Ponds do seem to demand differing amounts of attention.

Our main pond is self cleaning and requires no annual maintenance
beyond netting out the pine needles at the bottom of the deep well the
pump sits in. That can be done every third year.

Our berm ponds have 2" drains in the bottom, so can shut off the pump,
open the drains, and flush with pool water after.

That is is for the year.

Our main pond does not get many fry growing up as the mosquito fish,
koi and goldies eat them up.

The berm ponds are 4' x 8' and 18" deep. Draining 1/2 way makes
catching any fry up there easy. They make it better among the
hyacinth roots in the veggie filters than they do in the main pond.
If we don't pull them, they wipe out the next year's fry.

Our pump is now 10 yrs submerged and no problem.

Low maintenance.

Jim