I think it is highly unlikely to pull this off without treating the incoming water with something like extraordinary amounts of limestone. The local chemistry of the soils will dictate what sort of water clarity you have, wherever it comes from. If it is percolating through the soils as part of the water table, you will really have very little control over the appearance. If it is runoff, ban lawn chemical use, and again water will pick up whatever chemistry there is near the surface. Alum may wind up being your best friend to keep clarity up.
I would think an appropriate blend of colors and light application of pond dye would be the most cost-effective way to get a specific color. Combine that with the white sand will go a long ways to "light it up".
Reading your other threads on the soil type you are dealing with says to me that the ponds will likely be fertile, being an ancient lake bed combined with some deep top soils and a lot of homes nearby. When excavating, I would try to line and surround the ponds with "dead" clay, gravel, etc. Anything you can think of to keep nutrients at bay will go a long ways to make upkeep less of a hassle and expense.
I am no expert here, just chiming in based on observations how a pond in certain soils takes on the character of the soils in which it is dug in, and knowing pond color and clarity is almost luck of the draw.
