-made ponds and other bodies of standing water have become very popular. Many of these water features contain live plants, and living creatures such as koi fish, and are often surrounded by other natural growths such as trees, bushes, grass, and other assorted plants. As a consequence, fallen leaves, grass, twigs, organic wastes, and other debris often end up in the pond and need to be removed. 
     Skimmers have been used to remove floating debris from ponds and other man-made water features. However, the currently available skimmers have drawbacks. In particular, pond skimmers often use a door mechanism to regulate the flow of water into the skimmer. The door mechanism prevents water inside the skimmer from flowing back out. However, the door mechanism can also trap fish swimming around the skimmer. If a fish inadvertently swims through skimmer door, the door becomes a physical barrier that prevents the fish from leaving the skimmer housing. Thus, there is a need for a pond water filtration system that is not potentially hazardous to fish and other living creatures. At the same time, the system should be robust and versatile to accommodate the various needs of pond owners. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In various embodiments, an easy to install and fish safe skimmer assembly for a pond and other water features is provided. In one embodiment, the skimmer assembly includes a skimmer housing having an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper portion is substantially open and in fluid communication with the water feature in a manner such that fish in the water feature can swim in and out of the upper portion of the skimmer housing without being trapped by a physical barrier. The lower portion is enclosed and in fluid communication with a conduit for transporting filtered water back into the water feature. 
     The skimmer assembly further includes a barrier, a debris collector and a floating weir. The barrier may be a plate that separates at least some of the water in the upper portion from at least some of the water in the lower portion. The debris collector may be a basket that extends downwardly from the barrier into the lower portion of the skimmer housing and configured to retain at least some of the debris floating on water entering the skimmer housing through the upper portion. In some embodiments, the debris collector is removably attached to the barrier. The floating weir may be disposed in the debris collector and move up and down in a vertical direction relative to the skimmer housing. The floating weir can be made of a material with buoyance greater than water. Alternatively, the floating weir can be constructed with cavities that reduce the density of the weir, thereby increasing its buoyancy in water. In some embodiments, the upper portion of the skimmer housing has a greater cross-section area than that of the lower portion. In some embodiments, the skimmer assembly further includes a pump that is disposed at least partially within the lower portion and is configured to provide a suction force that directs water from the upper portion through the floating weir and debris collector down into the lower portion. In some embodiments, an air gap is formed between the barrier and the water surface in the lower portion. The air gap advantageously allows the barrier to sealingly engage with the skimmer housing. The floating weir, moving in a vertical direction, prevents fish from entering the debris collector but does not block off the path for fish to swim away from the skimmer upper opening. The skimmer assembly can be used with koi ponds, ornamental ponds, or water gardens, particularly those with koi fish or the like. 
     In one implementation, the barrier forces most of the unfiltered water through the floating weir and into the debris collector in a substantially helical pattern. The barrier may be a plate positioned generally horizontal, resting on a shelf near the upper portion of the housing, and be disposed just below the mouth of the skimmer opening. A suction force from the lower portion of the skimmer housing draws water into the housing through the mouth of the skimmer opening. Air may be draw down through the weir as well as water, which may create a physical air gap between the plate and the pre-filtered water column. 
     The housing may be designed such that a submersible pump may be installed below the barrier, debris collector, and floating weir. The suction force created by the submersible pump, or by an external pump in communication with the skimmer housing, helps created the air gap. The air gap may help seal the barrier, such as plate, to the skimmer housing, reducing the amount of water that could bypass the debris collector and floating weir. As the unfiltered water passes through the floating weir and through the debris collector, it becomes pre-filtered water as pond debris is trapped in the debris collector and is not allowed to progress through the skimmer housing. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of a skimmer in relation to a body of water. 
         FIG. 2A  is top perspective view of a skimmer. 
         FIG. 2B  is an exploded perspective view of a plate, a basket, and a weir. 
         FIG. 3A  is a front cross-sectional view of a skimmer including a plate, a basket, and a weir. 
         FIG. 3B  is a front cross-sectional view of a skimmer including a plate, a basket, and a weir. 
         FIG. 3C  is a front cross-sectional view of a skimmer including a plate, a basket, and a weir. 
         FIG. 4A  is a front cross-sectional view of a skimmer including a layer and a second basket. 
