Depending on the size and depth, make sure you include a bottom drain in the pond.
An easy reach to move pots, and remove leaves/debris.
A long handled cutter to trim your plants.
Some type of long handled brush to remove algae.
A vacuum.

A UV light.

Ohio Don - bottom drain is listed. A vacuum is needed even with a bottom drain?

DH still in a good mood - keep the ideas coming... ;)

RexAnne

Add lots of different kinds of water plants - submerged, marginals, tropicals, oxygenators, etc. It makes it more interesting for you and the fish and is a must for algae control, shading the pond, and gives the fish something to nibble on.

You'll also need plant fertilizer tablets, a long handled brush to remove string algae (Algae Witch is one option, expensive, but pretty neat. You can find it online.) You'll need a net not only for fish, but one to clean debris out of the pond, a long handled plant trimmer if you don't want to get right into the pond, barley straw to help with filtration, long sleeved rubber pond gloves and hip waders (really helps when it gets colder in our climates!), and good quality fish food if you enjoy feeding them. Some folks like UV filters combined with a mechanical filter, along with a biofilter - hopefully you will have done your research before building your pond.

Be careful of the deluge of chemicals most pond stores want to sell you to "fix" any problem. Take it slow and let the plants get established. Everyone wants a quick fix, but if you are patient, do your research and ask lots of questions, you will have a balanced pond. Nature knows what she's doing.

And, unfortunately, be prepared to deal with some kind of predator because it's not a matter of if, but when you will attract them. A motion detector water cannon (Scarecrow and Havahart) works for some people with herons and other critters. We had to resort to a net covering our pond, which isn't actually that bad. It also is a benefit in the fall to catch leaves before they land in the pond. It didn't take long for a heron to find us. Just a mater of a couple months. The great thing is all the other things that appear - frogs, toads, dragonflies, pond insects, birds. Having a pond is really cool. Don't get frustrated. Hope you enjoy it!

If I had known the purpose of aerated bottom drains, I would have used them instead of regular bottom drains. I would also have put a larger outlet pipe in the skimmer to gravity feed it to a settling tank instead of pump suction from the skimmer.

Hah! I just found out yesterday that I forgot to get a net when my plant holding tub and snail love nest sprung a leak and I had to capture 4 minnows and a billion snails with my kitchen strainer! Hubby is getting me a net today.

Don't forget a comfortable bench or chair right next to the pond for admiring and dreaming.

Vanessa

Things I got I don't use. Lights and transformer. UV Light.(Didn't work well enough, long enough). Scarecrow Water Canon.(didn't scare the heron away). Floating solar lights.(they fill up with water) With a skippy filter, skimmer and bog filter I don't even need a UV have clear water all the time now. A net to cover the pond. Something you can't do without and you cannot buy: Patience. Glenda

Oh, I was looking at solar floating lights for the impending stock tank pond. Sorry to hear they're a disappointment. On the other hand, I'm planning a bog filter and a skippy and was worrying I'd need a UV light too so it's good to hear Glenda doesn't need one.

Thanks for asking this question, Rexanne!

I use a UV and it was my quick fix. I stay away from chemicals, but when I heard about the UV i had to get one. I waited for the prices to drop a bit then got one on ebay. It's been great.

I have a floating solar light in my pond and LOVE it!! It's been there for over a year now and is still going strong. I am going to order another one for my other pond. I got mine from Amazon.com

I bought 2 of mine online. Don't remember where. One I bought at Lowes and all 3 filled up with water. They still burned, but looked terrible. I emptied them and wiped all the crud off the inside, they just filled up again and they were supposed to be sealed. The water got in anyway. Glad ccoombs1 had a good one. I read in the past someone had the same problem I did. I decided to just add the ones you stick in the ground beside the pond. They work great. Glenda

This is the light I have. Amazon no longer sells it but according to the feedback on amazon some people have had problems with it filling with water. My guess is that some are shipped without the o-ring.

