Intake bays can be built on any size pond but are most commonly used on larger ponds or ponds that have a heavy leaf load in the fall. Instead of the pump being located in a skimmer on the side of the pond the pumps are located in a vault at the bottom of natural looking cove. The pond water gets drawn into the cove bringing in all of the floating leaves and debris with it. The debris then collects in the cove where it can be manually removed with a net. Below are some of the benefits to an intake bay.
Less Maintenance: intake bays allow for more debris to be collected without the pump getting clogged. In a normal pond skimmer the debris gets drawn into a net or basket that can fill up with leaves and get clogged if not regularly maintained. The intake bay has a much larger space for the debris to collect allowing more time inbetween services as well as protecting your pump and allowing water flow in your pond to stay consistent. If you are located near Charlotte, North Carolina and would like help maintaining your water feature check out our Monthly and Quarterly VIP service,
Natural looking: intake bays are an extremely natural looking filter because it is built using stones and gravel. Once complete it looks like part of the pond and to the untrained eye does not even look like a filter at all.
Fish Safe: Intake bays are great for your koi or other fish you may have in the pond. Sometimes fish can swim into a skimmer and get stuck. The great things about intake bays is it allows the fish to freely swim in and out of the filter without getting stuck. The fish also enjoy swimming in the current the intake bay provides.
Water Flow: Water is drawn into the intake bay where it is pumped to the top of the waterfall. The location of the intake bay is normally on the opposite side of where the water enters the pond. This allows for great water circulation. Stagnant water can cause debris to pile up and also allow for mosquito larva to grow.
In the end intake bays are not always needed on ponds and water features but can be a very helpful upgrade if you have fish getting stuck in your skimmer or have a lot of leaves and debris that falls into your pond.