Hi Dan!

Skimmers are always good ideas for areas with lots of
tree business. You can always net the pond for a week
or two if you have periods of heavy tree activity.

Not sure about brand names but somebody else
will know.

Ponds collect stuff, even with skimmers.
That's why rocks are hard to deal with. They look
great but they are harder to clean. A bottom drain would
come in handy. The aquascape folks drain their ponds
and power wash them to clean them.
So it's kind of up to you how much maintenance you
want to do. We should clean out our pond every
spring but this year it did not happen.

I like the idea of a pond where all nature comes to
visit! If you don't put in a few minnows you can put
in Mosquito Dunks for the mosquitoes.
Your kids can add and subtract stuff as long as
they don't get too fond of anyone critter because that
is always who the heron or raccoon eats first!
My youngest spent hours trying to catch bullfrogs
in our pond. And there are aquatic insects who will
come, maybe newts or salamanders in your area.

kathy :-) www.blogfromthebog.com
this week ~ a snake story

Pond 101 page for new pond keepers ~
http://hometown.aol.com/ka30p/myhomepage/garden.html