I've put in a small pond of about 500 gallons. It's in a  shady spot with anarachis and a water lily.  About 2' at it's deepest (I'm in Atlanta) and a lot of perimeter and surface area for that volume. Water is just a little murky and you can't see into the depths, but the shallows are clear. I brought over some old pond water, I doubt it was missing any bacteria as it had a huge leaf litter load!

4 small (3" or so)  common goldfish (that lived in that pond water) and a shubunkin (that fish is quick, not that the others are slackers). I'm looking for a yellow comet.

No filter yet, I do spray about half the day to add air, and it looks great! Leaf net overhead  and I pull out the stray junk.

As near as I can tell the fish are quite happy and active. It's only been about a month but they look a lot bigger.

So, I want these to be working fish, so to speak, I want them to live as they might and forage as they normally would.

I'm thinking for the size and number of fish that I won't need filtration yet.

Does this seem about right? 6 goldfish?

What about frogs? I have some living nearby in some rough water that I want to drain. Can a working goldfish pond take in some frogs or would they be trouble?

(early pond pic attached) Sitting out by the pond has been a delight.

  Jeff

Think one goldfish per 20 gallons in the pond, if you're not intending to ever put a filter in it... consider keeping far less fish there.

A filter is top priority next to the correct sized tank/pond

They poo al ot so they need tons of room. My goldfis have a bunch of different emotions.

Some are agressive.
Some are bold.
Some are shy.
If they are swimming alot and fins erect they are happy
If they are sitting at the bottom of the pond with clamped fins they are sad or stressed.
If they have fin erect but they are just looking at the glass then they are probably bored.
If they are a usually calm fish but one day at feeding he or she starts biting a lot he or she is probably annoyed or mad.