Help, I'm starting an above ground 300 gallon, stock tank fish pond on my patio. I live in Az and it's so hot Im worried about putting it in the sun. I have a filter system with fountain that they said is good for up to 600 gallons. With my goldfish in aquariums I've learned to double filter. I would like to do a skippy filter I read about as well. I've got two med goldfish about 5-6 inches and a large one about 10-12 inches. I would like to add plants and rosy reds. What about some sort of fish to eat algae and be a bottom feeder? I also would like to grow some plants on the bottom for the small fish to be able to hide and avoid being eaten. What do you grow them in if you dont use gravel? Lilies and marginals as well? You don't use soil, do you? I wanted to cycle my pond using gravel and water from my tanks but if you shouldn't use gravel or rocks what do you use for bacteria growth? If I don't cycle, how soon should I add my fish? I can't wait to see them in there. The way they are growing, they've got to get out of their tank, we've been through 3 in about a year.