`I have a 55 gal goldfish tank with 6 goldfish in it. I really want to convert it to a tropical tank. I know I will need heaters, it has a filter, air pump, gravel, etc. It is set up and has been running for years as a goldfish tank. I have a home for the goldfish and need to give my tropicals more space. What considerations do I need to take to get the 55 gallon tank set up for my tropicals (fancy guppies, swordtails, platties and soon some type of schooling fish)?
I have two 5 gallon tanks that are cycled and crowded with all the fry the platties have been producing.
I have one female swordtail, two platties, and one male fancy guppy in with some fry in one 5 gallon tank (crowded I know). I have about 10 fry about 1/2 inch long in the other 5 gallon tank and about 10 new fry (3 weeks old) in a one gallon tank. I will put the smallest fry in one of the 5 gallon tanks and use the other 5 gallon tank for a quarantine tank when I have the 55 gallon tank set up.
I thought about using the filter from the 1 gallon tank in the 55 gallon tank to help cycle it if I need to clean it thououghly before making it tropical. I could also seed it with gravel from the 1 gallon tank (there won't be much since it only serves to get fry big enough to be relocated). I am going to place a new filter media in one of the 5 gal tanks for the next few days so I can get some bacteria in it then put the filter media I'm currently using in the 55 gal to help cycle the tank, or I could just move the filter and all in the 55 gal when I have the water heated but don't know if that would be a good idea since I would need to move the occupants of the 5 gallon at the same time.
Advice please.
Remember I want schooling fish also so I could add them first with some filter media so they wouldn't need to be in a 5 gallon quarantine tank for 3 weeks.
I have two 5 gallon tanks that are cycled and crowded with all the fry the platties have been producing.
I have one female swordtail, two platties, and one male fancy guppy in with some fry in one 5 gallon tank (crowded I know). I have about 10 fry about 1/2 inch long in the other 5 gallon tank and about 10 new fry (3 weeks old) in a one gallon tank. I will put the smallest fry in one of the 5 gallon tanks and use the other 5 gallon tank for a quarantine tank when I have the 55 gallon tank set up.
I thought about using the filter from the 1 gallon tank in the 55 gallon tank to help cycle it if I need to clean it thououghly before making it tropical. I could also seed it with gravel from the 1 gallon tank (there won't be much since it only serves to get fry big enough to be relocated). I am going to place a new filter media in one of the 5 gal tanks for the next few days so I can get some bacteria in it then put the filter media I'm currently using in the 55 gal to help cycle the tank, or I could just move the filter and all in the 55 gal when I have the water heated but don't know if that would be a good idea since I would need to move the occupants of the 5 gallon at the same time.
Advice please.
Remember I want schooling fish also so I could add them first with some filter media so they wouldn't need to be in a 5 gallon quarantine tank for 3 weeks.
