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Message: [QUOTE="MitchM, post: 302356, member: 4402"] There are too many variables involved that you cannot control when designing a pond. I appreciate the desire for minimal mantenance, so you want to strike a balance between efficient detritus removal, sufficient water oxygenation and a stress free environment for your fish without turning the pond into a washing machine. Some fish are going to be skittish and require quiet places to hide, some areas of your pond will accumulate detritus and extra algae growth, sometimes the water appearance will fluctuate and you'll see periodic algae blooms. How and what you feed your fish will have an effect, what and how much exterior organic matter will enter the pond will have an effect, how much sunlight hits the pond will have an effect. Streams, waterfall and filters are great, but keep in mind that if half of your pond water volume is tied up in those features, the pond life may do fine during times when you have them all running but during the winter the pond water volume will be cut in half. That could lead to fish deaths if there are too many fish for what previously seemed like a smooth running pond. Whether or not the bottom area is large enough depends on how heavily you stock your pond with fish. I would stock it very lightly until you have the pond running for a couple of years. Otherwise you could be setting yourself up for unnecessary difficulties. . [/QUOTE]