         FIG. 4B  is a front cross-sectional view of a skimmer including a layer and a pump. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The preferred embodiments of the present disclosure provide a skimmer assembly that is designed to be substantially free of a trap zone for fish and that can be easily installed and maintained. The skimmer assembly may be used in relation to a pond, water garden, or other such body of water. The skimmer assembly may be positioned adjacent a koi pond and oriented substantially vertically with a wide top opening that is in fluid communication with the pond. The skimmer assembly may be anchored in the ground adjacent to the water in the pond or otherwise hidden from view. The wide top opening of the skimmer assembly may also be concealed from view by a using temporary structure, which may be removed for accessing the skimmer for cleaning or maintenance. 
       FIG. 1  shows a skimmer assembly  100  according to one embodiment. The skimmer assembly  100  may comprise an open upper portion  102 , an intermediate portion  104 , and a lower portion  106 , each portion having a different cross sectional area. The upper portion  102  of the skimmer assembly may include a wide opening  110  configured to receive water flowing from a pond  90 . In one embodiment, the opening  110  may be generally rectangular in shape. In other embodiments, the upper portion  102  may also comprises an automatic refill valve  103  and an overflow valve  105 . Additionally, many ponds, water gardens, and other bodies of water  90  contain a liner  92  in order to prevent excess water loss. Some liners  92  are made of plastic, rubber, or other sheet-like material. The opening  110  in the upper portion  102  of the skimmer  100  may be configured to accept part of the liner  92  in order to prevent water from escaping at the interface between the liner  92  and the upper portion  102 . The liner  92  may be bolted, glued, or otherwise permanently or temporarily attached to part of the upper portion  102 , and may be attached to the perimeter of the opening  110 . 
     In some embodiments, the cross sectional area of the upper portion  102  is greater than the cross sectional area of the intermediate portion  104 , which in turn is greater than the cross sectional area of the lower portion  106 . Other embodiments of the skimmer housing may comprise just the upper portion  102  and the lower portion  106 , with the cross-sectional area of the upper portion  102  being greater than the cross sectional area of the lower portion  106 . The reduction in cross sectional area from the upper portion  102  to the lower portion  106  facilitates using suction force generated by a pump to force water to flow downwardly through the skimmer assembly and improves the flow pattern of the water. 
     As further shown in  FIG. 1 , a pump  180 , such as a submersible pump, may be located in the lower portion  106  of the skimmer assembly  100 . The pump can be used to draw water into the skimmer assembly  100 . The output of the pump may be directed to a second location in the pond  90  via an opening  182  drilled in the back wall of the lower portion  106 . When in use, the water from the pond  90  flows into the open upper portion  102  of the skimmer assembly  100 . Since many ponds  90  contain koi or other fish  210 , it is advantageous to utilize a skimmer system that does not trap or otherwise harm the fish. Other skimmer systems may use doors or pump systems that run the risk of trapping the fish in an area, or up against a filter intake. The skimmer assembly  100  substantially eliminates these risks by creating a structure that is substantially free of a trap zone for fish. Additionally, the skimmer assembly  100  uses few moving parts and is easily cleaned. Finally, if a pump is located in the skimmer assembly  100 , it may be located in the lower portion of the skimmer assembly  106 , which is often located beneath the surface of the ground, buffering the sounds created by the pumping machinery. 
       FIG. 2A  shows a perspective view of the skimmer assembly  100 . The opening  110  in the upper portion  102  of the skimmer assembly  100  is defined by a wall  112  extending along at least a portion of the periphery of the upper portion  102 . The wall  112  may have a curved configuration so as to form a generally U shaped enclosure for receiving surface water from the pond. The upper portion  102  may or may not contain a cover. The wall  112  may contain a lip  114  extending laterally outward from the wall  112 . Among other reasons, the lip  114  may make it easier to grip the skimmer assembly  100  during installation, or may provide more rigidity to the unit in general. In one embodiment, the wall  112  of the upper portion contains one or more holes  116  for electrical cords to pass through. Electrical cords or other objects may be passed through the hole  116  and then a plug may be inserted to the hole  116  in order to substantially prevent water from exiting the upper portion  102  through the hole  116 . The upper portion  102  may contain other features such as overflow valve or automatic refill. Other features may be installed before or after the user installs the skimmer assembly  100  next to the body of water. The wall  112  of the upper portion  102  may be generally vertical and portions may be cylindrical or frustoconical shaped. The bottom of the upper portion  102  comprises an opening that communicates with the intermediate portion  104  and/or the lower portion  106 . 
