In a deeper pond, lily tubs could be stood on blocks so they can be reached at arms length The purpose of the lily tub is to anchor the waterlily, which when it is not rooted in is buoyant and likely to be a bit messy in growing habit if it is floating Theres no need to store hardy waterlilies indoors, they are hardy outdoors in a pond, set below the likely freeze line When waterlilies are growing in water too deep to wade, that is a problem, reaching them. You might try something like a boat hook to pull them to pieces where their roots are in soft mud... If you can feel the plants with your feet, put on a face mask, hold your breath and have a fun time doing an underwater tug of war lifting stray rhisomes where they wander Figuring a way to set a lily tub on a pedestal at a depth which is convenient to plant makes it easier to move the tub to a shallower depth to sort them out Waterlilies have varying growing habit, some trot 6' in a Summer, others trot a few inches a year. Needless to say the very invasive fast spreading types tend to be cheap and easy to find and probably the most unsuitable to plant on a very large pond. Marliac type waterlilies which have slow spreading but prolific blooming habit would better suit a position which is difficult to plant, that you do not want choked...

Thank you for the encouraging message, chas045! I hope they didn't completely get killed, maybe just snipped back a bit. It was this way-early warm spring we had and then WHAM! But as a pretty new gardener (with new plants I have little experience with) I am like a fussy first time mother. Any little sneeze and I fear a major illness!!!!

Need more information: Did you fertilize the lily when you planted it? Did you plant it in a pot, or is it in a mesh bag? Overfertilizing a lily can cause the leaves to die back and injure the plant. I would do a partial water change, replacing with fresh water. I don't use rain water in any of my lily containers, just fresh tap water. Likewise, not fertilizing at all might make the plant's growth slow down, the old pads might not be replaced with healthy new ones. Some people use Miracle Grow spiles or Jobs spikes, others use Osmocote pellets, others use plant tabs made for aquatics. Those mesh bags are, in my opinion, completely worthless. I have never managed to grow a healthy water lily in one. Water lilies generally do better when planted in a large container of clay-based soil. Garden soil will also work, but you'll need to hold it down with sand and gravel. Otherwise, there could be aphids on the pads or maybe a caterpillar that you haven't spotted yet. Moths will also lay their eggs on plants, and the larvae are tiny green caterpillars that easily escape notice. I don't think you need to scrub out the tank. If it was used for animals, it shouldn't have anything in it that would harm your plants.

Whether you need to bring the fish in or not would depend on how cold it gets in your area. It looks like you have a half barrel and that might not provide enough protection if you get below freezing weather. As far as the lily goes, if it is a tropical lily it will need to come inside, but a hardy lily can stay outside. You will want to cut it down to the pot as the weather gets colder. Rotting plant material isn't good for the fish. If it was your first year, maybe the lily wasn't mature enough to bloom. Also if it doesn't get enough sun it might not bloom. The other plants should probably be removed. They look like the type that might die in cold weather. It is true, you do not want to let the barrel ice over. You want at least a small hole for gas exchange. But don't pound on the ice if it does form. That can damage the fish. Sit a pot of hot water on the ice (holding on to it) to let the heat melt the ice. I am not in Ohio so I can't give you precise information, but I would err on the side of caution with that small a pond.