Looks good so far. Will make a nice water garden, so be sure to add some plants. If you decide to add fish, go with goldfish or shubunkins. Not enough room for koi.

A waterfall will add some pleasant ambient sound and keep the pond aerated. Even a very low fall will do that. A Skippy is essentially a homemade filter that is specifically supported by a small company. Google skipppystuff. A small pond can use a small filter. The skippy version is called a minime.

Aside from adding plants, you can also add old weathered logs to soften the pond edges. You can get all sorts of stuff, but all you need for a pond and fall is a pump, tubing, connectors and probably a filter. Many filter designs incorporate the waterfall spillway.

If you can create a way for water to circulate around plants: a short stream for example, there will be less need for a filter.

Not to be a grinch but I would lose the rocks around the edge of the pool. They add nothing to the appearance and offer the possibility of injury to the prefab pool.
Instead buy some wide redwood planks and build a walkway around the pool with the planking. This would make it easy for you to access the pool anytime and at any point along the pool's edge.

I think your pond looks really nice so far. My suggestion, from previous experience, would be to make sure you can access your pond comfortably. Once you add plants and such, you will need to occasionally access them, and kneeling on stacked rocks can be hard. My husband gathered rock and stones from "out and about" to border my pond, but few of them were large or flat. I am currently working on placing some flat stones randomly around my pond border just for that reason. Ponds can be slick to climb out of, once you fall in!

If you can, try to vary the size and type of stone around the perimeter. A couple of large boulders, some of your existing rock, maybe some smaller river rock. Doing that, coupled with plantings around the edge, will give the pond a much more natural look.

Good start!

-Chris

I think you made a very nice pond. Getting the water to splash is the most relaxing sound you will ever hear.

I'd get serious about getting grass around the pond, that will help keep out dirt (which is more a nuisance then anything else). For a flat spot you can just bring a board with you; I have a nice garden kneeling pad they flips over to be a seat, so I can sit by my pond or kneel at it too.

Once your landscaping grows around the rocks it should look like mother nature herself made that pond.

Enjoy!

Thanks everyone! We worked on putting the "small" waterfall in today...and found we needed a bigger pump/line to actually force enough water through to make a nice sound. Need to work on making a filter yet. We decided to add a light under the water fountain we added too. This is definately a learning experience! My guy works (side job) at a greenhouse and we'll be working on planting after I get all the rocks set and yes I have larger rocks and find myself moving rocks and standing back and moving more rocks. Wondering if I'll ever be done with the rocks part to move on towards the planting/mulch/paths...

I like the idea Chris had in adding some boulders of different sizes. Some creeping junipers around the pond would add all year interest and soften look of the edges. Can't wait to see more pics when you add plants.

Good job! You are SO gonna enjoy this feature to your yard, I LOVE to go have my coffee by the pond, look at the waterlilies in bloom..niiiice!!!

Looks good but don't be surprised when you keep tweaking things.

I can't tell the situation from your picture, but it's really important to make sure the edges of your pond are high enough so that dirty water doesn't wash in with every hard rain.