No... ponds with any kind of fish are not havens for nasty bugs.
you might consider a nice waterfall dropping into the pond. and rather than berms, I
constructed a stud wall so my pond is 1.5 feet out of the ground.
http://weloveteaching.com/mypond/changes/changes.htm
INgrid



Location: My backyard is fully fenced-in (5-foot high wood fence) and
is located in the middle of a residential area. The site I selected is
about 30-35 feet away from my patio area, and one end will be located
at the top of a hill the other end will be about 5"-6" lower. I
figured I can just berm up the lower end. Then drape the end of the
plastic pond liner over the top of the berm to hold the berm in place.
(The soil in my yard, like most of Florida, is very sandy.) There'll
be a small (8-foot high) Dogwood tree located on the south side and a
section of my backyard's fence will be located west side of the pond
and will shade the later evening sun. In all, the pond will probably
get about 6 hours of direct sun and a couple hours of semi-shaded.

Questions 2 & 3: Is this location okay? Or will it get too much sun...
and end up being green, algae-filled swamp in a matter of weeks?

Sun encourages algae.


To add interest to my little pond, and to keep the bug population in
check, I figured I'd add some inhabitants. I figured the best thing
to add would be some local tadpoles, minnows (little bluegills/panfish
or whatever they're called in this part of the country) a couple
adult frogs, and maybe a turtle or two.

Questions 4 , 5 & 6: Best to stay with local creatures, right? What do
you think about adding some African Cichlids (in place of the local
fish), from a tropical fish store? Cichlids are tough little fish,
surely they could survive in my pond, right?

Cichlids would probably survive in Florida. I like cheap goldfish. You
don't mind replacing them when they get eaten. Koi tame easily. Colored
fish help you see them. You may never see your cichlids again after adding
them.


I also want a little water fall on one end of the pond.

Questions 7, 8 & 9: How gallon-per-hour pump should I use?

One rule of thumb is to pump your total pond gallons every hour. You may
need to pump more for a successful waterfall.

How many
hours a day should the pump run?

24 hours 7 days a week probably cost $30 a month or so

Should my pond have some sort of
filtration system?

Filters are essential if you have critters. Plan on several big ones.


Question 10 & a bonus: Are ponds worthwhile or are they more bother
than they're worth?

I like them.


Please give me your thoughts, ideas and experiences.

Bottom drains make the cleaning chores much easier.


Patrick





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