Upgrading to an External Filter for my small pond..................

Hi,

I'm a 5-year veteran ponder, and a regular fan of this cool newsgroup. In
the middle of winter, the PVC liner that came with my Beckett pond (4 x 6 x
18 ", 270 gal) kit ruptured, leaving 12 assorted Koi/goldies lying in 1 inch
of ice and water. I raided our emergency water supply and transported them
in a Rubbermaid container to a water garden center that agreed to take them
off my hands, and all the fish survived. With spring here, I am now ready to
buy a rubber liner and stock the pond with only 2 Koi and about 4 goldies,
and some plants........

In previous years, I seemed to spend more summer hours cleaning my pond than
sitting in front of it with a frosty Margherita; hence, I want to upgrade
from the submerged filter to a small, external filter that would be easier
to clean. I am prepared to change out my current little 210 gph, 25 watt
pump to a stronger one (maybe 300-500 gph, 35/45 watt), to get the job done
right. The water garden center wants to sell me a 1200 gph pump ($160)
and a BF-1000 UV waterfall filterbox ($99) plus tubing, etc. They say that
the filter would only have to be changed ONCE OR TWICE a year, and could be
camouflaged in some plants beside the pond. I'm would appreciate any shared
comments and/or recommendations about making the upgrade to a simple,
efficient arrangement.............

Thanks...........