A waterfall will add some pleasant ambient sound and keep the pond aerated. Even a very low fall will do that. A Skippy is essentially a homemade filter that is specifically supported by a small company. Google skipppystuff. A small pond can use a small filter. The skippy version is called a minime. Aside from adding plants, you can also add old weathered logs to soften the pond edges. You can get all sorts of stuff, but all you need for a pond and fall is a pump, tubing, connectors and probably a filter. Many filter designs incorporate the waterfall spillway. If you can create a way for water to circulate around plants: a short stream for example, there will be less need for a filter.

I built a 500ish gallon pond this past spring. Had the same grayish water in the beginning-partially due to heavy rain splashing in dirt (mulch or gravel will stop that.) Combination of settling and mechanical filtering with a mini skippy filter stuffed with polyester pillow stuffing cleared the water in less than a week. I then used a shop vac with bristle fitting to get the dirt off the bottom. The pond looked good for about a week until warming temps set off an algal bloom turning the water to pea soup. I stopped feeding the 5 goldfish, got more plants both in pond and in skippy, washed the polyester stuffing again, and waited. Couple of weeks later, my water was crystal clear-most of the clearing occuring in the last few days. I didn't add any chemicals (not even barley straw) because I found in my indoor aquarium they were tricky to use and could even complicate problems. I did monitor the pond's pH-keeping it around 7.2-7.4. Algae seem to outcompete plants at higher pHs. I'm lucky that I can access my acidic well water before and after softening and can adjust pH by mixing the two water sources. Pond water continues to be clear and fish are healthy.

I have three rocks running off one pump. I measured the rocks and then asked the pump seller to recommend the size of pump. The first one wasn't strong enough so I returned it for a stronger one. DH made a three prong T with PVC pipe to split water to all three rock columns.

My pond is running over with plants. Where do you live in South Carolina? I live near Charleston. If you are close enough to drop by I will give you plenty of plants for your water garden. Just let me know. Joyce