catfish,,i belong to koi group on FB. they have some pro's that build on there and others that have well-fed ponds. they could answer you.

Koi Keepers of North America

Don't try to pre-think this too much. Until you know what land you will have and its lay, you won't know where the pond will go or the best method of creating or maintaining it. The purpose of the pond will be a factor, too, in how you approach it.

How do you know if a pond can be built before buying the land? I would hate to spend my money on property and find out later a pond (3-5 acres) could not be built. I would think it would have to be someone with the city or county?

If you buy land in an unincorporated area (outside city limits) that is zoned ag no one cares if you make a pond. If you build in city limits or buy land in an HOA community you will have to follow the rules. I would definitely hire an electrician for any electrical stuff but the rest could be diy. My dh is pretty handy and could do electrical stuff but I would feel better making sure everything is properly grounded etc. Of course, you can go totally solar.. A lot of people build ponds here.

Definitely want to go ag because I'm thinking about building a shipping container home as well.