Hey Kajun - Being a "neighbor" of yours, I can only caution you about the depth you have right now. With the dry year that we have had, my pond is 3'0" below full pool. Luckily, I have an area that is normally 16' so my fish are not suffering but I think your 8' could get pretty dry if we have another year like this one.
Good luck with the pond! Contact me if you need any help that I might be able to give.
Last edited by Dragon70669; 11/17/10 11:17 AM.