8 foot pond help

[Hudson Ensz]

I am planing on making an 8 foot pond outside. it will be dug into the ground and will probably be sealed with cement. i have a couple of problems and questions.
Tank specs
8' long 30" wide 12" deep. should it be deeper? i would prefer to make it as shallow as possible.
i think i will seal it with cement but i have heard that it lowers the Ph and hardens the water so, to combat it i would put copious amounts of leaves and driftwood, is this enough.
filtration would probably be an internal filter and a fountain to break up surface tension.
for sure there will be an oscar and an 8 inch turtle, but i want a lima shovelnose, acarichthys heckelli, geophagus, uara and a pike cichlid hopefully comprisceps which one would work best?
bye
Hudson

[Pam Chin]

Hey Hudson,

That sounds like a fun project. Everyones water is different so it is going to be trial and error to get the pH where you want it. Doing it naturally with leaves and driftwood is an excellent idea. The only problem with being 12" deep is I am afraid it will heat up too quickly, so having some shade on it is going to be a good idea.

Cichlid Power!
Pam