Hi,
The pond liner should not be a problem. Do you have plants in it and if so what kind? What about fish? You could always keep the pump running and it would not freeze except maybe around the edges. Any hardy water lilies can be dropped to the bottom of the pond and will come back when it warms up. At 2' deep with the pump going goldfish could live. Just quit feeding now and they will enter a state of suspended animation, so the speak. If you have any other questions about pond plant hardiness or ponds please feel free to e-mail me directly or post on the thread.

Loretta

Loretta,
Thanks for response--no, nofish, no plants--
I'm still constructing the spillway and will have
to give it up, seeing as the leaves are turning and
will be falling and i'll have to spend my time raking
and bagging till after Thanksgiving. I'm just worried
that my liner will freeze, thaw and then split and spring
a leak before the winter is through. I'd love to
stuff some kind of sand or filler in this tiny
'bucket hole' of a pond for the winter.
R

I respectfully disagree with keeping the pump running to keep the pond from freezing 'cause I've "been there, done that" here in NJ and it didn't work. I now use an inexpensive stock trough heater, with a protective wire cage to keep the heater from touching the side of the pond and perhaps damaging it. The heater has a thermostat and turns on at about 34 degrees. Keeps my entire pond ice free and lasts for several years, so that when you do have plants and fish in the pond you'll be ready for them and winter.

Thanks for the responses. Where do I get a stock trough
heater, and does it run on batteries or do I have to
plug it in somewhere? Also, would you recommend it
for a 'tiny pond--about 3 buckets worth?