Yes I have plants around the shelving edge at the front. The back is deeper and slopes steeply. The fry mainly stay (or are more noticeable) around the shallower edge around the plants -but they do swim all around the pond now. even quite deeply. When the sun is shining I can see them right down near the pump-they dont seem to have got pumped up and filtered! As well as my 2 goldfish and shubunkin I also have 4 baby koi (about 3") So I dont suppose my stocking levels should be much over that.

I have never drained the pond and re-filled (except when I had the pond professionally overhauled) I just top it up occasionally if the level is dropping a bit. evaporation? I dont have a drain anyway, I'd have to pump it all out!