I am sorry, but this will be a long answer. I installed a pond/waterfall and these are my "Geez, I wish I'd known that!" tips:
1. Create a pond ecosystem. Very simple: water plants (water lilies are great!) and fish (the cheap goldfish from Wal-Mart are fine!). That's the way nature does it. Fish eat algae, plants provide oxygen and shade. Cost? About $20.
2. Get a biofilter. Don't panic, it isn't complicated. Easiest way? Find a pond store. A biofilter uses a filtering medium (mine has foam blocks) with beneficial bacteria that decrease the amount of algae in your pond. Cost? Depending on size, less than $50.
3. What's "beneficial bacteria"? These are added, in liquid or powder form, to your pond. They keep your pond from being mucky. Cost? $20-25.
4. For extra protection for your pump, buy 2 "plant baskets" from the pond section of your home & garden store. Place the pump in one basket, place the other basket on top, cut a hole for your tubing, and use twist-ties to wire the baskets together. This is a cheap, effective way to keep muck from clogging the pump.
Most pond kits come with inadequate pumps and too-small tubing. Your pump should circulate the approximate volume of your pond hourly. My pump for my 800-gallon pond is an 800+ GPH pump. As an extreme last measure, consider replacing your pump and tubing. It's expensive.
All this sounds complicated and expensive, but most are one-time costs. And if you do the above, you won't have an algae-ridden, mucky stinky green pond that you have to climb into and clean out every 2 weeks.
Good luck!
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