What is the manufacturers name on the preformed pond?
Find that out and do a Google search for their site. You may find out the gallons of the pond that way?
OR,
Post the preformed pond's dimensions and shape here and some one will work out the gallons for you.

I would imagine you would have to support the preformed pond somehow, [i.e. a two x four frame] so the sides don't give out when you fill it with water, if you do not intend to install it into the ground?

Running chlorinated water into your pond [without treating it] as you say will probably kill your fish. Sooner than later I would venture to say!

Fish do not hibernate! Their metabolism slows down in cold water, and they are cold blooded creatures that do not require leaves or anything else, on the bottom to keep them warm.
The leaves would be at the same temperature as the pond water anyway!
Leaves and other plant material decompose and can aid in polluting the pond water, even in winter.

The bubbler and the de-icer should keep the gas exchange going. Cold winter water holds more oxygen than warm summer water.
So if your preformed pond is large enough and you use the water from the leaking pond to fill it, [or de-chlorinate the new water]. And don't feed the fish or pollute the water in the preformed pond, there is a good chance your fish will survive, until you rebuild your old pond.
You could also seperate and put some of the shubunkins and/or gold fish in Rubbermaid type totes with an aquarium aerator/bubbler, if the preformed pond is not large enough for all the fish stock you have.
"Horton"

Thanks Horton. I feel better knowing that we're doing pretty much all we can to increase the fishs' chance of survival. I always wondered about the layer of leaves on the bottom in the winter - even though scientifically it doesn't make any sense that the fish or frogs would get any warmth from it they all seem to gravitate to that spot and hide in there. I guess that's what they're doing -- simply hiding. In my turtle pond I intentionally place a rubbermaid container of dirt into the bottom in the fall so that the turtles can bury themselves in it and hibernate. Is that a wasted effort or do they need that?

Here's my next dilemma for today.... I bought two channel cats several years ago to put in the pond just because I like them so much but the guy in the fish store said they would never survive a winter outdoors. These guys have survived several winters and are big and gorgeous! They are still in the big pond.... they are almost impossible to net not only being very fast but also being the color of the liner and so able to stay on the very bottom. Should we continue to try and catch them today to put them in the crowded holding tank or are their odds better if I leave them in the small amount of water that seems to be staying in the big pond? I would guesstimate that the deepest section is no more than a foot deep. The pond is about 18 feet by 20 feet so they have much more area if I leave them in there but they don't have the depth. Obviously I would have to keep the ice from freezing. Or are they better off in the small holding tank.... much less volume but deeper yet crowded? My third option, if I can catch them, is to set up a tank in the house. But would that small area, combined with the sudden temperature change, hurt them? I'm guessing they are about 8-10 inches long but it's hard to tell when they never stay still! I'm probably more worried about my cats than I am my koi!
Thanks again for your response, and your insight. I do appreciate any thoughts I can get and I know this is not an exact science . . . my mileage may vary.
Sue

Sue, I would be reluctant to leave the catfish in the pond unless you can guarantee it will not freeze completely!!!??? They are so quick, I can imagine the time you are having trying to net them!
I'd say, if you can keep it ice free, then leave them there until the spring, when it might be easier to scoop them up.
As far as turtles go, I do not know much about them, so maybe some one else will chip in with some turtle advice.
Good luck with the pond and temporary quarters.
"Horton"

Hey there, Sue. I can't help you with information. Horton's experience is something we all lean on with gratitude. I do want to say I hope you are young, healthy and strong. You must be driving yourself to exhaustion and I wish I could help. My experience catching even winter slowed fish is not one I would want to repeat and that was in a very small pond with small fish. Best of luck. Sandy

Thanks for the compassion Sandy. I am 51 years young but fairly fit, strong and healthy. As you know having ponds as a hobby mandates that you stay active and fit and when winter hits and I'm supposed to be hibernating I go to the gym. Can't afford to get out of shape with all those critters counting on me. :)

Oh great - it's snowing. I was just going to finish up my "break" and head back outside. Gotta love New England!
Sue

Sue, I'm thinking and sometimes that can be very dangerous. I remember as a child playing in a ditch that had overflowed from a creek, and finding some old cans in the water. When we picked them up they were filled with baby catfish. Maybe if you put a container with a cord attached into your pond, they would go inside to hide and you could quickly pick it up to capture your cats. It's worth a try and maybe it just might work. Glenda

Hi Sue,
As horton said fish are cold blooded but different typies of fish are affected differently. The goldfish are a cold water fish and will behave like a cold water fish. They will be active all winter and are very hardy. If the cats are true cannel cats than they too are a cold water fish and will be just fine as long as the amount of debri in the pond doesn't kill them. The koi are a cool water fish and can not take very cold water. This is the reason they normally lay at the bottom in the winter. They do that because that water will normally stay at 38 or warmer. Horton maybe wrong about the leaves depending on how many are there. I did an experment a couple years ago on my 3000 gallon pond during the winter. I let the pond go natural and freeze with tempature sensors at various levels. With an inch or less of debri in the pond bottom the temp in the debri never went below 56 and for a good share of the winter it stayed in the 70's. The water below the ice stayed between 37 and 40 degrees. There was some small goldfish and koi in the pond. All the goldfish made it and all the koi did not. So I would guess you will see the same reasons. Based on this I would say the goldfish and cats have a good chance. I am a little concerned about the above ground preformed pond. Depending on the wattage of the deicer it may not be strong enough to keep it warm enough for the koi.
Mike

Hi Mike.
So what do you think.... perhaps I SHOULD put something on the bottom of the above ground pre-form pond that's acting as a temporary holding tank? I'm picking up four bales of hay tomorrow to pack around the outside of it HOPEFULLY to act as a sort of insulation? I took the big pond de-icer from the big pond and have that in the holding tank..... I know the fish used to hover around it on the very cold days so I guess it does throw some heat - hopefully between that and insulating the outside with hay I have half a chance of keeping my koi alive.