Here is a link that might be useful: solar light

Rexanne, you live in Chicago - you could actually VISIT with Mike_il before starting the big dig. He's a real expert, we all love to ask for his advice.

:) Mary

well Mary,
I have actually met him - in person - and yes he is a very nice man (his ears must be burning by now) and knowledgeable too. He's got like Super-Duper filtration (isn't it like 1/2 of his garage?) and heated water, greenhouse covered etc pond. I feel embarrassed to be even asking these questions here because I have decided to go as simple as I can.
I told DH last night all this researching and gnashing of teeth and sleeplessness over a 2 foot deep hole in the ground water garden/ goldfish bowl. I'm just trying to make sure it doesn't turn into a big pain in the neck to take care of. I haven't even dug the hole yet and it's taken over my life already. ;0)

I'm going to hold off on the UV to see if I'll really need it. someone mentioned a self cleaning string alge brush that looks good. Is there something I can get to clean off plants so I don't get stuck with snails and leaches?
RexAnne

Some type of vacuum is needed to clean shelves and remove debris trapped behind plants etc.
A UV light is good if you have suspended algae, or green water and can be added later if needed.
Don

A bigger pond. I started out much too small.
Lot's of kleenex because you will experience some heartbreak after your first or second or third predator attack.
But the one thing I really wish I had was a pergola or some other covering before the bird/s first spotted the pond. My pond is close to the house so construction of something now is going to be a pain.

I am adding a shade sail so my pond will have some shade. I wish I had done it sooner. The rocks around my pond get so hot it blisters my knees when I have to reach into the pond to pick off spent blooms or leaves from the lilies. I don't have any trees near by (a good thing, no or very few leaves in pond) so pond gets no shade. Glenda

Roxanne, if you don't want to invest in a vacuum, and you only go two feet deep, a garden hose set on "jet" will dislodge debris from behind pots etc. Then the bottom drain should pick most of it up.
As far as the accessories go, you don't have to buy them all up front, especially not those that will go on sale when winter is approaching! As long as you have your filter(s) and skimmer in place and you have a bottom drain built in, when you have it set up so that the bd's outlet can drain easily with a valve that is easy to open and close, and you have a place to overwinter plants and fish if the pond isn't deep enough, well, then, the rest can be acquired as needed/when they're on sale.

:) Mary

And, btw, this because we have both gate valves (aka knife valves) and ball valves, and I can't ever get the *$#@! ball valves turned open and closed - if you can afford the more expensive gate valves (-> internet), I say, go for it. They are sooo easy to operate.

:) Mary

Mary
Good tip on the gate valve ;o)
I was hoping to be able to jet off the plant shelf gunk using the hose that I hope to 3 way valve off the "skimmer pump to bio falls" hose.

can that 3 way valve act as a backflow preventer?

thanks

A good pellet rifle like Crosman makes. I find mine invaluable for obvious reasons. And before some of you add your comments about what a bad person I am, I sleep well at night. I protect my valued little friends.

Here is a link that might be useful: My pond the way it was before the freeze.

Awesome question, Rexanne. I wisht I'd had a bottom drain from the get-go, but my retrofit is solving all life's problems as we speak.

I wish I hadn't introduced goldfish to my 12,000 gallon pond. I love them but they are so prolific. I am diligently trying to remove the hundreds of offspring every year. The goal is only koi, who don't seem to spawn anywhere near as often.

You can get a good landing net on sale at a sporting goods store near you, such as Dick's or Cabella's. I also have been using a casting net, but it's only useful because I have so many, many fish to catch.

Install a settling pond/basin between the pond and filter. It makes all the difference.

Enjoy! You're going to be a great ponder. :)

zinniachick-
have you concidered blue gill fish to control your population?

bugsb-
are those loons I hear on your site?

RexAnne

The loon(y)s you hear on the site are just sound effects to the slide show although they do say something about my personality.;)

Here is a link that might be useful: My pond the way it was before the freeze.