     In one embodiment the intermediate portion  104  is completely enclosed by a wall  112 . The intermediate portion  104  communicates with both the upper portion  102  and the lower portion  106 . The intermediate portion  104  is generally round and may be generally cylindrical or frustoconical shaped. In one embodiment, the lower portion  106  comprises walls  112  on all sides and has a solid, generally flat bottom. The top of the lower portion  106  communicates with the intermediate portion  104  and/or the upper portion  102 . The lower portion  106  is generally round and may be generally cylindrical or frustoconical shaped. However, one or more walls defining the lower portion  106  may comprise a generally flat profile. A flat profile may be advantageous to a user because this would allow them to customize the skimmer  100  and create holes where he likes. In one embodiment the back of the lower portion  106  has a flat section  184  through which a user can drill a hole that can be used to direct the water output of the pump. Other embodiments may include a lower section  106  that has a plurality of smaller generally flat sections along the bottom of the lower section  106  or other locations in the bottom section  106 . This configuration may be helpful because a user is not required to put a hole in any particular position and may customize the skimmer  100  to the requirements of the application. The lower portion  106  may house a pump, or may be connected to an external pump (not shown in  FIG. 2A ). 
     The upper  102 , intermediate  104 , and lower  106  portions may be made of plastic, metal, rubber, or other durable material. The thickness of the portions may range from approximately 1/10 of an inch to several inches thick. In one embodiment the thickness of part of the upper  102 , intermediate  104 , and lower  106  portions may be approximately ¼ inches thick. However, the thickness of the upper  102 , intermediate  104 , and lower  106  portions may vary depending on the material used for construction, the location on the skimmer assembly  100  where the measurement is taken, the specific application of the skimmer assembly  100 , the application of various stress concentrations, and other factors. The upper  102 , intermediate  104 , and lower  106  portions need not be made of the same material, nor must they have the same wall thickness. The upper  102 , intermediate  104 , and lower  106  portions may be made by typical manufacturing methods including injection molding, casting, machining, etc. The upper  102 , intermediate  104 , and lower  106  portions may be made as a single unit or may be produced as separate pieces and later assembled. 
     As also shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B , a plate  120 , a debris collector in the form of a basket  122 , and a floating weir  124  may be disposed in the skimmer assembly  100 . The plate  120  may be one or more pieces and may contain an opening  126 , in which the basket  122  may sit. The plate  120  may act as a separator that separates unfiltered water  160  in the upper portion  102  of the skimmer assembly  100  from pre-filtered water  162  in the intermediate portion  104  of the skimmer assembly  100  as shown in  FIG. 3B . At least part of the floating weir  124  may be disposed within at least part of the debris basket  122 . The floating weir  124  may move freely in a vertical direction within the debris basket  122 , and may be able to rotate about a vertical axis. Additionally, the floating weir  124  may be able to move some amount in a side to side direction, or rotate some amount about a horizontal axis. 
       FIG. 2B  shows an exploded view of the plate  120 , the basket  122 , and the floating weir  124 , which may be disposed in the skimmer assembly  100  in parts of the upper  102  or intermediate  104  portions. As shown in  FIG. 3A , the plate  120  may be supported in the skimmer assembly  100  by a first shelf  200  disposed between the upper  102  and intermediate  104  portions. The plate  120  may have a rounded back and a generally flat front and sides. The shape of the plate  120  may mimic the shape of the upper portion  102 . The plate  120  may have a notch  130  in the back to accommodate an electrical cord or other object. In one embodiment an electrical cord may be run from a pump in the lower portion  106  up through the notch  130  in the plate  120  and through the hole  116  in the back of the upper portion  102 . The plate  120  may contain a generally circular hole  126  which may accommodate a basket  122  and/or floating weir  124 . In one embodiment the hole  126  in the plate  120  is between 3 and 20 inches in diameter. In another embodiment, the hole  126  in the plate  120  is between 6 and 16 inches in diameter. In yet another embodiment, the hole  126  in the plate  120  is approximately 10 to 12 inches in diameter. The thickness of the plate  120  may be approximately ½ inches thick and generally uniform throughout, however, other thicknesses and thickness distributions may work. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2B , the top of the basket  122  may have a lip  132  that extends radially outward from at least part of the top of the basket  122 . The outer diameter of the lip  132  may be larger than the diameter of the hole  126  in the plate  120 , such that the basket  122  may be inserted into the hole  126  of the plate  120  but not be able to pass completely through. The basket  122  has a generally cylindrical or frustoconical shape with substantially vertical walls  134 . The outer diameter of the walls  134  may be less than the diameter of the hole  126  in the plate  120 . The walls  134  can be made from a screen or mesh or other filtering structure. The bottom  136  is generally flat and can also be made from a screen or mesh or other filtering structure. The top of the basket  122  may be open to accept at least part of the floating weir  124 . In one embodiment the basket  122  is between 4 and 20 inches high from end to end. In another embodiment the basket  122  is approximately 12 inches high from end to end. In one embodiment the outside diameter of the basket lip  132  is between 3 and 20 inches. In another embodiment the outside diameter of the basket lip  132  is approximately 12 inches. The thickness of the walls  134  may be between 1/10 inches and 2 inches, or may be approximately ¼ inches. The size of any holes in the walls  134  may depend on the application and the size of the debris that is desired to be removed. 