There's another option I thought of today and almost did it but it was so cold outside and the fish have already been through enough this weekend. I thought of taking all the hibernating turtles out of the turtle pond and putting THEM in the above ground holding tank and then moving the koi and the goldfish into the in-ground turtle pond. It's probably 500 gallons or so and has a bubbler and a de-icer going in it. I just hate stressing everybody again but it might be the better solution. If we decide to do that it can be done next weekend.... already dark out by the time I get home from work.

We were able to get the channel cats FINALLY so they are in the holding tank, too! They are SO GORGEOUS - one of them is actually about 14" inches and the other was probably 10". I'm glad I didn't set up an indoor tank for them - it would have been way too small.

Thanks for the thoughts and opinions - keep them coming - this is a work in progress.

Sue

Four bales is not enough. Sandy

Mike, If you read my post again, you will see that I stated that the leaves at the bottom of the pond would be at the same temperature as that of the water surrounding them.
I did not mention any specific water temperatures.

As in any decomposition of plant material, there will be some heat generated, but the heat produced at the bottom of a pond in winter from an inch deep lining of leaves, I'm sure, would be minimal and have little effect in warming the surrounding water. Maybe six inches or a foot deep bed of decomposing plant material could possibly generate a bit more chemical reaction to cause heat.
I'd leave that [no pun intended] to the scientists among us to determine and qualify.

The temperature readings in the top middle or bottom of a pond, I believe, would be more dependant on the depth of the pond, the soil structure surrounding the pond and whether the water within the pond is kept still or is being circulated or aerated.

Other factors, I would say should be considered are, the pond's physical and climate zone location.
Whether it is sheltered from the winds or not, above or below ground and the use of supplementary heating would all be factors.

In the post about running a pond in winter, there is evidence given by several people, living in a particular climate zone number [albeit hundreds of miles apart] relating to the different ways in which, their individual ponds react during winter.

You may remember reading about the temperature tests done by David [DRH] in 2001, over the months of January, February and March, in his own pond in Vermont.
These tests showed very little difference [less than two degrees] between the top, center and bottom temperatures of the pond water. He used three separate probes and a multi-point temperature recorder, that printed out a graph showing all the temperatures that were taken at various times of the day.
All of these recorded temperature were in the low 30's [F] and nothing near the bottom temperatures that you recorded in your tests in your natural type pond.

My point is and I'm sure you will agree, that each pond is uniquely different, due to it's individual location, size, depth, water texture and upkeep. Then add in the whims and fancies of nature and weather.
I would say, that whether it be in summer, fall, spring or winter, there are going to be variables concerning every facet, within each pond.
"Horton"

Sue, I have two spare preforms and a kiddie pool, if you need them and are up for a trip two states up, you can borrow them. Meanwhile, to help the water temp along, just an idea, maybe you have/can buy at Home Depot or similar, one of those warming cable thingies that folks up here put along their roof edge, to prevent ice dams? You could wrap that around the bottom of the preform, under the bales of hay, or even have a piece hang into the water. Then, on the very cold nights, you could plug it in - and sleep better...

:) Mary

Mary, the warming cable thingies are a great idea to investigate. I assume they are waterproof if they are melting or preventing ice in a gutter. Do you know about safety near water?

Mike

Yes, Mike, I do! Don't put the plug under water!

Just kidding... That kind of warming cable is completely covered in heatproof rubbery plastic stuff.

This is how I know. We have a drain in the driveway right in front of the garage, because in early spring, a bulge forms under the driveway, and the melt water runs not so much by the garage doors, but into the garage. So the drains should carry the melt water to the back yard where it won't cause anybody any trouble. For this to work I have to keep the drain free of ice, which I do with exactly such a cable. The plug end hangs next to the door, a few feet off the ground, over a nail on the wall inside the garage. So, on a nice day after the first winter that the drain didn't do its job, I took the top grid off the drains, put crumbled aluminum foil down the whole length, layed the warming cable on top of the foil, put the covers back on, and voila. I plug it in every time the drain fills with snow or ice, then I unplug it again when the ice is gone.

So far I never got electrocuted.

:) Mary

Thanks, Mary, for the VERY kind offer and the great suggestion! At this point I don't think I want to deal with setting up additional holding tanks but if I start to sense there is a problem then it might become necessary. BUt what a generous offer - thank you!

Regarding the heating element, I love the suggestion. I don't know how much of a difference it would make to the fish but you are correct that on the very cold nights it would certainly help ME sleep better!

Sue