I don't think it'd be snakes if they left part of it...they swallow stuff hole. Depending on the size of the tadpoles might also be raccoons. We were losing stuff in a tub garden once and found out we had an infestation of crayfish in it that were fishing to their little heart's content...we think they crawled over from the big retention pond across the street when it dried up and took up residence in the tub garden. They will eat anything they can catch

It's been a while since I read the Skippy site so I went back to see what if anything it said. Sure enough, it had suggestions. See below. Of course a lot depends on the amount of stuff that ends up in the pond and how much filter material you have and how much water is being pumped. Mine often depends on the mood of the local raccoons. No two ponds are ever exactly alike. Remember, this hobby has variables. I have 1,000 gallons in the pond, a 100 gallon Skippy and a 1582 gph pump. I use a separate small pump for a UV light. Sometimes I hook up a floating skimmer which is pretty much a waste of money unless I can figure a way to make it more useful. One of these days I will make the pond bigger because the fish are getting huge. I may just add a couple more Skippys to make a bunch of catch basins for waterfalls. Sandy "Parts list: A Rubbermaid stock tank. -- Old Style -- New Style. They come in sizes 70gals, 100gals, 150gals, and 300gals. (Also available is a 50gal size but we find it too shallow to be used as a filter.) Which one is best for you? Of course the size you will need is dependant on the size of your pond. The bigger the pond the bigger the filter you will need. Makes sense, but, how about a rule of thumb? Let us say this first, these filters really work. We have a few thousand in use at this point and have not had a single failure. That is, every one we have put in is working as expected. Actually, using the S.A.G. approach (Smart As_ Guess) we think the following will work: Updated as we have found these filters to work better than even we expected... 70 gal size filter at least to a 2000 gallon pond size 100 gal size filter at least to a 3000 gallon pond size 150 gal size filter at least to a 4500 gallon pond size If you need a larger filtration system, we now suggest that you build two 150 gallon size filters. Worst case: If you built a filter so small that it did not work for your pond, you could just build another and connect it to the first one and double the capacity of the filtration process. Or, add another in a different area of your pond, doubling the filtering capacity and adding more circulation."

msceejay, many people have ponds in areas where there are various predators. I see an occasional garter snake, but my koi are way, way too large for the garters to be a problem. People have lost fry and small goldfish to them, though. Larger snakes could be a problem, but we don't seem to have them here. I've never heard of the shock deterrent, so I can't say whether it would work. Raccoons will enter a pond in shallow areas and shelves to do their fishing, so if they are a problem simply avoid installing shallow areas in your pond. They can fish from the edge as well, but the pond can be designed with sides higher than the water level, which will reduce their reach. Herons are more difficult. Like the coons, they prefer to walk into the water in shallow areas and on shelves, but in a shallow pond they can and do land directly in the water. Make the pond at least three feet deep to prevent this. If you want shelves, make them narrow and do what Cliff and Joann do -- stack rocks up in front of the pots (see the diagram above). It helps conceal the pots and maintains a higher pond edge, which prevents the stair-steps for predators. If you have a definite heron problem, the best way to deter them is a net. Some of them, the black ones used for protecting fruit trees, are barely visible.

We go to Rehobeth Beach as often as possible during the summer. It's only a couple hours away and Pepper's Nursery is in Milton which is about 20 minutes from the beach. How can I resist?? It's the only remotely local nursery that carries some of the less common tropicals that I like. I displayed considerable restraint this time. The last time I went I came home with 45 plants and the time before 60!!! lol