I would go another foot but I'm from Michigan soo..but it could help them for predator protection and water temperatures in FL. Hopefully other Floridians will chime in on what is normal for your area. Bigger is better for your pump. My pond is 1000 gallons and my pump turns 2100 gph
Lisa ours is 1,000 gallons imperial and our pump is an Oase its turn over is 3500 gph .
Doing an approximately 6-800 gallon pond with 55 gallon drum filter. Filter will be fed from bottom homemade style and located at ground level about 6' away from the pond, overflow will be routed to waterfall at some point. Nothing too elaborate, will be well stocked with native plants and some minners, etc. Can someone assist with pump size ? I've seen the calculators but see varying opinions and assuming hose to drum inlet at a few inches above ground level there's little head calculation, guess I'm being lazy but like to research before "diving in" to my pond ! Thanks.
rebeldart for a pond your size lets just say your more than alittle under filtered, to tell you the truth I suggest you add another three 55 gallo drums with varying filter medium in each one .
Our own pond has three 32" vortex style filters the first is a vortex the second and third filters with Japp matting brushes, sponges, zeolite and filterwool (quilt batting ) in no 2 filter.
Japp matting , lythaqua, filter wool (quilt batting in no 3 filter.
Our forth is a 55 gallon drum filled with K1 aqua one bio balls, bio balls, and bio chips this barrel has six pond airstones supplying it , the others no2-3 have three airstones in them , this is supplied by an airtex 40e airpuump with another one supplying the pond bottom drain bubbler.
It also has a 36 watt UV-C and that Oase 3500 gph pump.
It started out life as a koi dealership QT pond and was retrofitted into a pond by Jeff our pond builder .
So as you can see going off our filtration you are under filtered
Dave