I'm one of those that use the weights in the back of the pedals -
it's taken a while but they've finally broken in, loosened up and I've never had an issue with the pedals not hanging properly.
I use a little window screen material unside the intake tube to keep things out - it's never clogged.
Here's a pic of my simple mod to keep the bait well full in the event of a low battery.
The tank will drain if the battery stops and this keeps both the intake and the outflow at the same basic level -
tube is 1" I.D. and 1 1/4" O.D. with pvc elbows - cost $3.00.
I'll use it if I know I'll be out on the water all day - 3-4 hour stints with a full battery, i leave it off.