Wow, Galen,

A major project!

Let me know how much power you can get from the sun. I suspect it
might be hard to run our pond pump on solar, but I sure would be
willing to try if we had a reasonable payback period.

I think you will enjoy your hide out. Post a pic! What prompted your
"move"?

Duckweed is a favorite of various carp...koi, goldies, etc. They
clean our main pond. If your moving water pushes the surface in a
given direction, the duckweed will be pushed up there and will not
thrive. If the pond flowed over something to the pump return with
sufficient flow, it would clear the pond. Our berm pond grows a
covering of duckweed before the hyacinth or parrots feather start
their year. The flow is not enough to clear the surface. Then the
hyacinth loses to the more powerful cover plants. Enough survives for
the next year's cycle. In the main pond, it simply gets gobbled up.
It does thrive on our wet falls, so we never are in danger of losing
it all. Actually, there is plenty wild around here!

Will you put any fish in your pond? Walking catfish? Gators? Carp?
Mosquito fish? Will you BB the weeds? A million questions spring to
mind!

Have fun. Post pics.

Jim