     The top of the floating weir  124  may have a lip  140  that extends radially outward from at least part of the top of the weir  124 . The outer diameter of the weir lip  140  may be larger than the inner diameter of the basket  122 . The weir  124  has a generally cylindrical or frustoconical shape with substantially vertical outer walls  142 . The outer diameter of the outer walls  142  may be less than the inner diameter of the basket  122 , such that at least part of the weir  124  may be disposed within at least part of the basket  122 . When the floating weir  124  is disposed within the basket  122 , the weir lip  140  may contact the basket lip  132 , preventing the floating weir  124  from being further inserted within the basket  122 . Additionally, the weir lip  140  may also help to keep any pond fish further away from the top surface  150  of the floating weir  124 , further reducing the chances that a pond fish could get trapped in the container. The top of the floating weir  124  is generally open. The floating weir  124  may contain a feature which makes it buoyant relative to water. In one embodiment an inner wall  144  extends from the top surface  150  of the floating weir  124  down towards the bottom of the weir  148 , creating a cavity  146  between the inner wall  144  and outer wall  142  for at least part of its height. In another embodiment, this cavity  146  is sealed off, such that the cavity  146  is substantially or completely air-tight. In yet another embodiment the floating weir  124  comprises a material that has a density less than water such that the floating weir  124  becomes buoyant. In still another embodiment, a buoyant material (e.g., foam, balloon, rubber bladder) is attached to some part of the floating weir  124  to make it buoyant in water. Various methods may be utilized in order to position the floating weir  124  at the proper height relative to the water&#39;s surface  152 . The walls  142 ,  144 , and top surface  150  of the floating weir  124  may be between 1/10 and several inches thick, or may be approximately ¼ inches thick. 
     The plate  120 , debris basket  122 , and weir  124  may be made from plastic, metal, or any other suitable material. The parts may be made of the same material, but need not be made from the same materials. The plate  120 , debris basket  122 , and floating weir  124  may be made by typical manufacturing methods including injection molding, casting, machining, etc. Each piece may be manufactured as a single piece or may be made in several parts and later assembled. 
       FIG. 3A  shows a front elevational cross-section of the skimmer  100 , including the plate  120 , basket  122 , and floating weir  124 . The skimmer  100  may contain a first shelf  200  or other mechanism disposed between the upper  102  and intermediate  104  portions of the skimmer  100 , to support a plate  120  or other object. In one embodiment, the plate  120  is disposed on a first shelf  200  in a substantially horizontal orientation, with the basket  122  disposed within the hole  126  of the plate  120 . The basket  122  may be supported by the basket lip  132  resting on a portion of the plate  120 . The floating weir  124  may be positioned such that at least part of the floating weir  124  is disposed within at least part of the basket  122 . In one embodiment, when there is no water in the system, the weir lip  140  rests on a portion of the basket  122 , which may include the basket lip  132 . In another embodiment, when there is no water in the system, the bottom of the weir  148  rests on the bottom of the basket  136  and may elevate the lip of the weir  140  above the top surface of both the basket  122  and the plate  120 . In yet another embodiment, the floating weir  124  may be suspended above at least part of the basket  122  and/or the plate  120  using another mechanism. 
