New to ponds, want advice!!!

[rvm]

I'm thinking of building a pond in my garden in the UK. I really only want the simplest of ponds so What do I need? I obviously need a spade and some elbow grease, but as far as hardware is concerned. I figured I need a filter, but having looked around, I've seen such a huge variety. Do I have to have a UV Clarifier, or is a standard filter OK. It's probably going to be around 300-400 gallons, and house a few smaller fish (shubunkins maybe?)
Any advice is welcome.
Thanks

 

[bribones]

my small pond is run with a small hoselock pump which feeds into a hozelock biofilter both cost about £50 this does the job ,but if you can afford it go for something middle of the range for better results,id go for a deep pond if you plan to overwinter outdoors something around 1000 ltrs ie 6x4@30" deep

 

[ryan]

Fish can safely over winter in 18" of water so that is the minimum depth, than any good filter suitable for the size is fine. A UV will help prevent algae blooms and its up to you if you want this or not? Then you can move on to fish and plant stocking...

 

[bribones]

18" ?? not koi ?all advice ive read says deeper is better ?

 

[ryan]

Deeper is better to a certain extent, smaller fish won't like the water a deep but for Koi 30" is good but you cannot under any circumstances keep Koi in a 400g pond. 18" is the minimum for fish to happily over winter.

 

[rvm]

thanks for all the replies, I've done a bit more research as well, and found out pretty much all I need to know.
I had no intentions of keeping Koi. I know they grow BIG!!!! Maybe one day if I catch the pond bug, I'll make it bigger and deeper!!!!