Black Hole Skimmers
Bottom Filter Benefits
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Bottom Filtering
Typical bottom filters sit on the pond floor or connect into larger filter systems. They draw debris, waste, and organics from the bottom, helping reduce muck buildup and improve circulation. However, the media usually stays submerged or hidden in the system, making it harder to reach and maintain.
PondLift Bottom Filters are different. They still pull water from the pond bottom, but instead of filtering in place, they lift it into a chamber at or above the surface. This makes the media easy to access and layer, reduces muck buildup, and improves circulation.
PondLift Bottom Filter in the afternoon sun. This installation used a 5-gallon bucket top to help the water spill evenly over the edges.
Aeration & Circulation
A pump at the bottom of the pond (protected by a blue Matala cage in the image) pulls in water from the bottom and sends it through a hose to the PondLift™ filter chamber at the surface. This deeper water is filtered and as it exits the PondLift™ and meets fresh air, it becomes aerated. This is important, because deep water usually contains less oxygen. This creates vertical circulation that keeps the pond well-oxygenated, balanced, and healthier for fish and plants.
The Matala cage prevents large debris from entering the pump, and also protects pond inhaditants.
Powerful and Reliable
PondLift™, like all our products, is built from schedule 40 PVC and 3D-printed parts for a balance of strength and innovation. The PVC provides a tough backbone, while the 3D-printed components let us refine designs based on real-world testing and customer feedback. We always print with ASA plastic—the most durable choice for outdoor use—because it resists UV damage, heat, and weathering.
Our parts are also intentionally thick and reinforced, not thin and flimsy like many alternatives on the market. With each design update, we’ve improved durability and performance, ensuring PondLift™ is stronger, more effective, and more reliable season after season.
Easy Water Changes
The PondLift™ bottom filter sits on a PVC pipe stand, drawing water upward from the pond bottom into the filter chamber. The chamber attaches with a PVC threaded male adapter. When the chamber is removed, the adapter is left open — perfect for connecting a hose. By attaching a hose and running the pump, you can pull nutrient-rich bottom water out of the pond for easy water changes. This not only removes muck but also gives you natural fertilizer for your yard or garden.
Watch the full water change video now on our YouTube channel:: Easy Pond Water Change.
Convenient Cleaning
Many pond owners avoid bottom filters because they are notoriously difficult to maintain. Traditional filters often need to be completely removed from the pond for cleaning, which is messy, disruptive, and inconvenient.
With PondLift™, the pump, stand, and all bottom components stay in place. The filter chamber simply twists off the stand for a quick rinse, then twists back on in minutes. No heavy lifting, no disturbing the pond—just easy, regular maintenance that keeps the filter performing at its best.
The video shows how convenient, quick and easy it is to clean the filter chamber of the PondLift™ bottom filter. [Full YouTube video]
Uses Filter Socks
When there’s a moderate buildup of muck — for example, after a vacation — filter socks are an easy way to bring it back under control.
Filter socks last longer than chamber media because it takes much more debris to fill them. Begin with a larger micron sock to prevent clogging, then move to finer socks as the pond clears. Once the water stabilizes, you can switch back to regular in-chamber filter media for long-term upkeep and convenient cleaning.
The video shows a 200-micron sock on the PondLift™ for a 2 days, keeping this 48″-deep pond crystal clear. The length of time that is can run without clogging depends on your pond and the rate at which debris accumulates in the filter sock.
Filter Media
Like most of our filters, the PondLift™ bottom filter is designed to accept a wide range of media. We often use a coarse Matala pad, a medium Matala pad, and a thin layer of filter floss, but you can customize the setup to target the needs of your pond. Whether you want to trap fine particles, encourage biological growth, or use specialty media, PondLift™ can be adapted to fit.
Media should be arranged coarse to fine, bottom to top. This lets the coarse pad capture large debris first, protecting the finer media so it lasts longer. A screen is placed on top of the stack, followed by the spacer, which helps keep water flowing evenly through the filter. With this flexibility, PondLift™ not only cleans effectively but also allows you to conveniently tailor filtration for changing pond conditions.
Mosquito Control
Most mosquitoes prefer to lay their eggs in still, stagnant water. Their larvae also need calm surfaces, since they breathe through air tubes at the water’s surface. When water is disturbed by ripples and current, it breaks up that surface film and makes survival more difficult.
The PondLift™ draws water from the bottom and releases it at the surface, creating constant ripples and circulation across a wide area. This movement discourages mosquitoes from laying eggs and makes it harder for any hatched larvae to survive.
No Liner Cutting
We will never ask you to cut your liner or empty your pond to install our products. Professionally installed systems aren’t always better, and they often require professional upkeep. With PondLift™, you simply drop it into the pond with the attached pump, and it’s ready to go.
PondLift™ is convenient and easy to clean, so most pond owners can install and maintain it themselves. It only takes about a minute to maintain, so it can be cleaned more often. For example, I rinse fine floss daily while feeding the fish, and coarser media may only need attention every three days or so.
Muck Reduction
Many people looking for bottom filters already have heavy muck buildup in their pond. Removing it can be messy, and people often end up draining their pond or paying for professional help.
PondLift™ makes muck removal simple without draining your pond. Just remove the filter chamber, attach a 1" hose to the stand, and pump bottom water into a container (like a clean garbage can). The nutrient-rich water can then be distributed to trees and plants, turning waste into natural fertilizer. The result: a healthier yard, happy fish, and no need for expensive vacuums or professional services. It’s as easy as doing a water change.
Variable Flow Rate
The PondLift™ in the video is running at 500 GPH, but we’ve tested it successfully with pumps as low as 240 GPH and as high as 800 GPH. In every case the filter performs well, giving you flexibility to match it with different pump sizes. This makes it easy to adapt PondLift™ to ponds of various sizes and circulation needs.
As pump speed increases, more debris is drawn in, so the filter media may need cleaning more often. Fortunately, cleaning is quick and simple, and as debris on the pond bottom is reduced, the time between cleanings will naturally get longer. This balance allows PondLift™ to handle heavy loads when needed, while settling into longer maintenance cycles once the pond is cleaner and healthier.