I'm far behind.Even if you do everything right you can still have fish die over winter. It's very stressful to them. I don't necessarily know everything about leaving them out during the winter. I started to read up on it and it sounded iffy here in Wisconsin. If I didn't have my big tank I would probably keep them in a cow tank in the basement over winter. I hate not knowing how my fish are doing.
I've had my big fish since 2003, so I have gotten a bit attached to them.
I don't want to talk you out of a pond, definitely do some reading on it. Some of the folks on your pond thread I think are further south than you and me. What plant zone are you in? 4 or 5?
Plus a bigger tank is way cheaper than a big pond for fish, so again not talking you out of it. There's a whole balancing act with a pond between fish, and plants and filtration. If you get it wrong you end up with an algae filled mess. Filters need constant maintenance, plants too. Many people put in a small pond than become disenchanted with it, and it's constant maintenance.
My pond is smaller and I manage it like an aquarium with water changes and filter rinsing every few days. I'm always relieved to shut it down in the fall.
I will catch up asap.