Plant life is not a problem. Put them in. They will help start the cycle. You will bring in many different species of things when you add just one plant.

You are using a filter? Activated carbon? That will remove chlorine. but it needs to be a big enough one. The only way to know, is to test after filling, otherwise wait a few weeks to add life other than plants. (most folks are in the range of 3-6 weeks) Adding other pond water is a good idea if there is no chlorine in your pond already, and you are willing to take the risk. You really have no idea what is in that other pond without comprehensive testing. I would chance it if life abounds in the donor, but that is my opinion.

Expect an algea bloom in 1-3 weeks. It usually happens with new ponds. Be patient, run your pump, and filter, and it will clear in time. But whatever you do, don't change the water! It will just feed the algea. Add what you need to top off as it is summer.

Many folks say it takes up to 5 years for a pond to mature and stabilize. Meanwhile, there will be over and under populations of things. Some you will see, some you will not see, but they are there. Be patient. What do you want to put in?

My pond was finished filling for the first time on Sept 29th 2006. It is pretty big as backyard ponds go. 24X30X4. It barely bloomed due to the declining sunshine at that time of year. I also added a few plants immediately, and noted that by the time it was filled, several water bugs had moved in. I also started adding some rocks around the shallows, after they were cleaned with the hose. After about two weeks, I added some bait shop minnows. They were still in there in Novemeber, but I haven't seen one since winter ended, so after the frog season is past, and the tads are grown up and out, I will add a few more. I don't think there was enough time for natural food sources to develop to hold them for the winter. But, maybe there is a fisher type animal in the hood. In any case, I need to re-stock.

Good luck, and enjoy. How big is it?
Got Pics?

-TT

Thanks a lot for the reply. The pond is approx 15 X 20 X 4-5 feet deep with a rather wide planting shelf ~ 18 inches deep. I still have some rock work and other landscaping to do before posting pics. I hope to have both koi and some gold fish. Thanks again.

Think of your pond as somewhat like a giant aquarium only in the way that the pond has to cycle like an aquarium. Your water filter (I'm assuming you mean some kind of filter you attach to your water supply?) needs to remove not only chlorine but chloramines if your water supply has them. If in doubt use a dechlorinating/dechloramine product. Your pond will not produce ammonia without fish so after at least a week with plants introduce some fish to get the cycle going. My first pond was only 500 gals and I put 12 small goldfish in 4 died the first week but I wasn't checking the ammonia/water parameters. It takes 3-5 weeks for your pond to cycle depending on plants, fish, etc... If your ammonia goes up make sure you do a water change at least 10%. Sometimes you have to do a water change every day depending on the test results.

Thanks for the reply.
I will going to Iowa next week for my 50th class reunion and will be visiting a local pond keeper there who sells koi. I hope to bring back some nice fingerlings for my pond. I'm on oxygen part of the time and so should have little problem in supplying oxygen when transporting them. I just don't want to lose them once I get home. Would I be better off keepng them in a 100 gal tank with an aereator for a while till I'm sure the main pond is ready?
Thanks again for your comments.