Frogs Dying in Skimmer

I have a Savio Skimmer and this fall we have lost 3 frogs to being
chewed up in the pump after entering the skimmer. They get over the
top of the divider from the basket side into the pump side and are
pulled in and chopped up. It's a nightmare having to remove
them(still alive)and crush them with a rock to end their misery.
Anyone else have this problem or any ideas of how to keep them out of
there. Since it's a leaf skimmer I can't block the entryway, but
maybe there is a way to keep them from the pump side. I thought they
went thru the handle of the basket, but I have blocked that with
screening and now have seen one sitting on top of the basket when I
opened the skimmer, so that's not enough. Also the most recient one
was in one of the ports for the UV lights and there is no way to get
it out. I dread opening the skimmer to clean the filter for fear I
will chase him into the pump side and he will have the fate of the
other 3. Any ideas?

Sue W
Brooksville FL

See my pond 'Rippling Waters' at
http://community.webshots.com/user/aspenjd

Sue,

Make a basket of hardware cloth that you can put the pump in. The mesh
should be small enough to keep frogs out, but large enough to not clog by
any debris that gets through the skimmer basket. I have had frogs travel
down my plumbing to my Sequence pumps, unfortunately, due to elbows, they
never made it to the pump, but were trapped, cutting off water flow until I
cut the plumbing to get them out. This past year I had tropical lily blooms
go the same route. I now have hardware cloth over the inlet.
--
RichToyBox
http://www.geocities.com/richtoybox/pondintro.html


"Sue Walsh" wrote in message
om...
I have a Savio Skimmer and this fall we have lost 3 frogs to being
chewed up in the pump after entering the skimmer. They get over the
top of the divider from the basket side into the pump side and are
pulled in and chopped up. It's a nightmare having to remove
them(still alive)and crush them with a rock to end their misery.
Anyone else have this problem or any ideas of how to keep them out of
there. Since it's a leaf skimmer I can't block the entryway, but
maybe there is a way to keep them from the pump side. I thought they
went thru the handle of the basket, but I have blocked that with
screening and now have seen one sitting on top of the basket when I
opened the skimmer, so that's not enough. Also the most recient one
was in one of the ports for the UV lights and there is no way to get
it out. I dread opening the skimmer to clean the filter for fear I
will chase him into the pump side and he will have the fate of the
other 3. Any ideas?

Sue W
Brooksville FL

See my pond 'Rippling Waters' at
http://community.webshots.com/user/aspenjd

"RichToyBox" wrote in message news:dD%Hb.70214$VB2.136849@attbi_s51...
Sue,

Make a basket of hardware cloth that you can put the pump in. The mesh
should be small enough to keep frogs out, but large enough to not clog by
any debris that gets through the skimmer basket. I have had frogs travel
down my plumbing to my Sequence pumps, unfortunately, due to elbows, they
never made it to the pump, but were trapped, cutting off water flow until I
cut the plumbing to get them out. This past year I had tropical lily blooms
go the same route. I now have hardware cloth over the inlet.
--
RichToyBox
http://www.geocities.com/richtoybox/pondintro.html

Thanks Rich, Great idea! I understand by hardware cloth you mean
something like, (but smaller than)chicken wire, is that correct? The
first instance we had blocked the water flow and that's what made us
look at the pump. Over at the botanical gardens we are constantly
finding frogs in all the faucets. Turn on the water and out comes a
small frog. Thanks again.

Sue W
Brooksville FL

See my pond 'Rippling Waters' at
http://community.webshots.com/user/aspenjd

Sue,

In Home Depot, the hardware cloth is located next to the chicken wire. It
is typically used in eave vents, rabbit cages, and is about 1/4 or 3/8 inch
mesh.
--
RichToyBox
http://www.geocities.com/richtoybox/pondintro.html


"Sue Walsh" wrote in message
om...
"RichToyBox" wrote in message
news:dD%Hb.70214$VB2.136849@attbi_s51...
Sue,

Make a basket of hardware cloth that you can put the pump in. The mesh
should be small enough to keep frogs out, but large enough to not clog
by
any debris that gets through the skimmer basket. I have had frogs
travel
down my plumbing to my Sequence pumps, unfortunately, due to elbows,
they
never made it to the pump, but were trapped, cutting off water flow
until I
cut the plumbing to get them out. This past year I had tropical lily
blooms
go the same route. I now have hardware cloth over the inlet.
--
RichToyBox
http://www.geocities.com/richtoybox/pondintro.html

Thanks Rich, Great idea! I understand by hardware cloth you mean
something like, (but smaller than)chicken wire, is that correct? The
first instance we had blocked the water flow and that's what made us
look at the pump. Over at the botanical gardens we are constantly
finding frogs in all the faucets. Turn on the water and out comes a
small frog. Thanks again.

Sue W
Brooksville FL

See my pond 'Rippling Waters' at
http://community.webshots.com/user/aspenjd