So, someone gave me this bright idea on here the other day, about turning a kiddy pool into a place to raise fish. Their's was a temporary outdoor type thing...mine will be indoor. Colorado's weather is too out there to do any outdoor tropicals. lol Plus we have kids, coyotes, foxes, raccoons and possums, occasional fox, along with many types of birds of prey and cats, snakes...I don't think outdoor ones would work, anyone with ponds here usually ends up with eaten critter left-overs next to their ponds eventually.
So here's what we're going to do, and I need some help on the set up because it's obviously a first for me, but is a cheaper alternative to an extremely large, and extremely expensive new tank. So advice is welcome!
I'm going to have it indoors, it'll be in the basement. Hoping for something that's 1-2 feet deep and large, something at least 300-400 gallons, biggest I can find that'll fit in the basement, I think.
I'm thinking sponge filter. I assume I'll need two or three. What kind would go well? I may just get to guessing.
The heaters...it actually stays pretty warm down there all year round, so I don't know if I'll need more than one or any too powerful. I'll be testing that out. It stays 75 or so in the winter down there, maybe a bit warmer, and gets right hot in the summer though, however the A/C should keep it around 80 or lower. Basically it's always between 70 and 80 degrees down there, so the heater will just need to be the stability for that and keep it around 76-78. Because it doesn't get too cold or hot, that should be enough, or so I hope...
There will be floating plants like my crystalwort that grows like nothing else. No substrate, it needs to be easier to clean. Plants are always a plus. lol
Obviously I'll be testing and making sure it's cycled before putting any fish in there. =)
So this will be my project, I'm hoping against hope it'll be a quick and easy set up. Fat chance, eh? But since I have established media, it shouldn't take long, provided I get the right filters...I'm hoping to have it done quick though. I have some new babies in great need of more room. :3
Currently have like...I don't even know 50+ two week old swordtails. Bunch of mollies, always have mollies in, some guppies...see now why I need the space? My 55 gal with the adults is no longer ideal for the amount of kids I get in. Usually I give fry away for free because I haven't the space and want them to live and not stunt or die in over-full tanks, but I'm hoping to make this into a small business and one day have giant tanks instead. lol Seems like a good idea to me, a lot more space for a fraction of the cost a tank will be...should I find a proper pool that will last.
My 55 gal, and two ten gallons are past full capacity(the 20 gal is not usable for fry since it's housing a lovely blue crayfish...), and ma refuses to let me get a tank that's a few hundred gallons, especially since we don't have thousands of dollars to spend on one. LOL So this is my alternative.
Wish me luck, I shall update. Be nice if my...very wild idea I stole from someone else and modified a little actually goes well, eh? Otherwise it'll likely be years before I get enough tanks to get my business running. I knew someone who started out with a couple small tanks and storage tubs in their garage, a large pool in a basement sounds better to me...
So, am I nuts? Biting off more than I can chew? Very likely. In fact probable. =P Think I can pull it off? Guess we'll find out.