how many gallons does the pond hold? with only 3 fish going in i dont see too much stress on the filter as it cycles but that depends on how big the pond is. fish are remarably resilient and can deal with high levels of toxin for a period of time. all you can do is monitor the water each day and act accordingly. with you going away its going to be down to your hubby to keep things going.
i would say with both options the pond looks more ideal than the pool.