     When water enters the skimmer assembly  100 , in one embodiment, the floating weir  124  becomes elevated above the top surface of the basket  132  and/or the surface of the plate  120 , as shown in  FIG. 3B . If the floating weir  124  is configured to be buoyant relative to water, the floating weir  124  may naturally float, maintaining a substantially consistent position relative to the surface of the water  152 . In one embodiment, the floating weir  124  has an inner wall  144  that extends down from the top surface of the weir  150  creating a cavity  146  in the interior of the weir  124 . When water is added to the system, the air becomes trapped in the cavity  146  and makes the floating weir  124  relatively buoyant. In this embodiment, the height of the inner wall  144  and the radial distance between the inner wall  144  and outer wall  142  may affect the buoyancy of the floating weir  124 . The buoyancy of the weir  124  may be adjusted using the methods described earlier. The distance between the outer wall of the floating weir  142  and the basket lip  132  may be such that some water can pass between the two parts without a significant amount of water being able pass between the two parts. The more water that passes between the basket  122  and the floating weir  124  means that less water passes through the center of the floating weir  124 . 
     When a suction force is created in the intermediate  104  or lower  106  portion (from a pump or connection to a pump), the floating weir  124  may be pulled at least partially down relative to the surface of the water  152 , as shown in  FIG. 3C . In one embodiment, when a suction force is applied, the top surface of the weir  150  descends below the surface of the water  152 , which then allows the water to flow over the top surface of the weir  150 , down through the interior of the weir  124 , and into the basket  122  and intermediate portion  104  of the skimmer  100 . The height of the surface of the water  152  above the top surface of the weir  150  may be between ¼ inches and several inches, or may be between 1 and 2 inches. The height of the water surface  152  above the weir  124  may depend on several factors and may vary depending on the application. However, with all other variables remaining constant, if the water level  152  in the pond  90  decreases (and therefore the water level  152  in the upper portion  102  of the skimmer  100  decreases), the height of the surface of the water  152  above the top surface of the weir  150  may remain substantially consistent. If the height of the surface of the water  152 , and the height of the weir top surface  150  in relation to the plate  120  both decrease, the flow rate of the water through the weir  124  may remain substantially consistent. In one embodiment, due to the increased speed of the water flowing from the upper portion of the skimmer assembly  102 , and focusing on the interior of the floating weir  124 , the water flowing through the floating weir  124  may form a helix or vortex pattern. At the same time, some air may get sucked down with the water traveling into the floating weir  124 . The helical pattern of the water flowing through the floating weir  124  may have advantages such as better aeration of the water, which may be beneficial to fish and other creatures living in the water body. The air then exits the bottom of the floating weir  124 , travels through the basket  122 , and forms an air gap  154  at the top of the intermediate portion  104 , just below the plate  120 . The air gap  154  may help the plate  120  seal against the first shelf  200  as there is water pushing down on the plate  120  but only air pushing up on the plate  120 . After the water and debris flows through the interior of the floating weir  124 , the water flows through the basket  122  while the debris may become trapped by the debris basket  122 . Due to the increased velocity of the water and debris traveling through the floating weir  124 , much of the debris may become lodged toward the bottom of the basket  122 . This allows more debris to be collected by the basket  122  before the system becomes less effective. To empty the basket  122  of the collected debris, one may turn off the suction force, reach into the skimmer  100  and remove the weir  124  and basket  122 . The basket  122  may then be emptied and returned to the skimmer  100  along with the weir  124 . 
     After the unfiltered water  160  flows through the basket  122  and debris becomes trapped, the unfiltered water  160  becomes pre-filtered water  162 , which may flow through the intermediate portion  104 , as shown in  FIG. 4A . A second shelf  202  or other supporting mechanism may be disposed between the intermediate  104  and lower  106  portions of the skimmer  100 . A layer  170  may be positioned on the second shelf  202  such that after the pre-filtered water  162  flows through the intermediate portion  104  it then flows through the layer  170  and into the lower portion  106 . 
