Boondoggle,
I also like the "look" around the pond of the emergent plants that you have started. They also do rob a little bit of nutrients from the FA.
Somebody the other day (Bill Cody?), did say that it is the submerged vegetation that takes MUCH more of the nutrients away from the FA. I also think those types of plants are the densest cover available for small forage fish (like gams), or for grass shrimp or scuds or if you ever add those.
There used to be some good threads on beneficial submerged plants. However, they are far enough in the past that I am afraid to (mis)quote them from my fuzzy memory. Maybe next rainy day you might peruse some more ideas for your pond?
