Hello all,

I'm glad I found this thread. I posted something similar under swimming pools but this is where it belongs. I have an unused swimming pool that holds about 20,000 gallons. I want to convert it into to a pond, but I have a couple of questions. Currently the pool is empty minus about a foot of dirty brownish water at the bottom. I see a few turtles, frogs and debris at the bottom. I was wondering: 1) Do I have to clean the pool out entirely before turning it into a pond? I have no plans of using filters or pumps -- only plants and fishes. 2) Is it OK if I just fill the pool up halfway instead of completely? I believe the pool is 10 ft deep on the deep end and 8ft on the shallow end. I just don't want a deep pond; and I saw a really cool idea where someone hang plants around the edge of pool on the inside that I'd like to do. 3) I had a pool service person come and look at the pool and I was told I won't know if the pool leaked until I filled it with water. Is that usually how it works? The pool hasn't been used in years and I'm sick and tired of looking at filthy and bare. Plus, the mosquitoes are horrible during the summer months because of it.