     The layer  170  may serve a variety of purposes or may be omitted completely. In one embodiment the layer  170  is a coarse or fine filter that removes debris that is not collected by the basket  122 . In this embodiment, the large debris, such as leaves and sticks, may be retained by the basket  122 , while the coarse or fine filter may remove smaller particles like dirt or silt. It may be advantageous for the skimmer assembly  100  to filter out some smaller particles before the water is transmitted by a pump. In another embodiment, the layer  170  may be used filter out dissolved impurities in the water. In this embodiment, the layer  170  may comprise activated charcoal that can absorb impurities as they pass from the intermediate portion  104  to the lower portion  106  of the skimmer assembly  100 . In yet another embodiment, the layer  170  may add substances to the water as it passes through the layer  170 . In this embodiment, the layer  170  may help to control the acidity, hardness, or salinity of the water. In still yet another embodiment, the layer  170  may be used to help control other chemical or biological aspects of the water system. Any included layer  170  may also comprise other chemical compounds such as zeolite or oyster shells. Or, depending on the application and desired characteristics of the water body, the layer  170  may be omitted completely with the water passing from the intermediate portion  104  to the lower portion  106  without passing through a second filter. The layer  170  may be very thin or may be several inches thick, depending on the application. After the water passes through any layer  170 , the water is then transmitted to the lower portion  106 , which may contain a pump. 
     In another embodiment, shown in  FIG. 4A , a second plate  204  may be disposed on the second shelf  202 , above or below any included layer  170 . Similar to plate  120 , a second plate  204  may serve to separate pre-filtered water  162  from chemically filtered water (not shown). The second plate  204  may support a second basket  206  similar to basket  122 . The second basket  206  may be disposed within a hole (not shown) in the second plate  204 , similar to how the basket  122  may be disposed within a hole  126  of the plate  120 . The second basket  206  may be generally cylindrical in shape, or may comprise another shape. In one embodiment the second basket  206  is approximately the same size and shape as the basket  122 . The second basket  206  may serve any of the functions of the layer  170  by adding particles to the pre-filtered water  162  or removing particles from the pre-filtered water  162 . Water that passes from the intermediate portion  104  to the lower portion  106  through the second basket  206  may be labeled chemically filtered water. The chemically filtered water may then be communicated via a pump, or may go through another process. 
     In one embodiment, shown in  FIG. 4B , the lower portion  106  contains a pump  180 , which can create a suction force used to drive the water flow in the skimming assembly. The pump  180  may be submersible and may comprise any pump that is suitable for the application. The pump  180  may be permanently or temporarily affixed to the skimmer assembly  100 . In one embodiment the pump  180  is powered by an electrical cord that is disposed within the skimmer  100  and within a notch  130  in the plate, and exit the skimmer  100  through a hole  116  in the back of the upper portion  102 . Or, the electrical cord may connect the pump  180  to an outside power source through any other route that is suitable. The water output of the pump  180  may be transmitted out of the skimmer assembly through a hole in the side of the skimmer assembly. In one embodiment, a hole  182  has been formed in a flat section of the lower portion  106  of the skimmer assembly  100 . The pump output may be routed through the hole  182  through standard water transmission means. In another embodiment, the pump output may be routed through a hole in another part of the skimmer assembly. In yet another embodiment, the pump output is routed back up through the skimmer and exit through the top of the upper portion of the skimmer assembly  102 . In still yet another embodiment, a pump is located external to the skimmer assembly  100  and water is transmitted out of the skimmer  100  through any of the described routes before it is processed by a pump. The output of the pump may ultimately be deposited back into the body of water  90  from which the water originally came. In one embodiment the water is deposited back to the water body  90  on substantially or at least partially on a different side of the water body in order to maximize the flow characteristics and debris removal of the water body  90 . In another embodiment, the skimmer assembly  100  can be used to retrofit an existing pond or other water feature. The method of retrofitting includes connecting the skimmer assembly  100  to an existing pump line. The method can also include drilling appropriate openings in the planar section of the wall of the skimmer housing and fitting one or more bulkheads through such openings for connection with existing components. 
     Any features of the embodiments shown and/or described in the figures that have not been expressly described in this text, such as distances, proportions of components, etc. are also intended to form part of this disclosure. Additionally, although this invention has been disclosed in the context of various embodiments, features, aspects, and examples, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention extends beyond the specifically disclosed embodiments to other alternative embodiments and/or uses of the invention and obvious modifications and equivalents thereof. Accordingly, it should be understood that various features and aspects of the disclosed embodiments can be combined with, or substituted for, one another in order to perform varying modes of the disclosed inventions. Moreover, any component or combination of components disclosed herein can be used in other structures or configurations of containers. Thus, it is intended that the scope of the present invention herein disclosed should not be limited by the particular disclosed embodiments described above.