"Derek Broughton" wrote in message
...
snip
A backyard pond, as such, will _never_ properly balance. It's too small
to
be a full ecosystem, but it'll be as close as it's likely to get much
sooner than a year. And I guarantee you that as soon as you add the first
fish, you're starting over in the balancing game.
snip

I disagree with this as well. I use only a vegetable filter system. It is
oversized to the pond it is servicing, so I have struck a balance quickly,
and easily. I suffer from extended algae blooms in the spring because it
takes time for the veggy filter to catch up, but aside from that all water
params are perfect. I add nothing to adjust anything, except for dechlor
when I add new water.

My fish spawn every year. We have numerous frog species, toads, turtle,
snakes, etc.
BV.