Hi TB, the closer the pump is to the pond the better due to friction in the hose. In my setup I am using a plastic shoe box set on a couple of bricks the pump is placed in it I drilled a 3/4 in hole in the side to pass the hose through and a 1/2 in hole for the electrical. Then I place the lid on it and put a large rubbermaid container with holes drilled for the electrical and tubing over the whole think and put a few brick on top to keep it from blowing away. That way it is protected from the elements. For my airline I got 100' of 1/2" plastic tubing at Home Depot and then every few feet wired a used tire weight to it courtesy of my local tire shop to make it sink. The only thing I am missing is a pressure valve in case the bubbler gets clogged but since I clean it quite a bit it hasn't needed it. Hope that helps
Bob
