The bio buckets I had kept the water about 2 inches from the bucket top but I moved the water over 15 times per hour per bucket with a one foot water fall into the res and I think a small airstone was in there too but I bet it was not needed. I ran my supply lines inside the return lines with 2 submersible pumps. I had to have a chiller going which is another power hungry device unless it winter then I would use a glycol line running to outside. I do not remember the size of the pump but just remember it was lots of movement.

The slow drip fed plants used a way smaller pump and would have just a small amount of water in the bottom 1/4 inch maybe would be left after the pump shut off. I had no waterfall into the res as the buckets where on a few pieces of wood and the res was on the floor so there was no room for that but I did run lots of air into the res. I love lots of air.

A drip fed bucket system will not steal to much water from the system and allow you to grow much more but a biobucket will add to the water capacity but with a heavy toll on the power bill. They are both viable but I would go drip fed and maybe hide a sump somewhere to add more water if you just want more water in the system.

Maybe even take the bell siphon exit and drain it into a sump that would then distribute the water to the buckets before it goes to the pond using any available gravity drops to add air via waterfall. If your flood table fills and drains a few times an hour I bet the buckets would do great. You may have to make the water distribution rig out of 1/2 pvc maybe even 3/4 as its a gravity drain but top feeding the buckets with a drain at the bottom should work if you can get the water to them.